John Harmon's association with Lawrence spans more than forty years from his student days as a composition major (class of 1957) to the present. In 1971 he was the first director of the jazz studies program and, in recent years, has directed the jazz combo program, taught improvisation, and jazz composition.

Harmon studied with Belgian composer Henri Pousseur earning his Master of Arts degree in composition from the State University of New York at Buffalo. In 1974, he was co-founder of the critically acclaimed, contemporary nonet "Matrix," with whom he recorded five albums over the next seven years.

Since 1980, Harmon's time has been divided between composing, teaching, and a busy performing schedule. Commissions continue to come his way, often with five to six large commissions in one year. Harmon's compositions have been performed by the Milwaukee and Duluth Symphonies, Santa Fe Chamber Orchestra, "The Orchestra" (Los Angeles), numerous brass quintets, jazz singer Flora Purim, tuba virtuoso Sam Pilafian, and various civic orchestras, colleges and universities throughout the country.

Since 1991 Harmon has been Composer-in-Residence for the Red Lodge Music Festival in Montana. Other guest residencies have brought about an abundance of music for chorus, wind ensemble, orchestra, and jazz ensembles. His songs, solo piano works and chamber music are published by Ensemble Music, Alliance Publications, Really Good Music, Hal Leonard and The National Cello Institute. Harmon's music reveals a romantic innocence and his titles reflect his love for conservation, nature and Native Americans. Recent featured recordings include: "Rite of Passage" (Stellar Sound Productions 1004) and "An Evening with the John Harmon Trio" (Klavier KD 77012)

HONORS/AWARDS

Since 1977 when Matrix received the Golden Feather Award from Leonard Feather (Downbeat Magazine), Harmon has received many honors and awards. Among the most recent are the 1998 Renaissance Award from Aid Association for Lutherans (a $1000 prize to the charitable organization of the recipient's choice); the 1999 Distinguished Service Award from the Wisconsin Music Teachers Association; Performance of the Month Award from Jazzlz, the international jazz magazine, for his composition "Soliloquy" on the CD More Beautiful Than Planned (STELLAR Sound Productions 001); and the 2000 Wisconsin Arts Board Artist Fellowship Award.

 Most of John's music has been commissioned by friends and others familiar with his gentle style. Strongly influenced by poetry, Native American folklore, and jazz elements, Harmon's compositions draw from a palate not unlike Gershwin, Bernstein, Copland, and the lesser known Alee Wilder. Over the past twenty years I've been privileged to hear more of John's music than most.  We've shared many musical stages and collaborated on many musical projects. Anyone who has ever worked with John or spent time with him would tell you they walk away from that experience always feeling a bit better about life. My life has been enriched by John's friendship, his family, and his music.

Bobby Shew needs no introduction to the jazz world or trumpet fraternity. He's been heard through-out the world on most all continents as soloist and guest artist. His impeccable taste and warm sound are trademarks we all admire and hope to emulate. He's been a frequent visitor to Lawrence University and the state of Wisconsin and has been a longtime admirer of John Harmon's music. His close association with John led to this recording project, a showcase for Harmon's music in a number of venues. With this CD produced by Bobby Shew,  for new listeners I wish to add, "Come on in and hear some more—it really is inviting!"                                                                   Robert Levy

 Bobby Shew is a Yamaha performing artist. Bobby plays a 631 OZ trumpet and a 631 OZ flugelhorn

"Mustang" was commissioned by and written for Lawrence alum, trumpeter Michael Barry in 1986. This work, for 8 trumpet/flugel horn players, was premiered at the Eastman School of Music. The work is a "tour de force" for the soloist with an exceedingly difficult piccolo trumpet part and a contrasting lyrical section played on flugel horn.

Lawrence Student Trumpeters are: Tyier Jones, David Heyer, Patrick Brush, Jason Hansen, IMary Paziouros, Joel Towey, Megan Smith, Pablo Masis

"Trilogy" for solo trumpet and wind ensemble was commissioned in 1988 by the Trumpet Consortium of Wisconsin. It was later premiered by Bobby Shew with the Verona High School Band,

John Georgeson, conductor. The first movement titled "Secrets", was originally written for trumpeter Robert Levy and premiered at Harvard University. It is waltz-like with a brief cadenza near the end. The second movement, " A Father's Dream", showcases the wonderful lyricism of Bobby on flugel horn with 'gorgeous solo lines interweaving among a fabric of changing wind colors. The final movement, "Rustic Dance" is somewhat stoic and showcases Bobby in a spirited and lively cadenza. The work is published for wind ensemble or band by Alliance Publications. "Secrets" is also available for solo trumpet with piano from Ensemble Music.

Wolf River was commissioned by Bobby Shew in 1981 and premiered in June of that year by Bobby with the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Taavo Virkhaus. It was also performed with the Santa Fe Chamber Orchestra at an Int'l. Trumpet Guild conference. John's description of the movements is as follows:

Track 5. Dawn, Mud Creek - It is the time of the earth's awakening, and all its creatures. It is a time of great quiet filled with expectations.

Track 6. River Dance - Moqwaio Oshipiome. In Menominee this means "Wolf-his river". Listen to the mighty Wolf. It flows without ceasing, like music…

Track 7. Butte des Morts - So named by the French. Hill of the dead. Here the bones of Indians-past mingle with the dust of the earth. It is a sacred place.

Track 8. Journey Upriver - In November, The Moon of Ice, the Menominees canoe up the Wolf. Their spirits soar with the eagle en route to their new home where the Oconto and the Wolf meet. It is a journey of hope.

Track 9. Dusk, Poygan Marsh - It is the time of deep stillness when the sun and the earth and all its creatures give way to the night

Larry Darling is Director of Recording at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music, in Appleton, Wisconsin. Larry has engineered and mastered numerous recordings for the Lawrence ensembles and has also produced many CD projects for Lawrence faculty and alumni. Larry was also a founding member of the jazz group "Matrix"; recording and touring from 1974 until 1980.

Lawrence University is a nationally recognized undergraduate college of the liberal arts and sciences with a conservatory of music. Ranked among the best of the nation's small, private colleges, Lawrence enrolls 1,200 undergraduates from 47 state  and 42 countries. Chartered in 1847, Lawrence was among the first colleges in the United States to be founded coeducational. Lawrence is located in Appleton, Wisconsin, a city at the center of the Fox River Valley in the northeast part of the state.

The Lawrence University Conservatory of Music, now in its second century of educating students for careers in music, is a nationally recognized conservatory devoted exclusively to the education of undergraduates within a distinguished college of the liberal arts and sciences. A superb faculty of performers, composers, scholars, and teachers prides itself on the individual attention given to more than 300 music majors who pursue their undergraduate degrees at Lawrence.

A multitude of thanks to everyone involved for their able assistance, support, and high-integrity contributions. David Stull for initially getting the ball rolling: Bob Levy for making sure the ball KEPT rolling, for organizing the music, the schedule, conducting; Bridget for her totally BRILLIANT conducting; Ken for pushing the jazz ensemble thru a tight schedule; Kathleen for administering it all from above; Larry Darling for some of the absolutely best recording and mixing skills I have ever experienced; especially to all of the students who played their hearts out; ....and to the master, John Harmon. None better!!