For students and community members, Montgomery County Community College is hub of cultural experiences and learning opportunities. On Nov. 20, a cultural experience became a learning opportunity when Stefon Harris hosted a Master Class for students in the Sound Recording and Music Technology Program.

Harris has earned four Grammy nominations for his passionate artistry and astonishing virtuosity propelling him to the forefront of the jazz scene. Heralded “as one of the most important artists in jazz” (“The Los Angeles Times”), Harris has been named a recipient of the 2018 Doris Duke Artist Award, the prestigious Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center and named Best Mallet Player eight times by the Jazz Journalists Association.

The Mix Room at Montco on the College’s Central Campus in Blue Bell was a welcome setting that combines Harris’s music career and academic experience. Harris serves as associate dean and director of jazz arts at the Manhattan School of Music, director of curriculum development at the Brubeck Institute, artistic director of jazz education at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and has been a member of the New York University Faculty for over a decade.

As an educator, Harris was happy to answer students’ questions about his history and his process. He also took the opportunity to discuss his philosophy of music with the audience.

“Music is the science of organizing sound and silence into something wonderful,” he said. “Music is a reflection of your own experiences and your ambition. I dedicate my music to empathy, because as the world gets smaller, it’s important to find the common ground.”

Harris shared his life and his career experiences with the audience. He remembered his love of music coming from a sense of community. His mother was a Pentecostal minister and his earliest memories of music come from parishioners standing up to tell their stories and the music of the church supporting them.

At an early age, Harris recognized his musical talents, but did not think of himself as a musician. As an educator and a band leader, he finds joy in connecting with and supporting others. Through his career, Harris has found that his gift and passion for bringing people together manifests itself best through his music.

Students and professors at Montco looked to Harris for advice on creating music, adapting their styles and juggling their mindsets in reference to different musical genres. As a performer and creator of music, Harris admits that he does not have a singular approach to composing music, and that improvisation in the moment often overtakes his regularly detail-oriented mindset.

“I think about arrangements and every single detail before I get in the space. I try to be meticulous, but I am open to new ideas and collaboration. When I get in the booth or I get on stage anything is possible,” he said. “I like the balance. I come in with structure, but appreciate the music that comes from the day.”

This engagement of Stefon Harris and Blackout is made possible through the Jazz Touring Network program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Co-hosted by Montco’s Lively Arts Series and the Sound Recording & Music Technology Program, Master Classes provide students and the community with opportunities to meet with and learn from professionals in the music industry. The classes are free and open to all students and the community.