Henk Temmingh was born in Amsterdam to a family of musicians. His first piano lessons were with his father at the age of 6, and at the age of 13 he became an organ pupil of the famous Dutch teacher Simon C. Jansen.
In March 1958, the Temmingh family moved to South Africa, and Henk matriculated from the Griekwastad High School in 1959 after having had to learn both the then official languages of South Africa (Afrikaans and English). In South Africa he continued his organ lessons with his father, Roelof, and also studied piano with Frans ter Haar.
In 1960 he enrolled at the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, completing his BMus degree in 1962. He also obtained a church organist’s diploma and a performer’s licentiate in organ in the same year. He received his BMus (Hons) and MMus degrees in 1963 and 1964 respectively (both from Potchefstroom). In 1964 he married Annatjie du Plessis, a fellow BMus student. In 1965, Temmingh returned to the Netherlands for two years, during which he studied organ with Adriaan Engels and composition with Kees van Baaren. His overseas studies also included choral and orchestral conducting, and he was later appointed as conductor of various choirs and orchestras, among them the chamber choir of the University of the Witwatersrand and the symphony orchestra of the University of Pretoria. In 1970 he was awarded a doctorate in composition by the University of Pretoria. His early compositional career was marked by an experimental phase. He has recently composed mostly on commission. His first lectureship was in 1967 at the University of Port Elizabeth, where he was promoted to senior lecturer in 1971. From 1979 he taught at the music department of the University of the Witwatersrand, until he was appointed as head of the music department at Potchefstroom University, where he was also awarded a full professorship. In 1993 he accepted a position as head of the music department at the University of Pretoria, where he remained until his retirement in June 2000 at the age of 61.
Temmingh has served on the boards of a number of music institutions, including the Suid-Afrikaanse Musiekonderwyser, the journal of the South African Society of Music Teachers. He was also a member of the South African Society for Church Organists. He has published more than 25 articles, as well as almost one hundred newspaper reviews. He is active as an external examiner of both undergraduate and postgraduate students, in practical as well as academic subjects. He is also sought after as adjudicator, and often acts as chairman of the panel of adjudicators at music competitions.
Hendrik Temmingh is is op 26 Julie 1939 in Amsterdam, Nederland, as die oudste van vier kinders gebore. Hy ontvang sy eerste klavierlesse op ses-/sewejarige ouderdom by sy vader, Roelof. Op dertienjarige ouderdom ontvang Henk orrellesse by die beroemde Simon C. Jansen. Die Temmingh-gesin emigreer in Maart 1958 na Suid-Afrika, en Henk matrikuleer in 1959 aan die Hoërskool Griekwastad, waar hy onder andere twee amptelike landstale moes baasraak voor skoolverlating. Gevolglik het hy eers sy skoolloopbaan op die rype ouderdom van twintig jaar voltooi. In Suid-Afrika was sy pa, Roelof, sy orrelonderwyser en het hy klavierles van Frans ter Haar ontvang. Henk het gedurende sy matriekjaar sy finale eksamens van UNISA in beide klavier en orrel met lof geslaag. Aan die begin van 1960 skryf hy by die Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir Christelike Hoër Onderwys in. Hy is vier jaar later met Annatjie du Plessis, ‘n mede-BMus-student, getroud. Hy ontvang sy grade BMus (1962 – dieselfde jaar waarin hy sy kerkorreliste-diploma sowel as voordraerslisensiaat in orrel behaal het), BMusHons (1963), en sy MMus (1964). Hy het ‘n aantal beurse tydens sy studiejare verwerf. Hy behaal ook sy onderwyslisensiaat (UNISA) in orrel in 1963, en in 1964 die onderwyslisensiaat (UNISA) in sang. In 1965 keer hy terug na Nederland vir ‘n tydperk van twee jaar waartydens hy orrel onder Adriaan Engels, en komposisie onder Kees van Baaren bestudeer het. Sy studies het ook koor- en orkesdireksie ingesluit. Hy is later as dirigent van onderskeie kore en orkeste, waaronder die WITS-kamerkoor asook die simfonie-orkes van die Universiteit van Pretoria, aangestel. In 1970 word ‘n doktorsgraad in komposisie deur die Universiteit van Pretoria aan hom toegeken. Sy komposie-loopbaan sluit aanvanklike eksperimentele jare (tot ongeveer 1975) in, alhoewel hy later meestal in opdrag gekomponeer het. Henk se eerste aanstelling as lektor was in 1967 aan die Universiteit van Port Elizabeth. In 1971 word hy tot senior lektor bevorder, en in 1979 sluit hy by die Musiekdepartement van die Universiteit van Witwatersrand aan. In 1986 word hy die hoof van die Musiekdepartement aan die Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir Christelike Hoër Onderwys en ontvang terselfdertyd ‘n volle professoraat. Hy aanvaar in 1993 die pos as hoof van die Departement Musiek aan die Universiteit van Pretoria. Hy bedank 23 Junie 2000 op een-en-sestigjarige ouderdom. Henk dien deur sy lewe op ‘n aantal verenigings, onder andere die adviesraad van die Suid-Afrikaanse Musiekonderwyser, tydskrif van die Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging van Musiekonderwysers en behoort ook aan die Suid-Afrikaanse Kerkorreliste Vereniging. Hy het verder ongeveer 25 artikels gepubliseer, sowel as byna honderd koerantresensies. Verder tree hy ook gereeld as eksterne eksaminator vir voor- en nagraadse studente in praktiese sowel as akademiese vakke aan verskeie universiteite op. Hy word hoog aangeskryf as beoordelaar van musiekkompetisies en tree dikwels as voorsitter van beoordelaarspanele op.
Religious Instrumental Solo Works:
Seven preludes on Genevan Psalm melodies (1973); organ
Twee koraalvoorspele (1975); organ
Twaalf koraalvoorspele (1981); organ Koraalvoorspele (1984); organ Kom dank nou (1993); organ
Secular Instrumental Solo Works:
Sonatine (1960); piano Mouvement (1969); piano Minimars, Valse; Wals en Ses sariasies (1975); piano Petite Piece Picanine (1992); harp Iapi mei scapi (1993); piano Variasies op ‘n kinderliedjie (1994); piano Intrada, Cantilene, en Toccata (1995); organ Soloe for oboe (1996); oboe Nkosi (1997); organ Farri Hasies – Goudie Hamoes (2000) vir orrel
Secular Instrumental Chamber Music:
Suite breve (1964); flute, viola, harp Strykkwartet (1966/68) Sonatine (1966/69); clarinet, piano Musiek vir fluit en orkes (1966/69) Suite (1969); flute, viola, cello, piano Passacaille et rondeau (1980); woodwind quintet Fanfare (1981); brass Supplementary music for The comedy of errors (1983) Trio (1983); flute, viola, harp Fanfare (1984); brass, organ percussion Divertimento (1984); four woodwinds, strings Sonate (1987); violin, piano 3 Mors so – Prullude, kraal en sjiek (1995); flute, bassoon, cello O Pobre e infortunado Ferreira (1999); SATB recorders
Secular Orchestral Works:
Divertimento (1975); orchestra Symphonietta (1985); chamber orchestra Baai-Baai – ‘n PE-stuk (1986); orchestra 16-12 Fantasie (1988); orchestra Piece number one in c pentatonic (1997); chamber orchestra Concertino (1978); piano, chamber orchestra Concerto (1983); trumpet, strings, timpani Concerto in die vorm van ‘n Fantasia (1998); organ, strings
Missa brevis (1983); SATB
Secular Vocal Music (solo): Twee liedere (1960; revised 1987); baritone, piano Drie Totiusliedere (1976); high voice, string quartet Vier dronkmansliedjies (1981); baritone, piano Three irreverent songs of calamity (1984); mezzo soprano, clarinet, piano Twee vergaderings van Potch-Proffe (1988); soprano, piano Vyf Suid-Afrikaanse volksliedere (1988); baritone, piano Vier liefdesliedere (1992); baritone, piano: four hands Die malle (1998); baritone, violin, piano
Secular Choral Works:
Vyf Suid-Afrikaanse volsliedjies (1977); SATB Twee liedere (1986); unaccompanied mens chorus Credo (1989); SATB
Mixed Religious Works:
Kersfeeskantate (1962); soprano, SATB, chamber orchestra De Profundis (1963); soloists, chorus, orchestra Vyf Pelgrimsliedere (1969); low voice, organ Vier pelgrimsliedere (1976); SATB, organ Psalm VIII (1980); soprano, SATB, strings, timpani Ses verwerkings (1989); baritone, oboe, organ
Vier taferele uit die lewe van Jesus (1990); organ, chorus, baritone and tenor soloists
Imisa labafileyo, ‘n requiem (1991); SATB-soloists, mixed chorus, orchestra
Mixed Secular Works:
Ballade (1960); soprano, baritone, female chorus, two pianos Die lyding van Matewis Viljee (1978); opera