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African American Studies

Faculty

Department of African American Studies
3553 Cullen Boulevard
Agnes Arnold Hall, Room 629
Houston, TX 77204-3047

Raymond Harvey

Raymond Harvey

Clinical Associate Professor, Moores School of Music

Phone: (269) 598-6050

Email: rcharve2@central.uh.edu

With an immediately noticeable style that has been described as "elegant, but suffused with energy," Raymond Harvey has garnered critical acclaim on symphonic podiums throughout the United States.

He served as Music Director of the Kalamazoo Symphony (MI) for 18 years.  Prior to that, Maestro Harvey held similar positions with the Fresno Philharmonic (CA), Springfield Symphony (MA), and El Paso Opera (TX).  He has appeared as guest conductor with more than 90 orchestras, including those of Philadelphia, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Detroit, and Minnesota, as well as the New York Philharmonic's Young People's Concerts, and the Boston Pops.  Abroad he has conducted the Maggio Musicale Orchestra (Italy), Pusan Symphony (South Korea), and National Symphony Orchestra (Costa Rica). He regularly performs as a pianist, both in chamber music and as pianist/conductor in works of Gershwin, Mozart, and Rachmaninoff.

In the world of opera, among the many productions he has conducted are Carmen, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, La Bohème, Turandot, Aïda, La Traviata, Otello, Romeo and Juliet, Manon, Il Trovatore, The Tales of Hoffmann, The Marriage of Figaro, and Porgy and Bess.  He has appeared with Houston Grand Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Opera Idaho, and Indiana University Music Theater.

Recognized as an outstanding pianist, choral conductor and teacher, Raymond Harvey holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Yale School of Music.  He is currently an Associate Professor and Music Director for the Moores Opera Center at the University of Houston.

Present Positions

  • 2014 - Clinical Associate Professor, University of Houston
  • 2014 - Music Director, Moores Opera Center, University of Houston
  • 2017 - Music Director Emeritus, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra 

Previous Positions

  • 1999-2017       Music Director, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra (Michigan)
  • 1994-2009       Music Director, El Paso Opera (Texas)
  • 1993-2000       Music Director, Fresno Philharmonic (California)
  • 1986-1994       Music Director, Springfield Symphony (Massachusetts)
  • 1983-1986       Associate Conductor, Buffalo Philharmonic (New York)
  • 1980-1983       Exxon/Arts Endowment Conductor, Indianapolis Symphony (Indiana)           
  • 1982-1986       Music Director, Marion (Indiana) Philharmonic
  • 1979-1980       Music Director, Texas Opera Theater (Texas)
  • 1976-1980       Associate Conductor, Des Moines Metro Opera (Iowa)
  • 1973-1976       Choral Director, Northfield Mount Hermon School (Massachusetts)

Education

  • Oberlin Conservatory of Music          Bachelor of Music; Master of Music (1973)
  • Yale School of Music                        Master of Musical Arts (1978)
  • Yale School of Music                        Doctor of Musical Arts (1984)