Heidi Marie Harris is the Associate Concertmaster of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Her first job with the SLSO was as a section violinist, which she won while still attending the New England Conservatory during her senior year of college. A few years later she secured a section position in the Chicago Symphony where she remained for three years. Ms. Harris then returned to St. Louis as the Assistant Concertmaster and shortly thereafter earned her current position as Associate Concertmaster.
Ms. Harris began her musical studies on the piano at age three, and began studying the violin at age four. At age 13, she made her solo debut with the Utah Symphony under the baton of Joseph Silverstein, returning again to solo with the same orchestra at ages 15 and 19. After graduating high school from the Interlochen Arts Academy, Ms. Harris earned her Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory, attending under full scholarship. Ms. Harris also served as an extra violinist in the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Seiji Ozawa, and participated in recordings with Bernard Haitink and tours with the Boston Symphony while still in school.
Ms. Harris’ solo career has included recitals in the U.S. and Europe in such venues as the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and the Mozarteum in Germany. In her concerto appearances with the St. Louis Symphony, Ms. Harris has worked with maestros Nicholas McGegan, David Robertson, Leonard Slatkin, and John Storgards conducting. As well as recitals and solo performances, Ms. Harris has served as guest concertmaster for the Amarillo Symphony, the Phoenix Symphony, and the Seattle Symphony.
Ms. Harris currently teaches violin students privately, as well as through Webster University in St. Louis where she is a member of the adjunct faculty.
In 2010 Ms. Harris was presented with the Mabel Dorn Reeder Award. This award is given every five years and was created to recognize exceptional musical leadership as well as contribution in the community. Ms. Harris was the first person to be honored with this award.
Show Notes:
- Heidi’s number one habit is hard work.
- She has tried to do more in less time.
- Heidi became a musician through her mother’s desires and wishes.
- Through music practice, Heidi was able to learn how to focus on one thing for long periods of time.
- She started doing yoga before her first child, and through yoga Heidi met her mentor.
- Yoga helps you relax and strengthen your body while also improving mental focus.
- The doorway is the physical body and then it goes to the spiritual and mental body.
- Yoga has helped Heidi with her performance anxiety.
- Contemplation is another word for meditation.
- Slowing down your thoughts to see what you’re thinking about and how you’re thinking about what you’re thinking about is highly influential.
- Heidi has a blog where she talks about her thoughts and even has a poem.
- Everyone has mind pain.
- There is always a space between this and that.
- Acknowledging that space even though it’s scary can be healing.
- People should trust their intuition more and follow the things they think will help them have more joy.
- Heidi offers free guided meditation on her website.
Heidi Harris’s Recharge Round
- Share with us how you believe your mindset affects your life? Mindset 100% affects everything. Self talk is key to what happens in your day and how you feel.
- What do you do daily to bring Energy into your life? She takes a nap, but if she can’t she just digs deep and muscles through.
- Share the number one connection that has made the biggest impact on your life? Most recently, her yoga teachers have been her biggest connection.
- What advice has Influenced you the most in your life? “You don’t really have to be afraid of anything. If you want to do something, just do it.”
- Recommend a book and share why you love it? The Tao of Poo by Benjamin Hoff
- Define in one sentence or less, what legacy you want to leave on the world? So far her life has been about personal achievement and working through stuff. For the second half, she wants to help people.
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