World-renowned 'shy guy'

Michael Allen Harrison spends a day with the OCHS music department

By Ellen Spitaleri

The Oregon City News, Nov 24, 2009

Michael Allen Harrison tickles the ivories at Oregon City High School last week, as he demonstrates a specific technique for the Wind Ensemble class.

ellen spitaleri / oregon city news

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He’s played for President Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and the Dalai Lama, but last week Michael Allen Harrison played the piano and shared his story with students in Bill Bartman’s band classes at Oregon City High School.

He’s an internationally renowned concert pianist, composer, arranger and record producer, but first and foremost Harrison considers himself a teacher.

“It’s what I do – I’ve always felt compelled to pass on my knowledge,” he added.

Harrison is probably too modest to call himself a philanthropist, and yet he freely gives of his time in guest artist gigs at local schools and stages numerous benefit concerts throughout the year, including one at OCHS on Dec. 13, that is the band’s biggest fundraiser.

“I believe in music education as part of a complete education for kids – it is part of my purpose in life,” he said.

Studies have shown the benefits that come from music education, including that students test better in other academic areas, and yet some school have lost music programs and society in general has been slow to take action to restore them or keep them intact, he said.

“I’m an action guy – I want to do my part. It is really important to me to invest my time into what I believe in,” Harrison said.

High school memories

Harrison has performed on world stages as an adult, but it was a different story when he was at Parkrose High School, where he described himself as “a shy guy.”

His parents started him playing piano when he was 6, and by the time he was in school, his talent was “recognized and encouraged,” he said.

“Music came easy for me, but I didn’t have an uncontrollable passion,” Harrison added.

But that began to change, when his best buddy dragged him into a choir class at Parkrose and told the teacher, Mrs. Finley, that Harrison should be playing and singing in her class.

“She made me do so many things I was uncomfortable with; she said ‘You will be trying out for the musical.’ She was a huge influence,” he noted, adding that when he was a senior he actually taught the sophomore choir class.

Inspiration

“He gives a new perspective – he says you can achieve anything you set your mind to,” said Spencer Ramey, a junior in the wind ensemble class.

Amy Hinkle, a sophomore in the same class, said Harrison inspired her to “keep going on with music. When you see him and how he’s grown, you think, ‘I could be great someday.’”

“A person like him, with so much experience, can teach us a lot,” added Jon Abbott, a drummer and member of the honors wind ensemble, the jazz band and the marching band.

“Having an artist of his stature that the kids know of” is a huge plus factor for the band program, Bartman said, adding that when Harrison talks to students “he legitimizes what they are doing.”

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