During the pandemic, like many kids her age, Haleigh Arden O’Neill just wanted to watch TV and play video games. But her dad had different plans. He encouraged her to find a creative outlet, and so Haleigh turned to music.

Haleigh’s musical journey commenced in August 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown. In April 2021, her parents bought her a Yamaha keyboard, which came with a book of music called "50 Piano Greats." Haleigh took an immediate liking to classical music. She taught herself to read music using YouTube videos, quickly realizing that the more notes on the score, the faster the piece. Naturally, she gravitated towards playing fast compositions.

At the tender age of 10, Haleigh began composing her own pieces on the piano. One of her first creations, "Slow Blues," emerged as a simple theme but evolved into an emotionally charged piece that made the piano seem to cry. Her innate ability to evoke deep emotion became evident, with rich textures and dynamic contrasts that belied her years.

She had her inaugural piano lesson in May 2021 and by August 2021 she was studying piano at Texas A&M Kingsville with Dr. Joachim Reinhuber Professor of Piano. Dr. Reinhuber agreed to see Haleigh once a month. After 3 lessons with him, Haleigh performed her first recital along with the college students. She was still 10 years old.

At only 11 years old, Haleigh composed and performed her first piano sonata in the Summer of 2022 at Texas A&M University Kingsville. Dr. Reinhuber then introduced Haleigh to composer Dr. James Wilding, a professor at The University of Akron in Ohio. She then composed her first piano concerto with orchestration in the Summer of 2023, followed by a performance with the Corpus Christi Chamber Orchestra at Del Mar College directed by Mr. Todd Ehle. On February 16, 2025, Mr. Ehle and his orchestra premiered another of Haleigh’s compositions called "The Strings of Del Mar."

Haleigh, a member of the Corpus Christi Area Youth Orchestra, also composed one of the symphony pieces performed during the Spring 2024 concert. The Corpus Christi Area Youth Orchestra will premiere another of Haleigh’s compositions, “Beautifully Triumphant” during this year’s Spring Concert on May 4, 2025. To date, Haleigh has composed over 35 works, including symphonies, piano concertos, solo piano pieces, and chamber music for smaller ensembles.

Another notable composition, "Dance of the Midnight Fireflies," was created at the age of 12. This enchanting piece was inspired by Haleigh's first encounter with fireflies during a camping trip with her parents. The music captures the flickering light of fireflies at dusk and their graceful ascent into the treetops. Through a captivating rhythmic interplay, Haleigh reflects the ancient dance of these luminous insects.

Haleigh recently had the distinction of having two of her original Bassoon and Cello Duets performed at the Fall 2024 SoundWaves Festival at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Taking the stage 40 times since her first performance in November 2021, Haleigh’s musical career continues to blossom. Having been selected to perform at an exclusive international chamber music festival in Kaufbeuren, Germany in January 2024, Haleigh has now graced the international stage, a mere 140 miles from Mozart’s birthplace. Her three performances in Germany included original compositions, as well as virtuosic performances of pieces by Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin. Haleigh received a second invitation to not only perform again in Kaufbeuren, Germany in January 2025, but also to compose and perform a piano quintet during the festival. The performance of Haleigh’s piano quintet, “The Wicked and the Beautiful” was so well received, an encore performance was scheduled for the following evening.

Haleigh’s journey from the living room to the concert hall is a testament to her dedication and creative spirit. Her compositions not only showcase her technical skills but also her profound ability to translate emotions and experiences into beautiful music.