Heidi Harris

First Violins

Associate Concertmaster
Louis D. Beaumont Chair

Violinist Heidi Harris first joined the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra after graduating from the New England Conservatory where she studied with Masuko Ushioda. In 1995 she left the SLSO to join the Chicago Symphony, where she remained for three seasons. In 1998 Ms. Harris returned to the SLSO as Assistant Concertmaster, and in 2005 was appointed Associate Concertmaster by Music Director David Robertson.

Ms. Harris began her musical studies on the piano at the age of three in her hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah. At age four she began studying the violin, and by the age of 13 had made her debut as soloist with the Utah Symphony under the baton of Joseph Silverstein, appearing as soloist again in 1985 and 1989.

Ms. Harris attended high school at the Interlochen Arts Academy where she was concertmaster of the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory, attending under full scholarship. During her senior year at the conservatory, she was concertmaster of the New England Conservatory Orchestra and the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, and performed as soloist with numerous orchestras throughout the Boston area. Ms. Harris served as an extra in the Boston Symphony Orchestra while still in school, participating in recordings with Bernard Haitink, as well as touring with the Boston Symphony under the baton of Seiji Ozawa.    

Ms. Harris first performed as soloist with the SLSO in 1991, with Leonard Slatkin  conducting, as well as numerous other solo performances under the batons of David Robertson, Peter Oundjian, and Nicholas McGegan. Her most recent performance, in 2007, with the SLSO was with Mr. Slatkin, performing Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2. Her recital experience includes performances at the Ethical Society (benefiting Our Little Haven, a home for abused children), Graham Chapel, and Eliot Chapel. Her chamber music experience includes concerts at the Sheldon, Powell Hall, and the Insbrook Festival, as well as Jordan Hall and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. She performs on a violin by G.B. Guadagnini made in 1753.

Ms. Harris shares a home with her husband, two children, and dog, Pickles. She enjoys attending weekly Tae Kwondo classes with her family (she just earned her red belt with black stripe), yoga, reading, cooking, traveling, and being a mom. Ms. Harris also sponsors a Romanian orphan named Zorro through Livada Orphan Care, and hopes to visit Zorro one day to meet him in person. A portion of all of Ms. Harris' solo performance fees benefit Livada Orphan Care.