JAVS Spring 2022

Modern Music

Modern Music Spotlight: Marek Harris by Christina Ebersohl

We, the viola community, are fortunate to live in the 21 st century, where our instrument has developed its own reputation, repertoire, and respect on stage; but we also benefit from community and the ability to connect with living composers from anywhere in the world who understand and love the bratsche as much as we do. Thanks to technology, we can connect with composers from infinite diverse backgrounds to discuss their life, influences, and perspective of their own creations, providing a much-needed dialogue in the modern classical arena. An advantage that many will confirm is not worth wasting. In this Spring issue of the Journal of the American Viola Society , we cast the spotlight on composer and pianist Marek Harris and a peek into his world and the world of his Duo Sonata #3 for Violin and Viola . The Beginning 1 You have such an interesting background, having graduated from Eastman and Juilliard, and spent quite a few years as a bike messenger in New York City before moving to Portland. Can you talk a bit about your early days coming into music, your life in the city, and how it has influenced you today? Marek Harris : At the age of 10, I began my musical journey, absorbing all I could get my hands on. My universe was all about piano, composing, competitions, music camps, concerts and festivals, learning new instruments— the “whole gamut”. Happily, and quite fortunately, I was exposed to so much great music in the early days. It also definitely helped to have somewhat patient parents. My New York experiences were varied and many. To eke out tuition and living expenses during and after Juilliard, I thrust myself into two new worlds: one as a bike messenger, the other as a keyboardist, touring

with groups in the Northeast states for several years. When I compose, I tend to draw upon everything I experienced. The life of a bike messenger is certainly hazardous but liberating. Not much money for the labor, as, like composing, many of the benefits are rooted in personal triumph; though sometimes intangible, they are uniquely satisfying, nonetheless. Dodging traffic for A-to-Z Couriers for years taught me to feel for, and learn about, the world around me.

By day you’d have found me threading the needle through heavy traffic on two wheels, laden with a heavy messenger bag like my life depended on it (which it literally did). And by night you’d have found me doing rock n’ roll and oldies gigs anywhere from Paterson, New Jersey, to Westbury

Music Fair, or Madison Square Garden, and everywhere else in between. The first half of my day was happy fun with busy streets, careless cabbies, road rage, and lousy weather, doing a job outdoors that I adored (no need to wear neckties, haha!). Then came the other half of my day: as a piano player in dives, dance halls, private parties, weekly gigs that continued for decades, as did my associations with great bands and musicians. Something definitely rubbed off on me there. All these factors would shape my world, as I now know it.

In New York City in particular, cycling is a fantastic way to experience all walks of life. As a bike courier, it was

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 38, No. 1, Spring 2022

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