Herbie Crisman Connects Through Music and Shared Experience

Herbie Crisman was so young when he began writing music that he cannot even remember the exact details of how he got started.

“The story changes ever so slightly every time I tell it,” Herbie says.

The Thompson Valley High School senior has been creating music since he was around 6 years old, when his piano teacher allowed him to improvise during recitals and suggested he write some of it down. He did, and it was the beginning of Herbie’s love of creating and studying music so he could experience it more deeply.

Herbie believes that it is important to know the circumstances around a piece of music’s origins to understand what the composer meant when they wrote it.

“Art is a reflection of the human condition,” Herbie says. “If you don’t understand the human condition people are writing in, you don’t understand the music. I write about my feelings.”

Herbie Crisman Embraces Identity and Perspective

When you ask Herbie to describe himself, he will start by proudly telling you he is a baroque composer. He will also call himself an extrovert and a talented violist and harpsichordist. What he may not mention is that he is also an autistic person, though he might throw that in as an afterthought.

“I haven’t had a necessarily easy time in high school,” Herbie says. “Autism is not something to be frowned upon, but there are ways it makes my life very hard. It’s really hard to say these are all of the ways that I’m different when you try every day to be like everyone else.” 

Herbie has known since elementary school that he was autistic, and in some ways, it has made things very challenging for him, especially socially. He has a vast knowledge of music, from composers to dates to countless scores, and he regards Bach as one of his greatest inspirations. He believes most people are content to just hear music without knowing anything about it, but for him, it is important to understand the details.

“You walk into any place you’re in, there will be music playing,” Herbie says. “As a composer who has gone through the process of writing the music, I think it’s important to know what you’re listening to.”

Creating and Collaborating With Others Through Music

As a musician, Herbie has not only found a place where he fits in and feels comfortable, but also one where he has had a lot of success. Herbie performs with multiple musical groups at TVHS and has been named to the All-State Orchestra twice, in addition to many other accolades and accomplishments. 

However, one of his most significant endeavors has been writing music performed by multiple organizations, including at his church and by two different symphony orchestras. Herbie spends much of his free time writing and says it can take anywhere from eight hours to many days to complete a piece. 

“I don’t necessarily think of those as achievements,” Herbie says. “They’re just something that has to happen as a composer. If one piece of music doesn’t work, write another one. There’s always going to be more music.” 

Herbie plans to major in music composition in college, and says the thing he is most looking forward to at school is meeting more people who are as passionate about music as he is. Herbie believes in nurturing musical talent not just in himself but in the people he meets. 

“I think a lot of people are amazing. Everyone is talented in their own way, whether they see it or not,” he says. “We are our own worst critics. It takes someone else to tell you that you’re doing well. I just think everyone has their own gifts.”