Robin Harris
Applied Anthropology/World Arts





Education:
  • PhD in Music (Ethnomusicology) – University of Georgia Athens, 2012
  • M.A. in Ethnomusicology – Bethel University, 2007
  • M.A. in Inter-Cultural Studies – Columbia International University, 2001
  • B.Mus. in Piano Performance, magna cum laude – Biola University, 1983
 
Awards:
  • Monte Howell award for outstanding musicology graduate from UGA (2012)
  • Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society (2012)
  • Winner of the Dale Olsen Prize (best student paper) - Society for Ethnomusicology Southeast and Caribbean Regional Chapter (2010)
  • Recipient of the Dean’s Award at the University of Georgia Athens (2010)
  • Recipient of the JoAnn Terry Walker Scholarship – University of Georgia Athens, Franklin College (2009-2010)
  • Certified as an Ethnomusicology Training Specialist (ETS) by the International Council of Ethnodoxologists (2005)
 
Work Experience:
  • Coordinator of the World Arts Program at the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics, Dallas, TX (beginning June 2012).
  • Arts Consultant and member of the International Arts Leadership Team with SIL International, January 2011 to the present.
  • Ethnomusicology Consultant with Heart Sounds International, a division of Operation Mobilization, September 2006 to 2012.
  • Co-founder and President of the International Council of Ethnodoxologists (ICE).
  • Coordinator, Music and Arts Task Force of the International Orality Network, 2007 to 2010.
  • Board member of The Master’s Academy for the Arts, Peachtree City, Georgia, 2007 to 2010.
  • Served with InterAct Ministries from 1984-2006 (at the headquarters and on all three fields; Alaska, Canada, and ten years in Russia). 
 
Teaching Experience:
  • Assistant Professor, Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics, Dallas, TX (beginning June 2012).
  • Co-teacher with Dr. Brian Schrag – “Arts for a Better Future” intensive one-week workshop, Dallas, TX, June 2012.
  • Ethnodoxology course coordinator, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary—2008/2010; Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary—2009; Ouachita Baptist University—2011.
  • Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: “Arts and Music as Bridges of Love” (Anchorage and Wasilla, AK), November 2010, and “Finishing the Task” (Anchorage, AK), March 2013.
  • Featured speaker at the Institute for Christian Worship series at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY, 2007.
  • Russian language teacher (intermediate/advanced levels) at the International Christian School in St. Petersburg, Russia, 2002-2003.
  • Music teacher (private piano and theory) from 1980-1994.
 
Conferences:
  • 2013. “The Yakut Epos Olonkho: Past—Present—Future,” a symposium featuring the Eduard Alekseyev Fieldwork Collection and the work of scholars Robin Harris, Vasily Illarionov, and Sergei Vasilev. Held on February 21 at the Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
  • 2012. “Transmission and Innovation: Keys to a Sustainable Future for the Siberian Epos Olonkho” presented at the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) Annual Meetings in New Orleans, LA.
  • 2012. “Is Music Really a Universal Language?” presented at Urbana 2012 in St. Louis, MO.
  • 2011. “Revitalization of Olonkho: Challenges and Key Factors for Viability” (presented in Russian). Plenary session at the International Arts Research Conference: “The Unified Space of Eurasian Culture.” Yakutsk, Russia.
  • 2011. “Attenuation, Revitalization, and Transformation in an Intangible Cultural Heritage Treasure: The Siberian Epic Olonkho” – presented at the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) Annual Meetings in Philadelphia, PA. 2010. “Convincing your leaders of the importance of ethno-arts” – presented at the Global Consultation on Music and Missions in Singapore.
  • 2010. “Strashno in Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades” – presented at the UGA Research Symposium, March 2010.
  • 2010. “Revitalization and Sustainability: New horizons for the Siberian epos of olonkho” – presented at the meetings of the Society for Ethnomusicology, Southeast and Caribbean Chapter, at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, March 2010. Recipient of Dale Olsen Prize for best student paper.
  • 2009.  “Arts in Mission” presented at  Urbana 2009 in St. Louis, MO.
  • 2009. “Sonic Treasures in a Land of Gold and Diamonds: The Music of the Sakha in Siberia” – presented at the UGA Research Forum, March 2009.
  • 2009. “The epic poetry of Siberian olonkho: Celebrating a relic or true renewal?” – presented at the meetings of the International Council for Tradition Music in Durban, South Africa.
  • 2007. “Sonic Treasures in a Land of Gold and Diamonds: The Music of the Sakha in Siberia” – presented at the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) Southern California Chapter meetings and the SEM national meetings.
  • 2007. “Contextualization: Understanding the Intersections of Form and Meaning” (Russian version), presented at the Siberian Partnership Consultation in Irkutsk, Siberia.
  • 2006. “Personal Development for the Ethnomusicologist” – presented with Dr. Brian Schrag at the Global Consultation on Music and Missions.
  • 2006. “Khomus – Voice of the Sakha in Siberia” – presented at the Society for Ethnomusicology Southern California Chapter meetings.
  • 2003. “The Jesus Road of the Kiowa” – presented in Russian; International Conference of the Folklore of Paleo-Asiatic Peoples, Yakutsk, Siberia. 
Published works:
  • 2013. Krabill, James R., managing ed.; Frank Fortunato, Robin P. Harris, and Brian Schrag, eds. Worship and Mission for the Global Church: An Ethnodoxology Handbook. Pasadena: William Carey Library.
  • 2012. “Who Worship as They Suffer”—Songs Contemplating Suffering and Persecution,” in Sorrow and Blood: Christian Mission in Contexts of Suffering, Persecution, and Martyrdom. Edited by William D. Taylor, Antonia van der Meer, and Reg Reimer. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library.
  • 2012. Sitting “Under the Mouth”: Decline and Revitalization in the Sakha Epic Tradition Olonkho. (PhD Dissertation, University of Georgia Athens).
  • 2010.  “The Crescendo of Local Arts in Orality” (with Frank Fortunato), in Orality Breakouts: Using Heart Language to Transform Hearts. Hong Kong: International Orality Network and LCWE.
  • 2010. “From Isolation to Community of Practice: Lessons learned in the founding of the International Council of Ethnodoxologists” in Connections, Vol. 9, No. 2-3.
  • 2010. “Contextualization: Exploring the Intersections of Form and Meaning” in Connections, Vol. 9, No. 2-3.
  • 2009. “The Great Misconception: Why music is not a universal language” in Worship Leader Magazine (Nov/Dec 2009).
  • 2007. “Interview with Composer Konstantin Zhigulin.” In Radix 33:1.
  • 2007. “Contextualization: Understanding the Intersections of Form and Meaning” (English version). EthnoDoxology Journal 3:4.
  • 2006. “Love in Siberia: A Musician Friend for Life.” In All the World is Singing: Glorifying God through the Worship Music of the Nations, edited by Frank Fortunato with Paul Neeley and Carol Brinneman. Tyrone: GA.
  • 2000. “Dreaming in Sakha.” EM News 9:2.
  • 1999. Book review: “Disharmony in the 11:00 hour.” EM News 8:3.
  • 1998. With Vera Ponomar. “I love their songs – take me to these people.” EM News 7:4.