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Musical Visions of America

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USAC President's House, 1950
Winter view of the President's house looking southeast from below the brow of Old Main Hill, ca. 1950s.

Field House
An exterior photo of the George "Doc" Nelson Field House. The Field House was constructed during the Great Depression and named in honor of USU's longtime wrestling coach, George Nelson.

Musical Visions of America Digital Exhibit Graphic

Summer Music Concerts have Auspicious Opening
A newspaper article highlighting the opening events of the Summer Festival Series held by USAC in Logan, Utah during the summer of 1949. The article was written by Marion Nielsen and published on June 6, 1949 in the Herald Journal.

Roy and Johana Harris Home
A black and white photograph of Roy and Johana Harris recording their radio broadcast, Music with our Neighbors. Johana Harris  is seated at the piano and Roy Harris is seated in a chair, watching as she plays.The radio set up was located in the…

George Maxwell with Johana, Shaun and Daniel Harris
A black and white photograph of the Harris's African American domestic, George Maxwell, with two of their children posed on an armchair in their living room and Johana Harris standing in the stairway.

11th Ward Chapel
185 South 100 East, Logan, Utah. A concert program for a Benefit Concert held by Johana Harris to raise funds for the Logan Eleventh Ward building (a church building in the Logan, Utah Area). The program includes works by Bach, Beethoven, Schubert,…

The Tenth concert of the Summer Festival Series
A concert program for the tenth concert held in a series of ten concerts for the Summer Festival Series the year of 1949. The program includes works by J.S. Bach, Paul Hindersmith, and Bela Bartok performed by Johana Harris and The String Sinfonia. 

The Sixth concert of the Summer Festival Series
A concert program for the sixth concert held in a series of ten concerts for the Summer Festival Series the year of 1949. The program includes works by Haydn, Beethoven, and Debussy performed by Joseph Gingold, James Barret, Milton Preeves, and…

4th Ward Chapel
A concert program for the fifth concert held in a series of ten concerts for the Summer Festival Series the year of 1949. The program includes works by Beethoven, Debussy, and Franck performed by Johana Harris and Leonard Rose and was performed in…

Unaffected and with Artistry Photo
The photo accompanying a newspaper article giving a short biography of Johana Harris as a famous pianist as she started her tenure at USAC in Logan, Utah written by Marion Nielsen. The article was published on February 7, 1949.

Unaffected and with Artistry 
A newspaper article giving a short biography of Johana Harris as a famous pianist as she started her tenure at USAC in Logan, Utah written by Marion Nielsen. The article was published on February 7, 1949 in the Herald Journal.

Roy Harris' Newspaper Photo
The photo accompanying the newspaper article giving a short biography of Roy Harris as an American Composer as he started his tenure at USAC in Logan, Utah written by Marion Nielsen. The article was published on November 30,1949.

Roy Harris- A Famous Composer who has Grown out of the Substance of America
A newspaper article giving a short biography of Roy Harris as an American Composer as he started his tenure at USAC in Logan, Utah written by Marion Nielsen. The article was published on November 30, 1949 in the Herald Journal.

Utah Symphony concert with Johana Harris
An article from the Student Life newspaper titled "Symphony Slates Concerts This Afternoon, Tonight". The article gives details for a concert by the Utah Symphony and Johana Harris to be given on February 10, 1949.

The Radio Broadcast
An article from the Student Life Newspaper titled "Composer Schedules Radio Series Program." The article discribes the radio broadcast series "Music With Our Neighbors" run by Roy and Johana Harris from their home in Logan, Utah.

Franklin's Rebuttal
A letter from Franklin S. Harris to Robert Donner, stating that Roy Harris was not a communist sympathizer, but a "fine gentleman and outstanding musician." 

Robert Donner's Accusations
A letter from Robert Donner to Franklin S. Harris, inquiring after the nature of Roy and Johana's departure from the university and accusing Roy Harris of being a "Red" and having communist sympathies.

F.S. Harris's "Thank You" to Roy and Johana
A letter from Franklin S. Harris to Roy and Johana Harris, expressing gratitude for their work at USAC and sadness at their departure from the staff.

Contract Alteration Suggestions
A letter from Roy Harris and Johana Harris to Franklin S. Harris and Dean E.A. Jacobsen, detailing a plan to alter their work contracts for the following year. 

F.S. Harris's response about Maxwell
A letter from Franklin S. Harris to Johana Harris, responding to her concern about finding "colored" friends for their domestic, Maxwell, in Logan, Utah.

Johana's concern for Maxwell
A letter from Johana Harris to Franklin S. Harris expressing concern over not being able to find "colored" friends for their domestic, Maxwell, in Logan, Utah.

Roy's Excitement to work at USAC
A letter from Roy Harris to Franklin S. Harris expressing his excitement to start working at USAC.

Roy's Explanation of TIME's Article
A letter from Roy Harris to Franklin S. Harris explaining the Time's Article "Composing for Cash" written by Marshall Sprague. 

For Everybody Except Composers
An article from "TIME" about Roy Harris's approach to earning a living as a composer. 

Recommendation of Roy and Johana Harris
A letter from E.A. Jacobsen (Dean) to President Franklin S. Harris recommending Roy and Johana Harris to be hired as Composer in Residence and Artist in Residence, respectively. 

Musical Arts Guild Minutes
Page 69 of Logan, Utah's Musical Arts Guild minutes dated January 18, 1949. Identifies topic of the day as Lily Pons and Andre Kostelanets.

Roy and Johana Harris with the Visiting Musicians
A black and white photograph of Roy and Johana seated at the piano in their home in Logan, Utah. Behind them stand four string musicians (Joseph Gingold, James Barret, Milton Preeves, and Leonard Ross) who were visiting for the Summer Festival Series…

Visiting Musicians for the Summer Festival of 1949
A black and white photograph of four string musicians (Joseph Gingold, James Barret, Milton Preeves, and Leonard Ross) visiting for the Summer Festival Series of 1949 seated in the living room of the home of Roy and Johana Harris in Logan, Utah.

Johana Harris at the Piano
A black and white photograph of Johana Harris, seated in profile, behind a grand piano.

Music with our Neighbors 2
A black and white photograph of Roy and Johana Harris recording their radio broadcast, Music with our Neighbors. Johana Harris  is seated at the piano and Roy Harris is speaking into the KVNU microphone set up in the living room of their home in…

Music with our Neighbors 1
A black and white photograph of Roy and Johana Harris recording their radio broadcast, Music with our Neighbors. Johana Harris  is seated at the piano and Roy Harris is speaking into the KVNU microphone by the fireplace in the living room of their…

George Maxwell with Shaun and Daniel Harris
A black and white photograph of the Harris's African American domestic, George Maxwell, with two of their children posed on an armchair in their living room. 

USAC Musical Department Heads 1948-1949
A black and white photograph of the Musical Department Heads of USAC around a piano on USAC campus during the academic year 1948-1949. Johana Harris is seated at the piano while behind her stand N. Woodruff Christiansen, Walter Welti, and George…

The Hands of Johana Harris
A black and white photograph of Johana Harris's hands poised to play on a piano. 

Roy and Johana Harris at the Piano
A black and white photograph of Roy and Johana Harris seated at a grand piano at their home in Logan, Utah. 

150 North 300 East, Logan, Utah. A prominent Church Official in the Logan area, Christiansen appeared weekly in the Harrises radio broadcast, “Music with Our Neighbors.” ElRay Christiansen was a trained cellist and the younger brother of N. Woodruff…

139 West Center Street, Logan, Utah. A member of the USAC Music Faculty. No image available.

1493 East 700 North, Logan, Utah. A member of the USAC Music Faculty. No image available.

215 Boulevard, Logan, Utah. A member of the USAC Music Faculty. No image available.

172 East 100 North, Logan, Utah. Bullen was a general manager in the KVNU Cache Valley Broadcasting company. Roy and Johana’s history of using the radio as a performance “venue,” made Bullen a congenial neighbor and ally for the radio broadcast,…

155 East Center Street, Logan, Utah. A Logan businessman and neighbor of the Harrises, Thompson participated in Roy and Johana’s weekly radio broadcast of “Music with Our Neighbors”. There is no image available.

191 East 100 North, Logan, Utah. A prominent local businessman and member of the USAC board of trustees from 1925–41. Frances W. Champ, Frederick’s wife, was a member of Logan’s Musical Arts Guild. No image available.