While living in the Rocky Mountains, I was enchanted by small lakes that often sit high above the valleys, the last remnants of glaciers, unseen except by the occasional hiker. To capture the stillness, darkness, loneliness and coldness of those places, I have used four compositional approaches: isorhythm, algorithm, indeterminacy and intuition. The piano includes an isorhythm (non-synchronized repeating cycles of rhythms and pitches) as well as a smattering of points of light, determined algorithmically. The electric guitarist performs harmonics exclusively, often improvised from a limited set of pitches. The steel pans part is more intuitively composed than the others. The timbres of the pans and the guitar harmonics reflect the piano’s light.

This recording is of a live performance in November 2009 by Michael Pluebell (steel pans), Patrick Peringer (electric guitar) and Joshua Harris (piano).

The Way the Moonlight Strikes a Cold Mountain Lake When No One Is Watching (mixed chamber ensemble)

I'm a composer. I'm currently an associate professor of music and chair of the music program at Sweet Briar College in central Virginia. I have degrees from Appalachian State University, Brigham Young University, and the University of North Texas. 

My music is grounded in a fascination with visual art, textures, sound spectra, non-linear narratives, and extreme temporal manipulations, and it has been heavily influenced by studio techniques of electroacoustic composers. I've been commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition, the Nova Ensemble at UNT, Akropolis Reed Quintet, Virginia Wesleyan University, and many amazing performers. I've composed two feature film scores—King Rat (2017) and HUM (2020), and my concert works have been performed throughout the United States as well as South Korea, and is available on the SEAMUS and Ravello record labels.

Check out additional pieces at my YouTube channel (link below).

Email me at jkharriscomposer@gmail.com