Doris Leland Harrel, noted pianist and teacher of San Marcos and recently Austin, died April 5 of pneumonia at the age of 93. Born in Iowa of Norwegian ancestry, at age six months her parents moved to California and she grew up in the Los Angeles area. She started piano lessons at age 5. After high school she enrolled at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, graduating with the Bachelor’s degree in 1949. That summer she married (John) Ralph Harrel. They lived first in Lindsborg, Kansas, where she taught piano at Bethany College. In 1951 they returned to graduate school in New York City and she earned the Masters’ degree from the Juilliard School in 1952.
From 1952-60 the Harrels operated a private music studio in Roslyn, New York, and Doris served as organist and choirmaster at the Community Church in East Williston, nearby. Two children were born during this period.
In 1960 the family moved to Sioux City, Iowa, and Doris taught piano at Morningside College as well as in her own private studio. She and Ralph jointly served as organists at Trinity Lutheran Church. The couple frequently appeared as piano duettists and in 1964 performed the piano solos in the “Carnival of the Animals” (Saint-Saens) with the Sioux city Symphony Orchestra under Leo Kucinski.
In 1968 the family moved to San Marcos, Texas. Doris returned to school at the University of Texas in Austin, earning the Doctor of Musical Arts degree. During those years she taught at Texas Lutheran College and the Universities of Texas at Austin and San Antonio. After the completion of her Doctor’s degree she became interested in the Suzuki method of music instruction and developed a very successful private studio in San Marcos using that method. She was certified as a Teacher-trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas and has taught hundreds of Suzuki teachers, as well as students, in workshops and institutes in 20 states as well as in Canada, Chile, Peru, and Australia. The success of her studio locally led to the training of many teachers in the Central Texas area and the subsequent formation of the Heart of Texas Suzuki Association. She has also been for many years a continuing Teacher-trainer for the Houston Area Suzuki Teachers Association. In addition, she has served as President of the San Antonio Music Teachers Association and was named Teacher of the Year by the Austin Music Teachers Association.
She continued to appear as a pianist, most recently as a duo-pianist and duettist with her husband. They have performed at two-pianos in various cities in Texas and in Logan (Utah), Oakland, Minneapolis, Denver, and Calgary and Orford Arts Centre (Quebec).
Doris lived her last 4 years in Westminster Manor in Austin, where she enjoyed good food and lively friendships.
She is survived by two children and their families. Dean Harrel and his wife Susan, of Pasadena, Texas, have two sons, Leland (married to Kate Harrel) and Kent (married to Candace Longfellow). Jennie Elliott of Lafayette, Colorado, has son John and daughter Wendy.
Planning for a memorial service celebrating her life is on hold pending the resolution of the coronavirus situation. Her body will be cremated.
