Gessner leading Jets vocal program
Harris Gessner is working as choir director at James Clemens High School. (CONTRIBUTED)
MADISON – James Clemens High School now has its first full-time choir director. Madison native Harris Gessner will guide student vocalists.
Last year, Gessner worked as choir director at Mountain Gap P-8 School in Huntsville. Previously, he served as music minister at Peachtree Baptist Church in Atlanta, youth ministry intern at Auburn First Baptist Church and in music ministry at First Baptist Church in Huntsville and Weatherly Heights Baptist Church.
Compared to Mountain Gap, the James Clemens campus will differ dramatically for Gessner with about triple the student population.
“The opportunity to give back to my home community has always been an aspiration of mine,” Gessner said. “My sister, Jessye Gaines with Bob Jones engineering, and I now both serve the Madison City Schools system. We consider it a tremendous blessing.”
Gessner also is proud to work as colleagues with his former secondary teachers, James Clemens Band Director Keith Anderson and Bob Jones Choir Director Randall Fields. “They were both extremely influential parts of my growth as a student and musician. Knowing they’ll both influence my professional career as well brings a lot of excitement and gratitude,” he said.
Presently, Gessner will teach choir classes and assist with the spring musical, but he plans to grow numerous vocal ensembles.
“I appreciate that my past teachers and principals made school an enjoyable place to be,” Gessner said. “My love of teaching and building relationships with students is a great testament to all of my past educators and mentors.”
An accomplished vocalist, Gessner is a tenor and plays guitar and French horn. In the past, he has performed in opera, marching bands, community choirs and a capella groups.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in music education in voice at Auburn University and a master’s degree in choral conducting at Emory University.
Gessner’s scholastic honors include section leader of the Auburn Marching Band and Chamber Choir, Auburn Chamber Choir president for two years, competition winner in Auburn Concerto and soloist with Atlanta Master Chorale.
His parents are Reverends Mark and Mary Jo Gessner.
