"The music of Marc Harris has a clear tonal basis, a great melodic & thematic richness and a wonderful sense of form & architecture – his three-movement work is one, great cohesive whole, with a great contrast of moods & emotion, and is brilliantly and effectively orchestrated. The Northern Film Orchestra, under the direction of Melvin Tay, and the Choir, conducted by Anna Beresford, give a superb performance of this work - deeply expressive and with a great balance and clarity of lines."

"Symphony No. 1 – Shifting Sands from composer Marc Harris is a powerful work of great expression from an exciting voice in contemporary music."

Phoenix Classical

From the ominous restraint of the opening, it is clear this is a piece of serious intent. Inspired by the landscapes of Africa, South America, and Asia, Marc Harris’ first symphony is ambitious, and the result is a remarkable achievement. A chorus sings in Latin (the text draws heavily on the Book of Revelation from the Christian Bible).

CLICK HERE TO READ REVIEW

Colin Clarke - Fanfare Archive

Harris's symphony confronts this uncertain future with a heavy reliance on strings and horns, which sustain the melody and seem to push against the marching pulse of the timpani, as well as other harmonic elements that could swallow up every cycle of the reprised themes ad sonic landscapes.

CLICK HERE TO READ REVIEW

Jacqueline Kharouf - Fanfare Archive

“The shifting sands will devour the temples of man.” That’s the superscription for this three-movement symphony for choir, orchestra and organ. So, is this a work that stands inspirational comparison with Shelley’s Ozymandias: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone / Stand in the desert. … My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: / Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” Harris’s selected words travel the same track-way. CLICK HERE TO READ REVIEW

Rob Barnett - Musicweb international

... And yet here it is, in all its magnificence, cast over an imposing canvas and utilizing a full symphony

orchestra with chorus. I was intrigued, especially as the music has such visceral power.

CLICK HERE TO READ INTERVIEW 

Interview with Colin Clarke

" Marc has skilfully woven together many different musical elements, paying reference to some of the great composers of the past whilst also delivering a sound with a modern, cinematic edge, taking inspiration from film scores. The symphony is composed for a full orchestra plus choir and church organ, allowing for a large difference in use of dynamics between the different moments of the piece. There is also a strong Arabic and middle eastern flavour running through the symphony in its use of harmony, which combined with the choir gives the piece a slightly timeless and ancient quality.

Overall, the listener is treated to an epic musical landscape which ebbs and flows like rolling sand dunes in the desert."

Jack Hughes, Northern Film Orchestra

“I hear 1932 -2011: John Barry, John Williams and Max X Steiner (KONG!) very Korsakov-like and at the end of 3rd movement I hear Glass, (as in KOYANIQATSI, different instrumentation of course), good clarinets and their usage alongside the bottom strings in a Tango/Milonga habanera type suggestion, very rhapsodic with the chorus-definitely cinematic and impressionistic; Phrygian and arabesque… Love the woodwinds swirling around the brass like eels."​

Tontxi Vazquez, Director, Producer and Screenwriter

2nd Prize winner - Music for large ensembles / orchestras / choirs

Petrichor International Music Competition

Vivaldi Music Competition 23S2 Grand Prize

Schubert Music Competition 23S2 Platinum Prize

World Classical Music Awards 23S2 Platinum Prize

Bach International Music Competition 23S2 Absolute First Prize

Beethoven MusicCompetition 2023 S1 Platinum Prize