PLU alum Jerilynn Harris ’08 earns statewide music education award
By Britt Board
Assistant Director of Communications
For Jerilynn Harris ’08, music is a vehicle for a lot of things, like empowerment, play, challenge, and reflection.
As a teacher, they make space for all sides of music in their classroom. “I’d say we’ve got a pretty good balance between laughing and locking in,” Harris says.
That balance is part of what recently earned Harris the title of School Orchestra Director of the Year from the Washington Chapter of the American String Teachers Association. The award, presented at the Washington Music Educators Association conference in Yakima, recognizes excellence in music education across the state.
“It was really quite a thrill,” Harris says. “So much of the work happens in isolation, where you feel a bit like the Lone Ranger doing your thing in your little corner of the world. It’s been cool to feel seen and appreciated in a bigger way.”
Originally from Longview, they started with piano before learning cello in fifth grade. By high school, after mentoring younger musicians and volunteering as a summer camp counselor, they began to see teaching as their path.
Leading a cello section for their youth symphony became an ‘a-ha’ moment. “Seeing their faces as they heard how their sound could change was probably the moment I knew I wanted to become a music teacher.”
I would describe my teaching practice as joyful, playful, and thoughtful. The ‘work’ of childhood is play. Play looks different at each age and stage, but it’s still play, even for middle schoolers who are approaching ‘young adulthood.’ I really try to weave into the status quo a sense that we are up to something, or that we’re telling a story, or that we’re discovering something new.
Now, Harris teaches orchestra at Odyssey, a full-time public school for highly capable students in grades 4-8 in Spokane. Music is baked into the program. Harris explains, “A really unique thing about Odyssey is that all students participate in instrumental music. We are a school that centers music as a core subject, not an extracurricular.”
In addition to teaching orchestra classes, Harris founded the Odyssey Community Music Club, an after-school program of about 40 students, and serves as conductor of the Spokane Youth Sinfonietta.
Their teaching approach is shaped in part by their time at PLU. “The professors and professionals I worked with during my time at PLU modeled humility, kindness, empathy, and passion,” Harris says.
Two of Harris’ mentors at PLU were Svend Rønning and Jeffrey Bell-Hanson. “They both modeled passion for music without egocentrism, striving for excellence without self-abandonment, and bringing their own humanity to their performance and interpretation of music,” Harris recalls. “They also were just funny as hell.”
Like many music alumni, the Christmas season at PLU stands out as a memorable time for Harris. “That special mix of December exhaustion, unsupervised time in green rooms, packed venues, and gorgeous music that still stirs my soul to this day.”
The teaching philosophies Harris experienced at PLU are now carried forward through them. Harris recalls a student from their time working for the Bethel School District who wrote them a letter after learning that they were moving to Spokane. “He thanked me for never making him feel bad for being ‘the quiet kid’ or shaming him for not being the best musician,” Harris says. “He said I showed him what it felt like to be treated like a human being.”
For Harris, music education is about much more than learning scales or grinding through technique. “When it’s done properly with creative freedom, safety to show up authentically, and emphasis on reflection rather than perfection, I think students gain a sense of self as both a creator and collaborator.”
3 questions for Jerilynn: hype song, hero, and harmony
What’s your hype song?
Prior to 2025, my hype song was probably “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan, not just because it’s a banger but also because my mind automatically takes any six- or seven-syllable phrase and sends it out of my mouth to that tune. In 2025, the universe sent us “Golden,” and we’ll never be the same.
Do you have a musical hero?
Brandi Carlile. She lifts up everyone in her orbit. You can feel the respect she has for humanity in her music and in her performances. I got to see her with Joni Mitchell at the Gorge in 2023 – best concert of my life.
Tell me about your band!
We are a three-part harmony and three-part string band. We’re all middle-aged moms with kids under 12. We all came up through classical music training and felt like something was missing (I think we found it when we found each other). We are all mad we never got to go to Lilith Fair. Follow us on Instagram @betsyrogueband!