BIOGRAPHY
Henry Harris is a distinguished musician, composer, and educator whose artistry seamlessly
bridges classical, jazz, and contemporary music. A graduate of Varina High School, he earned his
Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Elizabeth City State University and is currently
pursuing a Master of Music in Jazz Studies at Northern Illinois University, where he continues to
refine his skills as both a performer and composer.
​
As a performer, Mr. Harris has established a strong presence across a wide range of musical
settings. In Central Virginia, he has performed with ensembles such as the Petersburg Symphony,
Richmond City Jazz Band, and the Richmond Nativity Pageant Brass Choir. His performance
experience also extends to Washington, D.C., where he has appeared with the Accord Symphony
Orchestra and the Go-Go Symphony. In addition, he is the founder and artistic director of the
Henry Harris Big Band, a professional ensemble operating as a nonprofit organization dedicated
to jazz education and the cultural preservation of the art form. The ensemble is comprised of
symphony musicians, college professors, and professional artists who have performed alongside
Grammy Award–winning musicians including B.B. King, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Wynton
Marsalis, among many others.
​
Mr. Harris has performed at the University of Richmond, appeared on ESPN, and shared the
stage with Grammy Award–winning trumpeter Charlton Singleton, the 72nd Governor of
Virginia, and other distinguished dignitaries. In 2023, he performed with both the North Carolina
Intercollegiate Honor Band and the National Intercollegiate Honor Band, including the premiere
of Grammy Award–winning composer Michael Daugherty’s The Adventures of Jesse Owens.
As a composer, Mr. Harris’s first concert band work, A Night of Wonder, was premiered by the
Elizabeth City State University Concert Band. He has also composed an extensive collection of
works for high school ensembles, many of which are currently in the process of being prepared
for retail publication. Additionally, he has arranged music for numerous high school band
programs throughout North Carolina and Virginia.
​
Mr. Harris’s dedication to music education continues to grow alongside his artistic pursuits. He
has served as a brass instructor and band director for the Salvation Army Carolinas Music & Arts
Conservatory Camp and remains active as a clinician for marching and concert bands across
Virginia and North Carolina, working with middle school, high school, and collegiate ensembles.
Beyond his ensemble work, he offers private instruction in double bass and low brass, nurturing
the next generation of musicians.
​
Mr. Harris credits much of his growth and success to the teachers and mentors with whom he has
studied and continues to study with, including Tom Garling (former trombonist with the Buddy
Rich Big Band and former arranger of the Maynard Ferguson Big Band), Christopher White
(Principal Double Bass, Virginia Symphony), Dave Adams (former Principal Bass Trombonist,
São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra), Adolphus Hailstork (Composer), and Christopher Mosley
(Henrico County Education Specialist for Performing Arts and former Richmond Symphony
Youth Wind Ensemble and Orchestra conductor and Southern Division Representative of the
NAfME Council of Music Program Leaders).
​
Mr. Harris maintains professional affiliations with Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., the League of American Orchestras, GRAMMY U The Recording Academy Mentorship.
Program, and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME).