Werner Heckmann was born in Obersuhl (North Hesse) in 1961 and began playing the trumpet at the age of 11. After successfully participating in the national "Jugend musiziert" competition, he became a member of the national youth orchestra and later the "Junge Deutsche Philharmonie".

After graduating from high school, he studied at the University of Music in Würzburg with Prof. Helmut Erb and received his diploma there.

While still a student, he became principal trumpet at the Stuttgart State Opera (Württ. Staatsorchester) in 1981, where he is still active today.

In addition to engagements as a soloist and chamber musician, he has won prizes at national and international competitions.

From 1994 to 2024 he was a permanent member of the brass ensemble "German Brass". In addition to highly acclaimed CD and DVD productions, numerous concert tours have taken him to the largest international music centers.

In 2016, he received the "Echo Klassik" award in the ensemble/orchestra category together with the "German Brass" ensemble.

For some time now, his publications of (brass) wind literature have received much recognition from renowned publishers such as Hal Leonard Europe, De Haske and Strube-Verlag Munich.

Werner Heckmann is a welcome guest lecturer at workshops and brass festivals in Germany and abroad, passing on his diverse experience to (young) musicians.

He has been teaching trumpet/orchestral studies and chamber music at the University of Music in Würzburg since 1982.

He was appointed honorary professor here in 2002.

In recent years, he has repeatedly produced audio and video productions with the trumpet ensemble of the University of Music Würzburg under his direction.