Clarinet, Flute, Saxophone
Harry Grainger started playing clarinet in the school band at age six. His father was a musician, and encouraged Harry to study music. He was the youngest member of his grade school band, but taking private music lessons helped him to keep up with the older kids. He participated in band programs throughout middle and high school. In middle school he began studying saxophone and flute so he could play in the jazz band. As a high school junior and senior he also got the opportunity to play in the Denver University Concert Band, and was first chair clarinet in Colorado All-State Band and Orchestra.
Harry attended the University of Denver on a swimming scholarship as an Accounting Major and Music Minor. He was first clarinet in the 1st Infantry Army Band at Ft. Meade, Maryland, and then toured Europe as first chair flute in the 3rd Army Band based in Wurzburg, Germany. After returning to the states he attended Metropolitan State College as a Music Performance Major. During this time he started teaching and playing professionally and has been doing so ever since.
In the course of his career, Harry has performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra (CSO) on clarinet and saxophone, on second clarinet with the Central City Opera, and as a soloist for the Littleton and Jefferson Symphony Orchestras on clarinet and saxophone. He has performed on woodwinds for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, and the Denver Municipal Band. He played shows at the Boulder Dinner Theater, the Country Dinner Playhouse, the Littleton Town Hall Center for the Arts, the Schwayder Theater, and the new Lone Tree Center for the Arts and with PHAMLY (the Physically Handicapped Actors & Musical Artists League), and Magic Moments. He plays many styles of music including jazz, blues, pop, ethnic, klezmer, and polkas for clubs, parties, weddings, and concerts with the Benny Goodman Band, Tommy Dorsey Band, Jay Wieder Dance Orchestra, Moments Notice, Rave Reviews, and Ad Hoc Entertainment in big band, quartet, trio, and duo settings.
Harry has been featured on many CDs for such artists as Mary Stribling, Georgeann Low, Neil Haverstick, Big Junior, Scott Smith, Martha Yordy, and Ben Cohen. He also performs with Combo Amazo, a band that plays original jazz, blues, bluegrass, and klezmer. They were featured on several NPR radio shows including E-town with Richie Havens. Harry also leads a strolling duo on clarinet with guitar that played in the Denver International Airport Concert Series for 20 years and still plays events.
Harry decided to teach because he wanted to share the enthusiasm and joy he has for music with students. He is passionate about helping develop a child’s talents as a musician. He helps his students build good fundamentals, customizes lessons to define and reach realistic goals, and addresses students’ school band needs or other musical activities. He is an experienced professional musician well versed in woodwinds and a variety of styles that can offer students a broad spectrum of musical knowledge.