FAMU Alum Gamaliel Harris heads to Juilliard
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The email came a day earlier than expected.
For Florida A&M University alumnus Gamaliel Harris, what should have been an ordinary afternoon quickly became a life-changing moment.
The Juilliard School admissions decisions were expected April 1. Instead, Harris saw the notification on March 31 and immediately froze.
“I’m looking at it like, ‘Oh shoot, is this what I think it is?’” Harris said. “My heart just sank.”
Moments later, that nervous anticipation turned into celebration.
Accepted into Juilliard’s graduate jazz studies program, Harris called his parents,
then joined extended family in an emotional FaceTime celebration.
Florida A&M University alumnus Gamaliel Harris poses beneath a City of Tallahassee banner featuring his image from a past performance. Harris, a 2025 graduate, will begin Juilliard’s graduate jazz studies program this fall. (Photo courtesy: Gamaliel Harris)
For the Fort Walton Beach native, the moment represented far more than an acceptance
letter — it was confirmation that a dream he once admired from a distance was now
within reach.
“Juilliard was always a dream of mine,” Harris said. “But I didn’t think it would actually be possible until everything happened at FAMU.”
When Harris first arrived at Florida A&M University, his path looked very different.
A 2025 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in pre-physical therapy, he initially planned to continue his education in health care while pursuing music as a passion.
But balancing science coursework with rehearsals and performance opportunities gradually opened the door to something bigger.
The defining moment came when FAMU’s jazz ensemble competed at the Jazz at Lincoln
Center and Virginia Arts Festival HBCU Jazz Festival in Norfolk, Virginia.
Florida A&M University alumnus Gamaliel Harris performs with a jazz ensemble during
a live performance. Harris said opportunities to perform throughout his time at FAMU
helped strengthen both his musicianship and confidence. (Photo courtesy: Gamaliel
Harris)
Competing against 11 historically Black colleges and universities, the ensemble earned
the opportunity to open for Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Harris also stood out
individually, earning Outstanding Trombonist honors and the festival’s Overall Outstanding
Soloist Award.
In the audience that day was acclaimed jazz musician and Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis.
After hearing Harris perform, Marsalis offered words that would stay with him long after the festival ended.
“He told me I was ready to go on the road,” Harris said. “Then he told me I should apply to Juilliard.”
Until then, Harris had never seriously considered the possibility.
“I was like, ‘Why not?’” he said.
For Robert Griffin, associate professor of music and director of jazz at Florida A&M University, the performance confirmed what he had already seen in Harris.
“This performance was a life-changing moment for Gamaliel,” Griffin said. “Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis heard Gamaliel play and encouraged him to attend Juilliard as a graduate student. Thus, the story begins.”
That encouragement sparked a demanding year of preparation.
Harris spent months mastering audition pieces, sharpening his sight-reading skills, preparing for theory exams and composing original music to strengthen his application.
When audition day arrived in New York, the challenge was immediate.
“It was probably the most difficult sight reading I’ve ever had to do,” Harris said. “Four pages of straight notes. Nobody aced it. But I was able to start and finish with the rhythm section, so I knew I had done what I needed to do.”
Though Juilliard represents the next chapter, Harris said the foundation was built at FAMU.
From FAMU’s Foster Tanner Band Building to The Juilliard School in New York, Gamaliel Harris’ journey reflects a full-circle moment for the musician who once dreamed of stages far beyond Tallahassee. (Photo courtesy: Gamaliel Harris)
“Even though my bachelor’s wasn’t in music, I still learned so much musically at FAMU,” Harris said. “I learned how to lead a section, how to shape solos, how to lead a band.”
Griffin said Harris made an immediate impression.
“Gamaliel is a gifted musician with God-given talent,” Griffin said. “His presence in the jazz ensemble was inspirational to band members. He was the spark plug to the band.”
Under Griffin’s mentorship, Harris performed at the Governor’s Mansion, the Florida Capitol and other major events that expanded both his artistry and professional network.
“FAMU is really where my name started getting out there,” Harris said. “There were so many opportunities and connections that happened because I was there.”
Balancing music with a demanding science curriculum required discipline.
Harris recalls leaving chemistry labs in his lab coat and rushing across campus to rehearsals.
“I was getting a great education on both sides,” he said. “I really felt like I could do anything because of the staff that were there at FAMU.”
Music has long been woven into Harris’ life.
Raised in a musical family, he said his father introduced him to jazz, while gospel music filled their home. His parents, both FAMU alumni, often brought the family to Tallahassee for football games, where Harris became captivated by the sound of the Marching “100.”
Now, Harris is preparing for life in New York as he begins Juilliard’s two-year graduate program.
His aspirations include touring, recording and building a career as a professional musician.
Griffin believes Harris is ready.
“Gamaliel will be an asset to any ensemble or performing situation into which he is selected at Juilliard,” Griffin said. “I have no doubt that he will achieve his goal and become successful in the music world.”
As Harris prepares for his next chapter, he hopes his story reminds fellow Rattlers that even the most ambitious dreams can begin in unexpected places.
“Believe in yourself and believe in your ability,” he said. “Put in the work, trust
the process and know that your hard work won’t go in vain.”
Florida A&M University alumnus Gamaliel Harris celebrates a pivotal academic achievement
after earning his degree in 2025. Harris credits his time at FAMU with helping shape
the confidence and musical foundation that led to his acceptance into Juilliard. (Photo
courtesy: Gamaliel Harris)
Media Contact:
Ashley Flete
Senior Communications Specialist
ashley1.flete@famu.edu
