Diana Harris honoured as one of Adelaide's most distinguished pianists, accompanists and music educators

Diana Harris was on the founding academic staff of the Flinders Street School of Music that closed in 2002.

Diana Harris, one of Adelaide’s most distinguished pianists, accompanists and educators, was the Adelaide Critics Circle 2016 lifetime achievement award winner.

She graduated in accompanying with first class honours from Adelaide University’s Elder Conservatorium and has performed with many local, national and international musicians in Adelaide and beyond.

Harris taught music at the Adelaide College of Advanced Education and was a founding member of the academic staff at the Flinders Street School of Music from 1978. She was appointed visiting lecturer at the Elder Conservatorium  in 1983 and became a member of the university after the merger of Flinders Street with the Elder Conservatorium in 2002.

In 1997, Harris constructed an undergraduate course in piano accompanying to honours level – the first in Australia outside the university sector and attracted considerable national recognition. She was awarded the TAFE gold medal for her outstanding contribution to the education of musicians.

Harris was a strong local presence in the Australian Society for Keyboard Music that promoted classical music and provides assistance to students to further their potential as pianists. She was the founding vice president of Recitals Australia, the successor to the Australian Society for Keyboard Music.

In 1984, she founded the Accompanists’ Guild of SA, attracting the patronage of Geoffrey Parsons, Phillip Moll, Stephen McIntyre and Noreen Stokes. Harris has been a strong supporter of Australian Music and new composition.

She has received an Australian Music Centre Award for her distinguished contribution to the advancement of Australian music, and in 2008 was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to education in the field of music in the Queen’s birthday honours.