John Harmon (composer)

John Harmon (* 1937 in Oshkosh , Wisconsin ) is an American composer, jazz pianist and music teacher.

Harmon studied at Lawrence University until 1957 and attended summer courses with jazz pianist Oscar Peterson . He worked for some time as a pianist and arranger in New York and undertook a European tour in 1963 as the head of a jazz trio. On his return he recorded the album Lost in Sound with saxophonist Yusef Lateef and then went to the State University of New York , where he studied with the Belgian composer Henri Pousseur .

From 1971 to 1974, he directed the jazz degree program at Lawrence University. In 1974 he founded the nonet Matrix , with which he recorded five albums ( Matrix (with Ultra Nova), Matrix (with RCA Victor), Tale of the Whale , Wizard and Harvest ). He also composed the two works Ulysses (1975) and Childman of Ortelga (1977) for the Matrix ensemble and orchestra . For Flora Purim he composed the Suite for Flora (premiere 1979) on behalf of the Foundation of New American Music and the tone poem Wolf River for trumpet and orchestra for the jazz trumpeter Bobby Shew (premiere 1985) on behalf of the Duluth Symphony .

After the breakup of Matrix , Harmon founded the group Fire and Ice in 1981 , with whom he recorded the albums Island Dancer (1983) and Sweet Thunder (with Janet Planet ). He has also taught in high schools in Fond du Lac, Stevens Point, Two Rivers, Hilbert, Verona, Oconomowoc and Fish Creek, has been composer in residence at the Red Lodge Summer Music Festival in Montana since 1991 and is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh .

Of his compositions, which include works for solo instruments and chamber ensembles, brass bands and jazz ensembles, vocal soloists and choir, more than 160 have appeared in print. Harmon has received the Jazziz Award (1998), the Renaissance Award from Lawrence University (1999), the Distinguished Service Award from the Wisconsin State Music Association and the Wisconsin Artist Fellowship (2001), an honorary doctorate from Lawrence University and the Wisconsin Academy of Science , Arts, and Letters Fellowship (2005) and the Distinguished Service Award from the International Association of Jazz Educators (2006).

Web links

• Homepage of John Harmon
• Alliance Publications, Inc. - H - Harmon, John
• Red Lodge Music Festival - John Harmon, composer
• Really Good Music - John Harmon