Donald Harris (born April 12, 1931, Saint Paul, Minnesota; died March 29, 2016, Columbus, Ohio) was an American composer, music educator, and university administrator known for his contributions to contemporary classical music.
Harris received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Hamline University in 1951, followed by a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University in 1952. He pursued further studies at the Paris Conservatory and with composer Nadia Boulanger.
His compositional output included works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, solo instruments, and voice. While his early works were influenced by serialism, his later compositions exhibited a more eclectic style, incorporating elements of atonality and free chromaticism. He was recognized for his complex textures and dramatic gestures.
Harris held professorships at several institutions, including the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Stanford University. He served as Dean of the College of the Arts at Ohio State University from 1988 until his retirement in 2000. As an educator, he influenced generations of composers and musicians. He was also active as a lecturer and writer on contemporary music.