Press Releases
Joel Harrison - Someone you should know
From the Indianapolis Star
7/8/2007
The APA has been presenting classical and jazz competitions for years, although jazz has become a much more visible component of the Indianapolis arts group since 2003, when it began running Indy Jazz Fest.
As the APA's artistic director since 2001, Joel Harrison, a classically trained pianist and former college professor, has helped guide the group's "jazzification." Harrison believes the festival brings more attention to everything else the group does.
To those who don't know much about the APA, how do you explain your job?
I always talk about the mission of the APA, which is to support young pianists, jazz and classical, between the ages of 18 and 30 through innovative fellowships. Winners each receive an award worth $75,000 over the two years of the fellowship. There are quite a number of programs, including international touring and outreach. As artistic director, I am directly responsible for all our artistic programs and programming. I serve as an adviser of sorts to the fellows. I maintain contact with the music world, and the piano world in particular. As a result, I travel a bit. I also book all the talent for Indy Jazz Fest.
How have your past roles as professor and pianist informed your work as the APA's artistic director?
There is a very strong connection between those things and this particular job. I don't think I veered off my career path. As a professor, I was hopefully inspiring young musicians, mentoring them and contributing to the art through my teaching and performing. I don't perform with the frequency that I once did, but our fellows do. I try to facilitate their careers.
All through your tenure at the APA, the group's top manager has been Helen Small, who now has the title of president and CEO. Describe how you work as a team.
I believe we have a very rare situation. Working together as closely as we do, there could be difficulties, but that has not been the case. She is not a professional musician, yet she does see to it that we keep the art at the forefront of the APA. That is quite remarkable. We also try not to step on each other's toes. I think there are times when it is appropriate for me to speak for the organization, and times when it is appropriate for her.
Since you're now artistic director of the Jazz Fest as well as the APA, your work must vary, depending on whether you're gearing up for an annual jazz festival or for the triennial fellowship awards.
The Jazz and Classical Fellowships and Jazz Fest are continually on my brain. Obviously, during Jazz Fest I have to be focused on that. While I've been in the middle of getting ready for the opening of Indy Jazz Fest, I actually have also been doing work on the next Classical Fellowship Awards (in 2008-09). We're also doing preliminary planning that goes through 2010. By the fall, I will have issued all the invitations to jury members for the next classical competition. That is one of the challenges of this job. No other organization in the world that I know anything about presents a jazz competition, a rather elaborate classical competition that takes place over many months and a jazz festival. We do all of this with a full-time staff of seven, and that's the largest it has ever been.
Some professors take pride in their students' successes. Do you have a similar attitude toward the APA fellows?
They're all doing great. (2000 APA Classical Fellowship winner) Christopher Taylor is among the most interesting young pianists all over the world. Ning An (also a 2000 Classical Fellow) has won the William Kapell International Piano Competition since he won here. Aaron Parks (APA's 2001 Jazz Fellow) has released a number of CDs and tours internationally. Adam Birnbaum (the 2004 Jazz Fellow) has toured Japan and the Czech Republic. Our current Classical Fellows, Stephen Beus and Spencer Myer, will be on a Harmonia Mundi recording that comes out in the fall.
How has taking over Indy Jazz Fest changed the APA?
It has changed the organization in numerous ways. On a daily basis, we have a fast-paced office -- much more so than before. Obviously, it has caused the budget to be transformed (from a range of $500,000 to $700,000 a year to about $2 million). I think it has also meant a bit more visibility for the APA in the community, and thereby brought more attention to the fellowship awards.
How has philanthropist and arts patron Christel DeHaan's involvement in the APA and Indy Jazz Fest evolved?
Christel has been a board member and president of the board. She was instrumental in getting our endowment fund going in a big way. She comes to events, loves music and is passionate about the mission of the organization. She has not just provided money for the organization; she has provided leadership.
As a pianist, you have performed with a number of orchestras and in recital. Will you be performing again?
I did play a concert when I first moved here, but since then I have intentionally devoted all my energy to the APA and the fellows. Having done that for a few years, and not being able to play, I have come to realize that making music is important to me. There might be some chances for me to play in some informal settings.
You continue to have a regular musical outlet in that you've been a church organist for years. Would you talk about your current job?
I am the church musician at Pleasant View Lutheran Church on the Northwestside. There's a very fine pipe organ there, and the Lutheran church has a glorious musical tradition.
Through the years, has your favorite pianist changed?
My stock comment is that the current APA fellows are my favorite pianists. That said, Martha Argerich remains one of the most compelling artists currently performing. I continue to marvel and be inspired by all that she is.
What about the future of APA? What's in the short- and long-term strategic plans?
We currently have two Classical Fellows and one Jazz Fellow. We would very much like to balance that out and have two Jazz Fellows. We are strategizing with some regularity on how to bring that about. If I had a magic wand, I would love to make that happen today. That will require a major gift to the APA endowment. In the near term, because of the size of our staff expansion recently, we have to have new offices, but we want to stay on the Butler University campus.
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