“You look like a guy who could wear suede in the rain and not get wet.” ~A Bostonian
David Harris (DMA, b. 1974) specializes in new music, American music, and the intricacies of communication in singing, writing, and conducting. Through his "compassion-focused, artist-centered" rehearsal process, David opens vocalists into discovery spaces that prioritize each individual's experience. His filtered listening initiative elevates sensory/listening awareness as a central tool for engaging the voice. He has premiered hundreds of pieces for vocal and instrumental ensembles and theatrical works. A composer/performer, David explores elements in many styles including illuminating harmonics in vocal music, textural layering, structured improvisation, and contrasting resonant strategies. He is an active performer and composer in L.A., is director of the professional ensemble Laude with whom he recorded more than 300 tracks during quarantine including the premiere album and performance of Patrick Cassidy's "The Mass" in its organ/choir setting. He is also the Ensemble Director for the N.E.O. voice Festival, an annual festival that guides composers and vocalists to discover the vast potential of the human voice through the lens of science, compassion, and creation. Each year N.E.O. creates a new full-length oratorio. He has also been a part of many of L.A.'s new music productions including in the cast of "Sweetland" with the Industry, music directing "Stimmung" with Long Beach Opera, leading Laude in John Sheppard's "Media Vita" for Monday Evening Concerts, and having his "Ring of Bone" presented at the Hear Now Festival. David has played a key role in advancing the C4 Choral Collective model, helping to develop collectives in NY, Boston and LA. He is the Director of Music and Arts at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles where he directs professional, avocational and children's choirs. Through his work at FCCLA he has created several music/justice initiatives, helping to raise tens of thousands of dollars for local charities by bringing music communities together. He has also led new initiatives to present classical choral masterworks with choirs and The Great Organs. These include Mozart's "Requiem", Vaughan Williams' "Dona Nobis Pacem", Haydn's "Creation", Faure's "Requiem", Eleanor Daley's "Requiem", Baroque Italian women composers, Poulenc's "Gloria", Bach's "Magnificat", Ceruti's "Misa de Lima", and premieres like David García Saldaña's "Canciones de Nochebuena" and Patrick Cassidy's "The Mass," narrated by Martin Sheen. As a champion of new and underrepresented choral music, he leads the choirs at First Church in the premiere of dozens of new pieces each year. David is the co-founder of VoiceScienceWorks, an organization helping vocalists learn to translate difficult voice science into immediately applicable tools. David performs in many styles and varied extended techniques. This has led to regular opportunities to sing and teach others around the world. His choral works are published with See-A-Dot Music Publishing Inc. David has articles in several publications including The Choral Journal, Voice and Speech Review, "The Vocal Athlete", and "The Voice Teacher's Cookbook." His podcast, Underground Ictus, with co-host Laurel Irene explores the application of compassion research and learning theory on the engagement of collaborative, creative artistic spaces that uplift all involved and help heal wounds that can form from traditional rehearsal approaches. Through games, experiences, and presentations based in neuroscience and voice research, he helps people realize the life-changing possibilities of voice.
David is thankful to Joan Catoni-Conlon and Larry Kaptein (University of Colorado), Dennis Shrock (University of Oklahoma), Sandra Willets, Granville Oldham, and Shaun Amos (University of Alabama), and Ingo Titze (National Center for Voice and Speech) for their mentorship, and to all of the musicians and collaborators that make up his essential community for their love and guidance. Perhaps the most interesting part of his life, however, is his marriage and daily creative engagement with the unstoppable force of Laurel Irene and their little fanciulla, Aurelie Zelphia.
David is thankful to Joan Catoni-Conlon and Larry Kaptein (University of Colorado), Dennis Shrock (University of Oklahoma), Sandra Willets, Granville Oldham, and Shaun Amos (University of Alabama), and Ingo Titze (National Center for Voice and Speech) for their mentorship, and to all of the musicians and collaborators that make up his essential community for their love and guidance. Perhaps the most interesting part of his life, however, is his marriage and daily creative engagement with the unstoppable force of Laurel Irene and their little fanciulla, Aurelie Zelphia.
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