Ed Harper

Band Director at Concord High School in Concord, NC
Education: BM in Music Education, UNC Charlotte (2013)
Hometown: Cinnaminson, NJ
Ed Harper grew up in a household where music was playing all the time. His mom was a member of her high school color guard, and she marched with a drum and bugle corps in the late 70s and early 80s. In addition, Ed says, “I had great elementary music teachers that helped foster my love of music. Growing up in New Jersey, we started pull-out style instrument lessons in 3rd grade. I picked the saxophone because I saw Ernie and Hoots the Owl on Sesame Street singing ‘Put Down the Ducky (If You Wanna Play the Saxophone).’”
Ed praises his professors at UNC Charlotte, who, he says, provided amazing opportunities and guided him in the right direction.
“Dr. Will Campbell (professor of saxophone) was such an inspiration and guided me to be the best musician I could be in jazz and classical playing. I asked him to treat me like a performance major, and he pushed me to do some really great things as a soloist, concert, jazz and small ensemble member. He is the kindest and most giving man I’ve had the privilege to know.”
Associate Professor of Music Education Fred Spano taught a majority of the music education classes that Ed took. “Dr. Spano was so supportive and provided his students with the opportunities to observe amazing teachers out in the field, whether it was elementary music, middle or high school band or working with students at the Metro School in Charlotte.”
One of Ed’s most significant education experiences came during student teaching, when he had the opportunity to work with Blair Smith at J.M. Robinson High School in Cabarrus County. “Teaching his bands was like driving a Cadillac, but he gave me the keys on day one and he let me drive every day, all day, so I could figure out what needed to be done. All of those experiences played a big role in the who, what, where and why I teach music.”
Currently, Ed is the Band Director at Concord High School in Concord, North Carolina. In addition to teaching concert band classes, he teaches beginning piano and music appreciation, directs the Marching Spiders, Basketball Pep Band, and the Jazz Ensemble.
Since he started teaching, Ed has had the pleasure of teaching students that were capable of meeting or exceeding growth in their performances from year to year. Ed expressed that he is incredibly proud to have started a beginning band for students 9-12 that missed joining band in middle school. This band performs for any and all functions that the high school hosts.
His advice for current students: “The work ethic you exhibit now is an indicator of how successful you will be in your future. If you put in the work now, it sets you up to push harder and strive for the highest in everything you do in your life.”