About

About Us

Theory Time® has served public and private music educators and students since its inception in 1996. The company designs and publishes instructional curriculums, videos, games and teaching aids for general music theory study.  We are based in Texas and owned/operated by Heather & Ron Rathnau.

Heather & Ron Rathnau of Theory Time

About Heather

Heather RathnauHeather Hearn Rathnau, NCTM graduated Magna Cum Laude from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Pedagogy. She also graduated from Baylor with a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance and Literature. Heather was the recipient of numerous scholarships for piano, academics, and vocal performance, in addition to a graduate assistantship in accompanying. At Baylor, Heather was a member of several academic honor societies, and was also selected for the national music honor society, Pi Kappa Lambda, which recognizes the highest levels of musical achievement and academic scholarship in colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher learning. The international professional music fraternity, Mu Phi Epsilon, also presented Heather its coveted “Sterling Achievement Award” as the outstanding senior Mu Phi student in the nation.

Heather is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) in Piano and maintains a successful private studio teaching piano and voice. She has directed children’s choirs at her church, and also served as an adjudicator and clinician for children’s choir workshops and seminars on vocal technique. Additionally, she has been the guest soloist for the keynote speaker at the Baptist General Convention of Texas and is a former member of the San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers. She is listed in Who’s Who in America, 60th Edition and Who’s Who of American Women.

Heather was named “Teacher of the Year” at the 2011 Texas Music Teachers Association (TMTA) State Convention, awarded for the highest service to and representation of TMTA, MTNA and the music teaching profession, in addition to an excellent record in the teaching profession. Heather has served Texas MTA as the Vice President for Student Activities, Delegate Assembly Director on the TMTA Board of Directors, MTNA/TMTA Composition Competition Chair, Best of State Chair, Teacher Recognition Chair, and she is a 2022 MTNA Foundation Fellow. She is an adjudicator for the National Piano Teachers Guild Auditions and a Past-President of the Independent Music Teachers Association of Greater Houston.

Heather served National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) as the South-Central Region Festival chair, and in 2019-2020 Heather wrote a new theory curriculum for the NFMC Festival Program Theory Event as well as the annual tests for each test level. Subsequently, Theory Time K-12 workbooks became the official study resource for that testing program. Heather’s students actively participate in the annual NFMC Gold Cup Festival, and have also received numerous awards for theory, composition, music history, publication, and ensemble at the TMTA State Conventions.

Heather is a native of San Antonio, Texas and prior to entering Baylor, studied piano under Karl Leifheit, Professor of Music at Trinity University, and former student of Rosina Lhévinne. At Baylor, she studied piano while pursuing her vocal degrees and, subsequently, studied private voice with Bernadine Oliphint, Professor of Music at Texas Southern University. As a young adult, Heather also spent many hours at the piano with her aunt, Lois Damron Burt, herself a gifted pianist, musician and former private student of David Saperton from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Mrs. Burt was a great inspiration to Heather during her formative years as a musician and helped instill her love of music and desire for excellence. An accomplished musician, author and clinician, Heather has devoted her life to her church, family, and music profession.

Listen to Heather’s recording of “Light of a Million Mornings” (Everlasting Light) by Claire Cloninger & Mark Hayes, recorded with Tallowood Baptist Church choir and orchestra, Houston, Texas

  • Heather Rathnau
  • Light of a Million Mornings
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  • https://www.theorytime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/01-Tallowood-Baptist-Church-Adult-Choir-_-Light-Of-A-Million-Mornings.mp3

About Ron

Ron Rathnau of Theory TimeRon Rathnau graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and is a former military officer. He is a native of Chicago, Illinois and earned an MBA degree in Finance and Operations Management from St. Mary’s University. Heather and Ron have two daughters.