Roy Harris American composer, conductor, teacher Date of Birth: 12.02.1898 Country: USA

1. Biography of Roy Harris
2. Early Life and Education
3. Early Career
4. Recognition and International Success
5. Later Career and Legacy
6. Personal Life and Legacy

Biography of Roy Harris

Roy Harris was an American composer, conductor, and educator. He was a renowned American classical composer, best known for his "Third Symphony".

Early Life and Education

Roy Harris was born on February 12, 1898, in the village of Lincoln, Oklahoma, to a family of poor farmers. His parents worked tirelessly to establish themselves in their new home, but due to poor harvests and widespread malaria, they were forced to leave Lincoln. They moved to California, where Roy's musical talents were discovered by his father, who hired a music teacher for him.

While studying and playing in the school orchestra, Roy also helped his parents with their daily chores on the farm. Despite his responsibilities, he pursued his passion for music and started composing at a young age.

Early Career

In 1917, Roy Harris was drafted into the American army and served in the artillery. After being discharged, he struggled to find his professional path and worked various jobs, including being a truck driver on a dairy farm. However, his dream of composing music never faded.

In 1922, with some savings, Roy Harris went to Los Angeles to pursue a music education. He studied harmony with Arthur Farwell, a renowned composer and educator who had studied under Modest Altschuler, a disciple of Arensky, Taneyev, and Safonov.

During his studies, Roy Harris displayed a deep love for music and exceptional work ethic. Within three years, he began teaching in one of the music schools in Hollywood, while actively composing music.

Recognition and International Success

One of Roy Harris's major compositions during this period was the "Andante" for symphony orchestra, which premiered in 1926. The success of this piece led to performances in New York and at the Hollywood Bowl.

With the financial support of an arts fund, Roy Harris traveled to Paris to further his music education. He became a student of Nadia Boulanger, a renowned teacher and composer. Within six months, Roy composed the "Concerto for Piano, Clarinet, and String Quartet," which was performed in Paris with Nadia Boulanger playing the piano part.

However, his promising career was interrupted when he suffered a serious spinal injury from a fall. Despite this setback, Roy Harris continued to compose, even while confined to a hospital bed. Once he recovered, he returned to Paris to continue his studies.

Later Career and Legacy

Upon returning to the United States, Roy Harris devoted most of his time to composing music. His true recognition came after the premiere of his "Symphony No. 1933," performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Serge Koussevitzky.

One of his most popular compositions during this time was the overture based on the American folk song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." His "Third Symphony," written in 1937, brought him international fame and was hailed as a masterpiece of American national music.

Throughout his career, Roy Harris wrote a total of fourteen symphonies, two of which were composed for choir and orchestra. Notable among them are the "Fifth Symphony," dedicated to the heroic Soviet people, and the "Tenth Symphony" in tribute to Abraham Lincoln.

Aside from composing, Roy Harris also taught at various institutions, including the Westminster Choir School in Princeton, Cornell University, and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

Personal Life and Legacy

Roy Harris came from a family deeply involved in music. His wife, Joan, was a concert pianist, and his sons, Sean and Dan, were members of a rock band called the "Experimental West Pop Art Band."

Since the Russian October Revolution, Roy Harris had shown a keen interest in Russia and greatly admired Russian and Soviet music. In 1958, he visited the Soviet Union for the first time, conducting his "Fifth Symphony." He also attended the Soviet Union Union of Composers Congress in 1974, expressing his desire to move to Russia, which fortunately did not happen.

Roy Harris passed away on October 1, 1979, in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 81. He left behind a significant body of work and a lasting legacy as one of America's most celebrated composers.