Harrison Sheckler, born on April 23rd, 1996, is a multifaceted musician, educator, and actor with a breadth of accomplishments and collaborations that set him apart in the world of the arts.

 

Harrison is currently progressing towards his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Piano Performance at the University of Arizona, diligently studying under both Dr. John Milbauer (recently appointed as the Dean of Music at DePaul University) and Dr. Daniel Linder. Alongside his major, he is also pursuing a DMA minor in Composition under the expert guidance of Dan Asia.

Diving deep into the world of classical compositions, Harrison's dissertation focuses on the music of Swiss composer Charles Samuel Bovy Lysberg, a notable student of Frederic Chopin. Bovy Lysberg composed over 150 pieces, many of which have never seen the light of professional recording. Recognizing the value and beauty of Lysberg's contributions, Harrison aspires to record a full-length album of selected works by this underrepresented composer. With his status as ABD (All But Dissertation), Harrison is poised to complete his doctorate in 2024.

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He obtained his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music under the mentorship of Professor Soyeon Kate Lee. He further earned his Masters of Music in Piano Performance from the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music, guided by Professor Jeffrey Biegel.

His journey into the world of music began in Charles City, IA, with piano lessons from Sarah Jensen at the age of six. He dedicated nearly a decade to honing his skills and competing under the meticulous guidance of Dr. Suzanne Torkelson at Wartburg College. This institution also saw Harrison accompanying the St. Elizabeth's Chorale led by Dr. Karen Black, and playing violin in the Wartburg Symphony and Chamber Orchestras conducted by Dr. Daniel Kaplunas. His foundational years at Wartburg also had him under the direction of Dr. Ted Reuter and various other piano faculty members.
Over the course of his career, Harrison has had the privilege to collaborate, participate in masterclasses, and receive instruction from renowned artists including Ursula Oppens, Jasmine Choi, Simon Estes, Christopher O'Riley, Alexander Korsantia, Timothy Brown, Kevin Olson, Dr. Robin Guy, Gabrielius Alekna, Maestro Aik Khai Pung, Jimmy Brière, Dr. Kristín Jónína Taylor, Dr. Ran Dank, Lee Fiser, Sandra Rivers, Dr. Luis Sanchez, Sean Botkin, Dmitri Vorobiev, Dr. Malcolm Merriweather, and Frank Weinstock, among others.

Harrison is the 2014 Terrace Hill Endowment for the Musical Arts Competition winner. He has multiple honors in the Music Teachers National Association Senior Piano Duet Competition at state, division, and national levels with his duet partner, Sarah Gao of Cedar Falls, IA. He is the 2014 NAMTA Music Scholarship recipient and the Charles City Master of Fine Arts Award winner. He is the recipient of the William D. Black Memorial Prize in Piano, a scholarship to support undergraduate piano study. In 2017, Harrison was named the 3rd place grand champion in the Bill Riley Talent Search and was featured on Iowa Public Television during the final round of competition. In addition, he was named a 2017 Skokie Valley Concerto Competition finalist, a 2017 Global Online Great Composers Piano Competition first place winner, and the second prize winner in the 2017 North International Competition.

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His orchestration prowess was showcased in 2021 when the Dallas Symphony premiered his work on Jeffrey Biegel's piano piece, "Reflections of Justice: An Ode to Ruth Bader Ginsburg." A subsequent and complete performance of the concerto occurred in Florida with Jeffrey Biegel and the SpaceCoast Symphony.

During the pandemic, Harrison innovatively connected with audiences and artists. He launched the Virtual Choir Project Covid-19, turning the classic "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Carousel into a global phenomenon. Garnering over 1.5 million YouTube views, this project featured 300 participants from 15 countries. A baseball-themed follow-up involved former major league pitcher Bronson Arroyo in a virtual rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."

His Virtual Choir continues to gain traction, soon to showcase a collaboration with Grammy award-winning artist Gloria Gaynor. He has also produced music videos for illustrious groups like The New West Symphony, Brooklyn College, Capital University, Major League Baseball, Village of NYC Ballet, and more. Recording under the Halidon Music Label, his YouTube channel displays an eclectic range of music videos, from classical to contemporary works. He produced and wrote the song "Pray for Peace" for country star Presley Tennant, featured on her latest album.

Parallel to his music, Harrison has also acted in director Tommy Stovall’s feature film "Condition of Return," which premiered in fall 2023 where he shared the screen with stars AnnaLynne McCord, Dean Cain, and Natasha Henstridge.

Currently, Harrison is serving as the Visiting Professor of Piano at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. He has previously held teaching positions at the University of Arizona and Wartburg College.

Outside of his professional life, Harrison has a deep appreciation for nature and sports. He is an avid fisherman, enjoys the thrill of downhill skiing, and never misses an opportunity to attend major league baseball games.

 

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