Ruth Berman Harris

Who is Ruth Berman Harris?

Ruth Berman Harris performed for many years in New York as a jazz and classical harpist.

Born 1916, in New Haven, Connecticut, Ruth Berman began her harp studies at the age of thirteen. When she was fifteen she won the Madrigal Award at the Juilliard School. She studied with Carlos Salzedo, Marie Miller, Lucille Lawrence and Casper Reardon and Ronald Herder.

As one of few harpists in New York who played both classical and jazz, Ms. Harris wrote her own jazz arrangements, at the same time performing with symphony orchestras and working as a studio musician at NBC, CBS and ABC for forty-eight years. Her Jazz harp recordings were recently re-mastered, using materials from the Library of Congress, by MSR Classic and Jazz Recording Company. Harris also served on the faculty of the Hoff-Barthelson Music School. She had co-directed the Purchase Music Ensemble, which sponsored The Aaron Copland Competition for Young Composers.

In September 1978 Berman appeared at a benefit concert hosted by the Connecticut chapter of the American Harp Society, where she and cellist Lisa Bressler performed original compositions for harp and cello by Berman.

Ms. Berman-Harris' publications include: Miniatures I for lever harp, Miniatures I for pedal harp, Miniatures III for cello and harp, Miniatures III for solo pedal harp, and Prayer for Voice and Harp, as well as concert versions of Oh Holy Night arranged for both lever and pedal harp.