STEPHENVILLE, Texas — The Tarleton State University Department of Choral Studies in October will host Texan Sing, a gathering of vocalists from around the region, in a weekend of music with clinician Chris Harris. 

Rehearsals begin Friday evening, Oct. 14, and culminate in a free concert at 6 p.m. Saturday in the Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center Theater. 

An accomplished composer, conductor and educator, Dr. Harris is Director of Choral Activities at Arkansas Tech University, where he conducts the ATU Choral Artists, University Singers and University Men’s and Women’s Choruses, and teaches courses in choral methods, choral conducting and choral arranging. 

A Fort Worth native, he received his PhD in choral music education from Florida State University, his master’s in choral conducting from Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y., and his bachelor’s in music education from Texas Southern University in Houston. 

Ensembles under his direction have performed for recent national and regional conventions, including the National Collegiate Choral Organization and the Southwestern American Choral Directors Association. His musical works are widely performed, including as part of Texas All State Choir festivals. 

A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of nearly 17,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. True to Tarleton’s values of excellence, integrity and respect, academic programs emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.