Marian Harrison

1974 -

About

Marian Harrison (b. 1974), is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. She is a composer, arranger, music copyist, teacher, playwright, and photographer. In August of 2007, she became the first African American to receive the Doctorate of Music degree in Music Composition from Indiana University's prestigious Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana. While attending Indiana University, she studied composition with David Baker, Sven-Davis Sandstrom, David Dzubay, and P.Q. Phan. Harrison’s other previous institutions of study include the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, where she received the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education (1997), and Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, where she received the Masters of Music degree in Music Composition (2001). In addition, Harrison studied music composition at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, Sweden and received the Certificate of Visiting Student during the 2004-2005 academic year. Various ensembles including Indiana University’s Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, the Spelman College Glee Club, and the Thamyris New Music Ensemble have performed Harrison’s works. Harrison is an active composer whose catalog spans a range of genres for large and chamber ensembles. She has works published by WaiBop Publishing and GIA Publications, INC. Her song cycle, Songs of Nature, is commercially available on the compact disc, Song Tapestry, which was recorded by mezzo-soprano and IU voice professor, Patricia Stiles. Some recent compositions and their performances, since 2012, include the West Coast premiere of her orchestral work, “Out of Kilter: sounding scenes from Black America,” by the Southeast Symphony, under the direction of Anthony Parnther, and the premiere of her vocal work, “Tiny Child”, by the Morehouse College Glee Club, under the direction of David Morrow. From 2001 to 2002, Harrison was Lecturer of Music Composition and Theory at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. From fall 2010 to 2013 she occupied the same post. As an educator, Harrison’s goal is to cultivate skills that promote a life-long appreciation for the arts through participation and patronage. This goal led her to establish MLH Music Studio in 2010, which provides private piano, music theory, and composition instruction to students, ages 4 to adult.

Related Information

http://www.marianharrison.com/#!bio; http://africlassical.blogspot.com/2011/10/dr-marian-l-harrison-1st-african.html

Works by Marian Harrison