We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mark Harris II. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mark below.
Mark, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from my family. They raised me never to quit and never to give up. It also comes from college my years . Being a college graduate and a member of 2 Greek organizations helped me to believe I could finish and overcome anything
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a music director and composer based in St.louis . Being in this field has afforded me many opportunities to travel the world and meet amazing people, I’ve had the opportunity to share the stage with artist such as Chante Moore, Glenn Jones, Karyn White, Tweet, Mali music , Najee and Many others. My band the Avengers and I are currently working on an album as well and I am currently on tour with Grammy award winning saxophonist Najee
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The first skill that was impactful in my career was studying my craft , which for me was piano and percussion. I practiced often as well study in a college setting to hone my craft .
The second skill was being able to manage my time as well as other peoples. Dealing with people can sometimes be even harder than learning the actual craft itself. You have to be fair as well as direct . But one thing I’ve learned is that you can’t please everyone.
The third skill I learned and am still learning is how to have a balance. This job can consume you if you let it. Keep god first , family second , and the rest will follow
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
The people that have been most impactful I would say are my family of course and some of the artist that that I’ve worked with such as Najee who always takes time out to school me on the business of music and entertainment and how to carry myself in any situation. My dad has also been a conduit of information in regards to jazz music and normal everyday people want to hear. He keeps me grounded
Contact Info:
- Website: www.markharrisjazz.com
- Instagram: @markharrisii
- Facebook: @markharrisiiofficial
- Youtube: @markharrisii
Image Credits
Ed Rhone for Jorhan Images
