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Lisa E. Harris

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Lisa E. Harris
Born1981 (age 42–43)
NationalityAmerican
EducationKinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
Mannes College of Music
B.M. - Vocal Performance
Manhattan School of Music
M.M. - Vocal Performance
Websitewww.lisaeharris.com

Lisa E. Harris, (born 1981) also known as Li, is a multimedia artist, opera singer, and composer.[1] She is renowned for her interdisciplinary work using voice, text, installation, movement, and new media.

Early life and education

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As a child, Harris participated in various performances at Epiphany Episcopal Church, as well as other regional theaters in the Houston area. She was part of a children's chorus with the Houston Grand Opera.[2] She graduated from Houston’s Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in 1998 and went on to perform as a soloist at the Aspen Opera Theatre Center from 2001 to 2002.[3] In 2002, she received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance with a minor in Composition from the Mannes College of Music, and in 2004, received her Master of Music in Vocal Performance with a Minor in Piano from the Manhattan School of Music.[4] Harris received her foundational classical vocal technique under the tutelage of Ruth Falcon at Mannes College of Music. Harris studied in the studio of Marlena Kleinman Malas from 2002-2004.

Work

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Trained as an opera singer, Harris is an interdisciplinary artist working in music, performance and installation and video. She was on the Humphrey's School of Musical Theatre's voice faculty.[5] Harris’ work revolves around various themes such as African-American motherhood, gentrification and notions of abduction and survival. Genres that she pulls from in her work include science fiction and magical realism. She has also worked collaboratively most often working with other performance artists including Alisha Wormsley, Autumn Knight, Rashida Bumbray, Nicole Mitchell, and Abijan Johnson, on projects.[6] Harris, along with Wormsley, is co-founder of Studio Enertia, an artist collective presenting works in sculpture, installations, film, photography, performance and new opera.[7]

Career

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Harris is a filmmaker, librettist and composer who created Cry of the Third Eye - a new opera film in Three Acts. She has screened installations of this work and the completed work with Aurora Picture Show and the Houston Public Library. The world premiere of The Last Resort, act Three of Cry of the Third Eye- a new opera film in Three Acts by Harris, was premiered at Houston Cinema Arts Festival in 2019.[8]

The Last Resort by Li Harris was on virtual exhibition at Washington Project for the Arts in 2020, as a part of the exhibition Black Women as/and the Living Archive, curated by Tsedaye Makonnen.[9][10]

In 2018, Harris performed with her theremin at Red Bull Music Presents: Round Robin in Chicago alongside numerous classical, jazz, hip hop, and electronic musicians. In 2019, she performed live performance of voice and theremin at Moogfest and at Ballroom Marfa’s Festival, Marfa Myths in Marfa, Texas.[11]

Harris has worked with filmmakers Ashley Hunt, Cauleen Smith, Alisha Wormsley, Raymond Pirtle, Ennest Waddell.[12]

Lisa E. Harris and Leron Thomas
Lisa E. Harris and Leron Thomas with Jason Moran - Fats Waller Dance Party at Victoria Scene during the Oslo Jazzfestival 2015.

Harris can be seen as the lead singer of Jason Moran’s Fats Waller Dance Party.[13] Notable live performances with the Fats Waller Dance party include the Newport Jazz Festival’s Fort Stage, Monterey Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival, Sarejevo Jazz Festival, Nice Jazz Festival, International Festival of Jazz Montreal, Spoleto Jazz Festival, and the Playboy Jazz Festival.[14]

Harris is a featured vocalist on the album All Rise: A Joyful Elegy to Fats Waller by Jason Moran, produced by Meshell N’degeocello and Don Was, on Blue Note Records.[15]

Harris performs as Orkney Woman and six other additional characters in the world premiere of The Nubian Word for Flowers- a phantom opera written by Pauline Oliveros and Ione. This world premiere took place at Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn, New York and was produced by the International Contemporary Ensemble.

Harris and her production company Studio Enertia, petitioned for the City of Houston to proclaim May 30, 2019 as Pauline Oliveros Day. To commemorate the occasion, Harris produced the inaugural Pauline Oliveros Day on May 25, 2019 at Discovery Green, Houston.[16][17]

Fellowships and awards

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Discography

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References

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  1. ^ Frank, Priscilla (2014-08-20). "14 Artists Who Are Transforming The Future Of Opera". HuffPost. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  2. ^ August 28, Beth Rankin on; AM, 2012 at 10:42 (2012-08-28). "Lisa E. Harris brings modern art music to Crockett Street". cat5. Retrieved 2020-08-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Alvarez, Olivia Flores (2014-02-26). "100 Creatives 2014: Lisa E. Harris, Performing and Visual Artist". Houston Press. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  4. ^ August 28, Beth Rankin on; AM, 2012 at 10:42 (2012-08-28). "Lisa E. Harris brings modern art music to Crockett Street". cat5. Retrieved 2020-08-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Alvarez, Olivia Flores (2014-02-26). "100 Creatives 2014: Lisa E. Harris, Performing and Visual Artist". Houston Press. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  6. ^ "A Collaborative Review of Futz: Autumn Knight's Experimental Research Method and Performance Series". Temporary Art Review. 2013-03-21. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  7. ^ "'No Matter How Hard I Try I Can't Look The Same as I Did Yesterday' Fresh Arts August 29 - September 27". Houston Chronicle. 2013-07-30. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  8. ^ "Cry of the Third Eye: The Last Resort". HCAS. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  9. ^ "Black Women as/and the Living Archive | Washington Project for the Arts". Wpadc.org. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  10. ^ "Check Out Tsedaye Makonnen's "Black Women as/and the Living Archive" via WPA ⋆ BYT // Brightest Young Things". BYT // Brightest Young Things. 2020-06-17. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  11. ^ "Marfa Myths". Big Bend Coffee Roasters. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  12. ^ Waltz, Amanda. "Alisha B. Wormsley and Ricardo Iamuuri Robinson take multimedia installation Streaming Space to Market Square". Pittsburgh City Paper. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  13. ^ Ratliff, Ben (2011-05-16). "Feet's Too Big? No Problem; Everyone Dances Here". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  14. ^ Margasak, Peter (10 October 2014). "Jason Moran's ongoing Fats Waller update". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  15. ^ "First Listen: Jason Moran, 'All Rise: A Joyful Elegy For Fats Waller'". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  16. ^ "Two Events Celebrate the Legacy of Artist Pauline Oliveros". Glasstire. 2019-05-16. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  17. ^ "Discovery Green Wants You to Listen Deeply". Houstonia Magazine. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  18. ^ "Lisa E. Harris". John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  19. ^ Rome, American Academy in. "Affiliated Fellows". American Academy in Rome. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  20. ^ a b c Elliott, Amber (July 21, 2021). "Houston artist Lisa 'Li' Harris awarded UH's inaugural fellowship in Rome". Preview | Houston Arts & Entertainment Guide. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  21. ^ "Lisa E. Harris | FCA Grant Recipient". www.foundationforcontemporaryarts.org. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  22. ^ "Artist Grants". Texas Vignette. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  23. ^ "Lisa Harris, School of Liberal Arts at Tulane University". School of Liberal Arts at Tulane University. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  24. ^ "First Listen: Jason Moran, 'All Rise: A Joyful Elegy For Fats Waller'". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  25. ^ West, Michael J. "Nicole Mitchell & Lisa E. Harris: EarthSeed (FPE)". JazzTimes. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
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