Donald Heminitz began his fife and drum career in January 1999 as a Civil War re-enactor in eastern Pennsylvania. In June 2002, he attended the Eastern Field Music School (now the Don Hubbard Field Music School), at Fort Delaware and enjoyed it so much he returned the following year. He returned for a third time in April 2004, when during the final formation, he was awarded the "Most Improved Fifer" Award. Later that year, Donald was finally exposed to the “fife and drum world,” when he met the members of the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums and the Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes and Drums (MCV) at the annual Grand Illumination celebration in Williamsburg. In August 2005, he attended his first muster at Fort Ticonderoga with the 3rd New Jersey Field Music, and in October he became the fife instructor for the B.S.A. Troop 53 Fife and Drum Corps (FDC) of Maytown, Pa. His fife skills were later tested by George Carroll in June 2006 at Fort Delaware and he received the title Master Fifer. Less than a month later on July 4th, the 3rd New Jersey performed live at Times Square in New York City on Good Morning America. He then attended the Juniors' Workshop, hosted by the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps at Fort Myer, Va during the first weekend of October. In January 2007, Donald published a book of duets and trios arranged by himself under the title "Martial Music for the Fife"; a second edition was printed in April 2010 that included more tunes along with several quartets. The book can found via Donald himself or here. In January 2008, Donald won first place in the national Baconworks Tune-smithing Contest with his original tune "Misty Morning," and in June, he participated with the Colonial Musketeers Senior Ancient FDC in the New Jersey State Association Fife and Drum Contest and as an individual took first place as senior male fifer. In March 2009, Donald participated with Camp Chase Fifes and Drums in Chillicothe, Ohio in the recording of their fourth album, “Echoes From the Past,” and in June, he was added to the faculty of the National Civil War Field Music School in Petersburg, Va. Donald began 2010 in early February by performing with MCV in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo held in Sydney, Australia. Currently, Donald is a fifer with the Middlesex County Volunteers, the Colonial Musketeers Srs, and the 3rd NJ Field Music. He also occasionally plays with Camp Chase Fifes and Drums, and was the fife instructor for the B.S.A. Troop 53/ Venture Crew 53 FDC of Maytown, Pa for almost five years. Outside of re-enacting and fife and drum, Donald has recently graduated from Millersville University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in music with concentration on the flute. There he was a member of the flute choir, marching band, concert band, wind ensemble, and orchestra. Following graduation, he performed as a soloist for many events as well as with multiple community bands near Lancaster, Pa, until moving to northern Massachusetts in April of 2010, where he continues to explore the many musical opportunities in historical Boston.