Kevin F. Harris
Encyclopedia
Kevin Harris is a retired composer of classical music
from Northern Virginia
. He specialized in music of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, not unlike the music of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven or Schubert. Harris is best known for his Adagio for a Nation in D minor, a piece which he composed shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He retired from composing in 2007 and began working on a degree in graphic design as well as writing a series of books called The House of Calduros Chronicles. He resumed composing in 2010.
. When he was 7 years of age, his parents enrolled him in piano lessons and he continued his studies until he was 11 years old when he expressed an interest in music composition. It was at this time he composed his first piece of music, a short work for piano called Kleine Klavierstück in C Major, WoO 1. He wrote the piece by hand in the exercise pad his teacher had given him for doing music theory
exercises. There are some corrections which were made by his teacher, but the work's theme was his own invention.
When he was 12 he began taking an interest in other instruments: percussion and the clarinet
. He enrolled in his school's orchestra and played percussion for a short time then moved to the clarinet. Within 2 weeks of taking up the woodwind instrument his teacher was so impressed, he moved Harris into Advanced Band. Harris stopped playing the clarinet a couple years later.
in F Major. In 1994 Fazio moved to Seattle, Washington
and left Harris to continue his studies on his own. Over the next two years Harris would teach himself what he needed to know.
, but abandoned the idea. The sketches he made for the opera did, however, become parts of other compositions. The overture became the first movement of his Sinfonia
in C Major. The opening Aria
for the opera became a Concert Aria for Soprano and Orchestra. By 1999 however, Harris began to slow down and in 2000 stopped composing completely.
for Strings and began working on a Violin Sonata
in August 2001. Work on this piece was interrupted when, on September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center
and The Pentagon
were the targets of terrorist attacks. Harris was emotionally distraught over the events of that day and, on September 12, composed a piece which would be one of his crowning achievements: his Adagio for a Nation in D minor, Op. 24. When this piece was made available on the internet in mid-September it was applauded as a great tribute to all those who lost their lives and to the heroes of that day. Harris then went on to complete his Violin Sonata.
In 2003 he was commissioned to compose a set of works for a wedding, as the bride wished to have something unique rather than the usual pieces you'd hear at a wedding. Harris only had a few weeks to compose the pieces and chose to commit them to memory rather than take the time to write it all down on paper. At the wedding he performed the pieces from memory and they were a big success. He would finally write the pieces in January 2004 and called them Musica del Nozze, Op. 26. He followed them up with one of his most powerful pieces for piano, the Fantasie für Klavier, Op. 27 and the Nachtmusic für Kinder, Op. 28.
In late 2006 Harris resumed composing after a break of nearly two years, setting forth pen to paper to begin composing his first full Symphony
. However, the Symphony was put aside and Harris retired from composing.
Harris is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers - also known as ASCAP, The American Composers Forum and The Society of Composers. He was also the student of American composer Jeffrey Brody from 2002-2004.
working toward a degree in Graphic Design. He also freelances, running his own design studio called Hypoxic Studios, and produces digital wallpaper for Windows and Mac computers. He has also published three books based on the World of Warcraft
universe: Calevan & Thoninas, Dark Resurrection and Futures Past.
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
from Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
. He specialized in music of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, not unlike the music of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven or Schubert. Harris is best known for his Adagio for a Nation in D minor, a piece which he composed shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He retired from composing in 2007 and began working on a degree in graphic design as well as writing a series of books called The House of Calduros Chronicles. He resumed composing in 2010.
Beginnings
Harris was born in Kansas City, KansasKansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
. When he was 7 years of age, his parents enrolled him in piano lessons and he continued his studies until he was 11 years old when he expressed an interest in music composition. It was at this time he composed his first piece of music, a short work for piano called Kleine Klavierstück in C Major, WoO 1. He wrote the piece by hand in the exercise pad his teacher had given him for doing music theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
exercises. There are some corrections which were made by his teacher, but the work's theme was his own invention.
When he was 12 he began taking an interest in other instruments: percussion and the clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
. He enrolled in his school's orchestra and played percussion for a short time then moved to the clarinet. Within 2 weeks of taking up the woodwind instrument his teacher was so impressed, he moved Harris into Advanced Band. Harris stopped playing the clarinet a couple years later.
Music Composition Revisited
By the time Harris was 23 he had once again become interested in piano and music composition. It was about this time he met Claude Fazio, an amateur composer who would generously spend time after work and during lunch breaks teaching Harris the basics of music composition. His efforts came to fruition in early 1993 when Harris composed a set of three Klavierstück, followed by his first String QuartetString quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
in F Major. In 1994 Fazio moved to Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and left Harris to continue his studies on his own. Over the next two years Harris would teach himself what he needed to know.
Mozart Years, 1994-2000
Harris then began a period of prolific music production. From 1994 until 2000 Harris composed over 50 compositions, ranging from simple piano pieces to chamber works. In 1997 he began to consider writing an operaOpera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, but abandoned the idea. The sketches he made for the opera did, however, become parts of other compositions. The overture became the first movement of his Sinfonia
Sinfonia
Sinfonia is the Italian word for symphony. In English it most commonly refers to a 17th- or 18th-century orchestral piece used as an introduction, interlude, or postlude to an opera, oratorio, cantata, or suite...
in C Major. The opening Aria
Aria
An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
for the opera became a Concert Aria for Soprano and Orchestra. By 1999 however, Harris began to slow down and in 2000 stopped composing completely.
2001-2004
Harris returned to composing in early 2001 and produced a piece for piano, a single movement QuintetQuintet
A quintet is a group containing five members.It is commonly associated with musical groups, such as a string quintet, or a group of five singers, but can be applied to any situation where five similar or related objects are considered a single unit....
for Strings and began working on a Violin Sonata
Violin sonata
A violin sonata is a musical composition for violin, which is nearly always accompanied by a piano or other keyboard instrument, or by figured bass in the Baroque period.-A:*Ella Adayevskaya**Sonata Greca for Violin or Clarinet and Piano...
in August 2001. Work on this piece was interrupted when, on September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
and The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
were the targets of terrorist attacks. Harris was emotionally distraught over the events of that day and, on September 12, composed a piece which would be one of his crowning achievements: his Adagio for a Nation in D minor, Op. 24. When this piece was made available on the internet in mid-September it was applauded as a great tribute to all those who lost their lives and to the heroes of that day. Harris then went on to complete his Violin Sonata.
In 2003 he was commissioned to compose a set of works for a wedding, as the bride wished to have something unique rather than the usual pieces you'd hear at a wedding. Harris only had a few weeks to compose the pieces and chose to commit them to memory rather than take the time to write it all down on paper. At the wedding he performed the pieces from memory and they were a big success. He would finally write the pieces in January 2004 and called them Musica del Nozze, Op. 26. He followed them up with one of his most powerful pieces for piano, the Fantasie für Klavier, Op. 27 and the Nachtmusic für Kinder, Op. 28.
In late 2006 Harris resumed composing after a break of nearly two years, setting forth pen to paper to begin composing his first full Symphony
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
. However, the Symphony was put aside and Harris retired from composing.
Harris is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers - also known as ASCAP, The American Composers Forum and The Society of Composers. He was also the student of American composer Jeffrey Brody from 2002-2004.
Retirement
After a few years of producing no new works, Harris officially announced his retirement from music composition on October 10, 2007. When asked if he would ever compose again he was quoted as saying "I am closing the door, but not all the way. Just in case I want to get back inside." His last composition was the Nachtmusik für Kinder in 2004. Harris is now a student at the Art Institute of PittsburghArt Institute of Pittsburgh
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is a private, for-profit, higher education institute located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that emphasizes design education and career preparation for the creative job market. It was founded in 1921.-History:...
working toward a degree in Graphic Design. He also freelances, running his own design studio called Hypoxic Studios, and produces digital wallpaper for Windows and Mac computers. He has also published three books based on the World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
universe: Calevan & Thoninas, Dark Resurrection and Futures Past.
Return to Composing
Harris launched a new official web site containing some of his works. On the web site there was a mention that he may return to composing in 2010. That in fact turned out to be true as Harris released his first composition in six years: Duet for Piano and Oboe in C Major, Op. 30. In late 2010 he released a Klavierstück, Op. 31 and in February 2011 released his Orchestral Fantasy in F, Op. 32. He is now said to be composing an entire soundtrack for an upcoming novel trilogy he is writing called The Elves of Endalia.External links
- Official Site - Kevin's Official Music Site.
- Hypoxic Studios
- Harris' House of Calduros Book Site
- Harris' Elves of Endalia Book Site