Audrey DuBois Harris
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The canon of American music is dynamic, vibrant, and distinctive. Its parameters embrace a broad spectrum of uniquelyindigenous art forms: Gospel, jazz, folk, Broadway show tunes, popular standards and more. The rigorous training and interpretive skill needed to perform in these styles as well as European musical forms is possessed by a rarefied few. Audrey DuBois Harrisis a stunning purveyor of these skills, an artist of singular vocal beauty.
DuBois Harris’ rich and diverse repertoire encompasses opera, classical, jazz, oratorio, sacred songs, gospel and inspirational hymns. With a vocal range that moves from the depth of a mezzo-sopranoto the highs of a full lyric soprano, DuBois Harris performs in a majesticand spirit-affirming style reminiscent of some of our most treasured classical artists, including Leontyne Price, Marian Anderson, Jessye Norman, Kathleen Battle, and Gospel great Mahalia Jackson.
DuBois Harris’ moving vocals and elegant presentation hasmoved audiences around the globe and earned the admiration of many notables. Among her many high-profile engagements, she holds the distinction of having performed on several occasions as “The President’s Soloist,” singing the National Anthem, as well as at “Christmas at The White House,” where she presented classical, sacred, gospel and Christmas classics for President Obama and his guests. In addition, she has performed both the American and Canadian national anthems for The U.S. Consulate General Montreal on many occasions and performedat The White House-hosted Florida Highwaymen exhibit at the Montreal Art Center.
As a classically trained vocalist, DuBois Harrishas performed internationally and also assayed a number ofoperatic roles. Under the baton of Maestro Anatolia Chepurnov and Maestro Sergei Kondrashev, DuBois Harris performed in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk, Siberia and Dubna with the Orpheus Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Krasnoyarsk Philharmonic. She was privileged to also performin concert at The US Embassy in Moscow, Russia as a US Arts Ambassador. She joined renowned opera tenor, Marcello Giordani as his specialguest artist for his concert tour of Marcello & Friends with the Grande Orchestra Filarmonica under the baton of Maestro Giuseppe Acquaviva in Catania and Augusta, Italy.
DuBois Harris has performed on some of the world’s greateststages, including St. David’s Hall (Cardiff, Wales), Carnegie Halls’ Weill Recital Hall, The Apollo Theater, Merkin Hall, Alice Tully Hall and Avery Fischer Hall, to name a few. Some of these performances include singing the opera roles of Mimi in Puccini’s ‘La Bohème,” the title role in Verdi’s “Aida,” Micaëla in Bizet’s “Carmen,” Tigrana in Puccini’s “Edgar,” Desdemona in Verdi’s “Otello,” Betty Shabazz in Davis’ “X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X,” Countess Almaviva in Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro),” and Bess in Gershwin’s “Porgy & Bess.”
Her recognition as an artist of note was underscored early in 2018, when DuBois Harris joined the Reverend Jesse Jackson for a series of MLK50events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights icon Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Memphis, Tennessee. She sang an inspirational rendition of“Lift Every Voice and Sing” at the Mason Temple COGIC, where Dr. King delivered his historic “Mountaintop” speech the night before his untimely death. DuBois Harris also participated in “A Day of Remembrance” event at the National Civil Rights Museum. “To listen to Audrey is to hear the soul and science of music,” noted Jackson. “Her singing, interpretation and presentation iswhat music looks and sounds like.” Jackson also invited DuBois Harris to perform at the annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee service in remembrance of “Bloody Sunday” on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, where Jackson and U.S. Representative John Lewis led the march.
DuBois Harris was also privileged to be a part of the First National Assembly of Quebec's recognized Nelson Mandela Daycelebration in Quebec, Canada, hosted at the historic Union United Church where South African President Nelson Mandelaspoke during his first official trip to Canada.
A native of Miami, Florida, DuBois Harris’ seamless blend of classical and gospel music is a natural extension of her roots, having been raised in the Baptist church and educated at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music in New York City, where she received a full scholarship. Her consistent artistic excellence afforded her the privilege of being hand selected by “The Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin for her concerts Aretha Franklin Presents: A Two Night Revival, Aretha Presents: GospelFest and Aretha Franklin Presents: The Gospel Legends.
At Jazz at Lincoln Center, she performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for both the premiere of Wynton Marsalis’ mass “Abyssinian 200: A Celebration” and the occasion of Wynton Marsalis’ 50th birthday celebration, conducted by Damien Sneed and broadcast on PBS.
DuBois Harris not only shares her vocal gifts on the world stages, she also has an illustrious list of recording credits to her repertoire. Her new CD project, God Bless America,is a five-song EP that features the title track along with classic and contemporary compositions, including “Amazing Grace,” “Give Me Jesus,” and “Precious Lord Take My Hand,” which was recordedwith previous collaborators Damien Sneed and Jerroll Lehman. Her artistry not only includes vocal performancebut composition as well.
In 2012, DuBois Harris debuted as a recording artist with Testimony, a soaring collection of inspirational music and hope-filled hymns. Produced and recorded with Sneed (pianist/co-arranger) and Lehman (producer/orchestrator), DuBois Harris proves her mettle not only as a singerbut also as an arranger and songwriter, co-arranging allsongs with Sneed and writing the title track. Testimonyreflects her authentic voice as a powerful performer with a sincere heart of faith. The project introduced her globally as one of the most exciting discoveries in the sphere of classically trained vocalists.
In addition to appearances on some of the world’s most venerated stages, she has demonstrated her heart for worthy causes, sharing her gifts to benefit such foundations as: Yele Haiti (founded by Grammy Award-winningrecording artist Wyclef Jean), Helping Hands Bring Sunshine, Stroke of Hope, Saved For Life, PepsiCo Foundation, Midnight Run and The American Red Cross.She has also shared her music, wisdom, andfaith with younger generations through numerous outreach appearances, masterclasses, andseminars.
SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS
As a purveyor of inspiration and classicalexcellence, DuBois Harrishas an extensive and diverse range of performances for an array of audiences. The following is a brief sampling:
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DuBois Harris performed on the red circle of TEDx Montreal Women under the annual themes of “Bridges” and “It’s About Time.”
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Creatorof “Voices of Opera: A Soulful Celebration”concert series, an exciting experience of opera, Broadway, jazz and gospel that features an array of today’s top classical vocalists.
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Co-creator/producer, along with classical singer Jolie Rocke Brown, of “Celebrate Hymn,”a spirit-filled concert of hymns experienced in a new way through classical, gospel and jazz.
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In an Ivy League University Tour with Damien Sneed, DuBois Harris performed at prestigious institutions Yale University and Princeton University.
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She has been the Official Day Soloist for the 110th (2017), 109th, 108th, 107th and 105th Church of God in Christ Holy Convocation, performing for more than 40,000 attendees at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri, that were televised to more than 2 million viewers on The Word Network.
OTHER RECORDINGS
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DuBois Harris is featuredon The International Music Department of the Church of God in Christ’s latest CD project release: We Must Never Forget (My Jesus I Love Thee), a musical celebration of the life and legacy of COGIC founder, Bishop Charles Harrison Mason.
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Additionally, DuBois Harris appears on Damien Sneed’s new Introspections LIVE debut CD project as a featured artist and co-arranger of the spiritual “Give Me Jesus” and co-writer of “God Is Blessing Me,” sung by Nikki Ross.