Gloria Brandt Harrison

Gloria Brandt Harrison

Gloria Brandt Harrison is a South Dakota native. Retired in May, 2003, Gloria taught in the Rapid City Public School System for 28 years. She was Artistic Director of the Rapid City Children's Chorus since it’s beginning in 1986 fpr eighteen years, and now serves on the RCCC board as Director of Education and Development.

Gloria was the Rapid City Area School District Teacher of the Year and a candidate for South Dakota Teacher of the Year in 1989. Gloria is recognized for her excellence in teaching by being selected for Who's Who Among America's Teachers in 1989, 1996, 1998, and 2004. She has also been selected for Who’s Who in American Education, 2006 and Who’s Who in American Women for 2006 and 2008.She developed and directed the South Dakota Ambassador of Excellence choral group who performed for the 8th World Conference for the Talented and Gifted in Sydney, Australia in 1989.

Under Mrs. Harrison's direction, the Rapid City Children's Chorus has had audition tapes selected for SD-ACDA, SD-MEA, North Central ACDA, North Central MEA and the 1993 National ACDA Convention. The chorus performed and participated in the very first America Sings! Inc. in Washington, DC, in 1989. The choir participated in the Pacific Rim Children's Chorus Festival under the direction of Henry Leck in July, 2002. The Rapid City Children's Chorus performed in Carnegie Hall in 1996, 1999, and November, 2003 and appeared on the Today Show in 1996 and 1999.

Gloria Harrison has served as Junior High/Middle School Repertoire and Standards Chair for SD-ACDA, Hospitality Co-chair for the 1994 North Central ACDA Convention in Rapid City, and was co-chair of the 1995 summer Conference of SD-ACDA in Brookings. She organized the first South Dakota Junior Honor Choir for grades 7-9 in Pierre at the SD-ACDA Mid-Winter convention in January, 1993 and is currently executive director for the South Dakota Junior Honor Choir. She is the recipient of the first SD-ACDA Encore Award for her contribution to Choral Music. She received the Dakota Wesleyan University Alumni Association Outstanding Educator Award in 1997. She is a member of AOSA, and ACDA (American Choral Director's Association). She and Judy received Level I certification for World Music Drumming with Will Schmid in June, 2000, and Level II certification for World Music Drumming in June, 2001. She was presented an Award of Excellence from the South Dakota Association for Middle Level Education on April 6, 2001 for implementing the World Music Drumming Curriculum at Dakota Middle School. Gloria currently teaches World Drumming classes for South Dakota Arts In Education. She was presented the “Distinguished Service to Music” award from SDMEA (South Dakota Music Educators Association) in November, 2003. On January 21, 2005, South Dakota ACDA presented Mrs. Harrison the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution in choral music in South Dakota.

Gloria and her husband, Loren, live southwest of Rapid City, and enjoy gardening in their greenhouse and working in their woodshop. She and her busband hand carve African style drums and Native American Style Flutes.