Ijoister Harris is MYSO’s String Orchestra Central Music Director. He is a multi-disciplined artist with an emphasis in string orchestra. He has been active with the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music (Band Buddies), the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Arts in Community Education (ACE) Program, Summerfest Band Camps, Wisconsin School Music Association as a Solo & Ensemble Festival adjudicator, and the Rochester Symphony and Cardinal Stritch Orchestra as a violinist. In addition Ijoister has served as a string clinician and private violin instructor. He is an alumnus of MYSO/MFY (Music For Youth) and Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Ijoister is proudly in his fourth year as a Music Teacher Leader for Milwaukee Public schools. Prior to his current position, he spent 28 years in MPS as an orchestra director leading students in grades 3-12 to excellence in string performance. Ijoister received a Bachelor of Music Education degree with a string emphasis from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, is IB MYP music certified, and has a bronze level ballroom dance certification. Ijoister was a co-pilot teacher that helped develop the World Drumming Curriculum being used around the world in conjunction with Dr. Will Schmidt, Remo, and UW-Milwaukee.

He received teacher of the year in 2013 from Milwaukee Public Schools, MMABSE, Civic Music Association, and the Milwaukee Symphony.  In 2022, Golda Meir School began an annual Harris Music Legacy Award in his honor. Ijoister currently performs with the Ricky Price Ensemble and the West Allis Players. When he’s not mentoring music teachers, he enjoys ballroom dancing and learning to play the accordion.

Programs

• String Orchestra