Joshua Harris, composer

Bio

Josh began playing piano as a child in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina. He later studied with Allen Kindt and Bair Shagdaron at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.

While an undergraduate student he began composing chamber music and electronic music as a student of Scott Meister. After college he taught chorus, band, steel band, piano, music theory, and music appreciation at Ashe County High School in West Jefferson, North Carolina.

In 1997, Josh embarked on a two-year religious mission to South Korea. There he learned the Korean language and came to understand and love the culture, especially the food and music. Both concrete Korean musical styles and generic east Asian concepts like balance and amorphousness continue to inform his compositional style.

In 2006 he began studying composition with Steve Ricks at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. While there he also studied with David Sargent. At BYU, Josh taught music theory and music dictation. In the summer of 2007, he was selected to intern at the Barlow Endowment for Music's annual prize selection retreat.

Josh currently lives in Denton, Texas with his wife Megan and two daughters. He is a doctoral student and teaching fellow at the University of North Texas.

Education

Brigham Young University; Master of Music, 2008

Appalachian State University; Bachelor of Music, 2003

Teaching Positions

Teaching Assistant, composition; University of North Texas, Denton, Texas; 2009-present

Teacher, band; Avery High School, Newland, North Carolina; 2008-2009

Instructor, music theory and aural skills; Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; 2006-2008

Teacher, band, chorus, music theory, piano, music appreciation; Ashe County High School, West Jefferson, North Carolina; 2002-2006

Awards

Barlow Endowment commission for a new piece for wind ensemble, 2009

Vera Hinckley Mayhew Student Creative Arts Contest, 1st Prize, music composition, 2008

Travel Award, Brigham Young University Graduate School, 2008

Travel Award, Barlow Endowment, 2008

North Carolina Teaching Fellow, 1996

List of Compositions

Variations for Winds; flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, euphonium, piano; 7 minutes (2009) - performance scheduled for April, 2009

When the Evening is Spread Out Against the Sky; orchestra; 18 minutes (2008)

The Mysterious Mirror; alto saxophone, electric guitar, piano, percussion; 10 minutes (2007) - composed for and recorded by Flexible Music; Provo, Utah; 2008

the five notes make his ears deaf; flutes, harps, percussion; 7 minutes (2007) - performed by the Appalachian State University Flute Choir as part of Contemporary Music Festival at the Hayes School of Music; Boone, North Carolina; 2008

Ricochet; double orchestra; 5 minutes (2007) - recorded by the Brigham Young University Symphony Orchestra; Provo, Utah; 2007

Preludes and Canon; solo flute, electronics; 7 minutes (2007)

High Flight; SSAATTBB choir; 5 minutes (2007)

Apollo and the Moon; four sopranos, percussion, electronics; 8 minutes (2007)

Violet Chasing Indigo; flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon; 2 minutes (2006)

The Way the Moonlight Strikes a Cold Mountain Lake When No One is Watching; steel pans, electric guitar, piano; 5 minutes (2006)

Seasons, settings from The Fisherman Songs by Yun Sun-Do; baritone, flute, oboe, bassoon, string quartet, and percussion; 20 minutes (2006) - performed by Hyrum Weibell, baritone; Provo, Utah; 2006

Score for film Rearview Mirror; orchestra; 10 minutes (2005)

Morning Prayer; SATB choir; 3 minutes (2004)

Nam Hae-Seong; electronics; 4 minutes (2002) - played back; Boone, North Carolina; 2002

Fanfare; trumpets in C; 2 minutes (2002) - performed by the Appalachian State University Trumpet Choir; Boone, North Carolina; 2002

Fire and Water; violin, horn, piano; 6 minutes (2002) - performed by Sarah Mann, violin, Kevin Burke, horn, and Melony Dodson Maness; Boone, North Carolina; 2002

Songs of Innocence; tenor, mezzo soprano, soprano, boy soprano, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon; 20 minutes (2002) - performed by Alexandra Walker, soprano, Shalene Wyrick, mezzo soprano, Jimmy Buchanan, tenor, Taylor Ward, boy soprano; Boone, North Carolina; 2002

Ode to the West Wind; percussion solo, orchestra; 5 minutes (2001, incomplete)

My Father's Lintel; piano, prepared piano, three players; 8 minutes (2001) - performed by Derrick Spence, Shalene Wyrick, Joshua Harris, pianos; Boone, North Carolina; 2001

Walking and Dancing with the Monk; percussion quartet; 4 minutes (2001) - performed by John Leupold, Jeff Butterfield, Tim Backus, Jeremy Mueller, percussion; Boone, North Carolina; 2002

Prelude for Strings; violin, guitar, piano; 2 minutes (2001) - performed by Graham Thaxton, violin, Jeremy Fisher, guitar, Joshua Harris, piano; Boone, North Carolina; 2001

On a Theme; piano; 2 minutes (2001) - performed by Joshua Harris, piano; Boone, North Carolina; 2001

Theme and Variations; solo violin; 7 minutes (2000) - performed by Graham Thaxton, violin; Boone, North Carolina; 2000

Sonata in; violin, piano; 3 minutes (2000)

Intrada; horn, piano; 3 minutes (2000) - performed by Nathan Hannon, horn, Joshua Harris, piano; Boone, North Carolina; 2000

Dance and Waltz; piano; 6 minutes (2000) - performed by Joshua Harris, piano; Boone, North Carolina; 2002

Eighth Psalm; SSAATTBB choir; 5 minutes (1999)

Areopagitica; flute, clarinet, piano; 6 minutes (1997) - performed by Amber Hutton, flute, Daniel Harder, clarinet, Joshua Harris, piano; Boone, North Carolina; 1997

Essay; piano; 7 minutes (1996) - performed by Allen Kindt, piano; Boone, North Carolina; 1996. Performed by Joshua Harris, piano; Boone, North Carolina; 2002

Prelude; piano; 2 minutes (1996) - performed by Erin Witcher, piano; Boone, North Carolina; 1996