About

Image of Mark HarrisMark Harris is currently the Assistant Professor of Studio Saxophone at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

After brief distractions of basketball and tennis in high school (Go Pomona Panthers!!), Mark found his way to the saxophone and music at CU in Boulder. After completing a Master of Music degree from the University of Colorado, in 1988, he has worn many musical hats, from backing national and international artists including Bob Hope, Cab Calloway, George Shearing, and Roger Waters, to working with original music bands in Afro-Pop, Electronic, Big Band, Avant Garde, Art Rock, Classical Chamber, Children’s Music, and other uncategorizable styles.

His wide ranging interest in creative and collaborative music is demonstrated by his current performance groups including The Lamont Sax Quartet, the Metro Wind Consort, Thinking Plague, Hamster Theater, 9th and Lincoln Big Band, momen terra, Random Axe, and Ligeia Mare.

He is also deeply involved with community outreach, and is a very frequent visitor to area schools as a clinician, coach and demonstrator. He has a profound interest in getting improvisation and more open creativity into public schools. He has become an advisor to Denver Public Schools on the subject and done many presentations and demonstrations for directors and students at area schools, on improvisation and soundpainting.

Mark has been a passionate studio teacher for over 30 years, his most prominent former student is Rudresh Mahanthappa – 2011, 2012 DownBeat Critics Choice Alto Saxophone Player of the Year.  Mark plays and teaches saxophones, clarinet and flute.  In addition to his duties at Metro State, he maintains a private studio through several area music stores.  For fun, he cooks, cycles quite a bit, reads, and is the residents lap for Brt the cat.