Donald Harris

Donald’s lifelong journey peacefully ended surrounded by family and dearest friends on March 29, 2016. Donald Harris was an American composer born April 7, 1931, in St. Paul, Minnesota to the late Barney and Hattie Harris. Donald served as an administrator at the New England Conservatory of Music (1967-77) and as Dean of the Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford (1977-88), before becoming Dean of the College of the Arts and professor of music at The Ohio State University (1988-1997). After a thirty-year career as a senior-level administrator in higher education and the arts, he stepped down as Dean and rejoined the OSU faculty in composition. Harris earned his bachelors and master’s degrees in composition from The University of Michigan, where he was a student of Ross Lee Finney. He continued his studies with Lukas Foss, Boris Blacher, Nadia Boulanger and Max Deutsch. From 1954 until 1968, Harris lived in Paris where, among other things, he was music consultant to the United States Information Service and produced the city's first postwar Festival of Contemporary American Music. Harris has received numerous commissions, including the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Radio France, and the Cleveland Orchestra, to name a few. He is co-editor of the W. W. Norton publication of the correspondence between Alban Berg and Arnold Schoenberg, for which he received an ASCAP Deems Taylor Award (1989). He was honored with an award in composition from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters (1991). A documentary about Harris entitled “Sonata 1957” was produced by Daniel Beliavsky in 2011. It explores Harris’ development in mid-20th-century Paris, when pre-war musical thought bridged with post-war experimentation. Donald was honored by The King Arts Complex with a Legends & Legacies award in October 2011. He received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from OSU in June 2012. Harris is past president of The International Council of Fine Arts Deans (ICFAD) and served on the boards of BalletMet, Columbus Symphony Orchestra and the Martin Luther King Center. He was currently serving on the board of The Johnstone Fund for New Music. Harris was twice honored with the OSU School of Music’s Distinguished Service Award “in recognition of the trailblazing contributions and the dedicated service provided to the music profession and the arts community as a composer, professor and arts administrator.” Aside from all the accolades and awards bestowed upon Donald, he will be remembered by most as a genuine, kind man who was a mentor to many. Donald is survived by his loving wife Marilyn; sons Daniel Yves (Tracy) and Jeremy William (Aileen); daughters Leanne Moulton of Amherst, MA, and Kristine (Bob) Phillips of Stratford, CT; grandchildren Marc, Spencer, Sophia and Amelia Harris, Aubrey Mae Moulton, and Carrie Phillips; great-granddaughter Marleigh Hope; brother L.R. “Buddy” (Natalie) Harris of Palm Springs, CA. and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by brother, Jim Harris. Arrangements are being handled by the Schoedinger Midtown Chapel, 614-224-6105. FAMILY REQUESTS NO FLOWERS. Should you choose, contributions in Donald’s memory may be made to the School of Music New Day Campaign Fund #313979 c/o The Ohio State University Foundation 1480 West Lane Avenue Columbus, OH 43221 or https://www.osu.edu/giving/guide-to-giving/ways-to-give.html; or The Donald Harris Fund for New Compositions, c/o Columbus Symphony Orchestra, 55 East State St, Columbus, OH 43215; or WOSU Public Media, 2400 Olentangy River Road Columbus, OH 43210. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.Schoedinger.com. Marilyn and her family wish to give special thanks to the staff at Kobacker House, especially Dr. Christine Hudak, and the visionaries whose generosity made Kobacker House a reality. A Celebration of Donald’s Life and Legacy will be held Sunday, May 1, at 2pm, Weigel Hall at The Ohio State University, 1866 College Rd N, Columbus, OH 43210, followed by a reception.