Harrison Potter
Harrison Potter (May 9, 1891 – October 3, 1984) was an American pianist and educator.
Potter was born in North Adams, Massachusetts and studied piano with Felix Fox, and, in Paris, Isidor Philipp. Early in his career, Potter taught for a time at Boston's Fox-Buonamici Piano School. He also served as assistant conductor of the 301st Army Regiment Band during World War I.[1] He performed widely as a recitalist and accompanist during his career.[2]
Potter's recording of Charles Tomlinson Griffes' Piano Sonata is referenced in the 1943 first edition of Edward Maisel's biography of Griffes, though due to its unavailability at the time of the second edition, other recordings were referenced instead.[3]
From 1946 to 1957, Potter taught at Mount Holyoke College. He was also the Chautauqua Institution's Choral Director from 1948 to 1952.[4] Potter also taught at the Felix Fox School of Pianoforte Playing in Boston, Massachusetts and Sarah Lawrence College.
He died in Holyoke, Massachusetts in 1984.
Recordings
- Harrison Potter, piano, "Five Sketches in Sepia," by Ernest Bloch, Friends of Recorded Music, FRM-12 (78 RPM), 1937[5][6]
- Harrison Potter, piano, "Piano Sonata," by Charles Tomlinson Griffes, Friends of Recorded Music, FRM-10-11 (78 RPM), 1937[5][6]
Footnotes
- Roepper, Charles (October 19, 1918). "Expect War Conditions to Eradicate 'Exclusiveness' from Boston's Music this Season". Musical America. 28 (25).
- Agency History/Biographical Note, “Harrison Potter Papers,” Mount Holyoke College, Archives and Special Collections, South Hadley, MA.
- Maisel, Edward (1984), Charles T. Griffles: The Life of an American Composer (2nd ed.), New York: Knopf, pp. xv, ISBN 0-394-54081-6
- Biographical Note, "Harrison Potter Papers," Mount Holyoke College, Archives and Special Collections, South Hadley, MA.
- "The Friends of Recorded Music (advertisement)", American Music Lover, November 1937
- "Friends of Recorded Music", The Gramophone, February 1938