Joe Dan Harper has distinguished himself as a wonderfully versatile singer of concert, recital, and chamber music repertoire. He has performed with such renowned groups as the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Mercury Opera of Rochester, Boston Academy of Music, Central City Opera, Handel & Haydn Society, Opera Aperta, Opera Unlimited, Plano International Arts Festival, South Carolina Opera, Utah Festival Opera & Utah Opera. Other recordings include the Daniel Pinkham's opera The Garden Party in the role of Adam (Arsis), Wesley Fuller's setting of five poems by William Carlos Williams, A Solace of Ripe Plums, (Capstone Records) and Concordia, by Randol Bass, with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus.
Mr. Harper performs frequently with his wife, pianist Anne Kissel Harper. Sought after as interpreters of contemporary music, the duo has presented numerous premieres, including the song cycle Come, Look Quietly, composed for them by Daniel Pinkham. The duo has performed extensively within the Boston area, including Boston's Jordan Hall, in Germany, and throughout the southeastern United States. They have been featured on National Public Radio Live Performances and were semi-finalists in the Naumburg International Song Competition. In addition, the duo are Founders and Co-Artistic Directors of the Florestan Recital Project, dedicated to promoting the art of the Song Recital.
A native of Texas, Mr. Harper received his Bachelor's Degree from Southern Methodist University and his Master's Degree with distinction in performance from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. As a fellow at the Tanglewood Festival and the Steanes Institute for Young Artists at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago, Mr. Harper performed under renowned conductors Seiji Ozawa, Robert Spano, and Tan Dun, and was invited to participate in Tanglewood's first annual Bach Institute, directed by Craig Smith. As a Fulbright Fellow, Mr. Harper studied German lieder and opera with renowned teachers Herr Rudolf Piernay and Ulrich Eisenlohr at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Mannheim, Germany.