John Harris (born 18:11:70) is currently director of the award-winning company Seven Things, which commissions, produces and promotes experimental and contemporary music over the internet for a worldwide audience. He has also worked professionally as a composer for film, theatre and TV since leaving Oxford University with a first class degree in Metallurgy and Science of Materials in 1994, where he was organ scholar at Trinity College.
He studied with Gordon McPherson for his MMus (composition) at the RSAMD 1999-2000, winning prizes in composition and conducting, and prior to that with John Maxwell Geddes. Subsequently he was artistic director of the Paragon Ensemble from 2001 – 2004, before leaving to set up Seven Things.
As a performer he has worked in a variety of fields. He held the position of assistant organist of St Giles’ Cathedral Edinburgh from 1997 – 2000, performing and broadcasting at many events including the opening of the Scottish Parliament service in 1999 and the Scottish Millennium Service in 2000. He also conducted and directed the Paragon Ensemble during his tenure. He is in demand as a lecturer on contemporary music, including for the Edinburgh International Festival and RSNO. He is currently performing and composing with his new ensemble SPKE.
Recent composition work includes music for Miss Julie, Gobbo, Mary Stuart (All National Theatre of Scotland) Jerusalem (West Yorkshire Playhouse), East Coast Chicken Supper (Traverse Theatre), Solstice and Midwinter (both Royal Shakespeare Company), and Sounding the Alarm and Ghost with SPKE.
