Houston Symphony • 25+ Years Teaching • DMA, Texas Tech University
Transform your range, endurance, and technique with the proven methods of a current major symphony musician. Stop struggling. Start playing with effortless power and precision.
About Dr. Harris
Dr. Richard Harris is the 2nd Trumpet of the Houston Symphony Orchestra — a position he has held since 2018. Before that, he spent eight years with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, where he achieved something no other musician in an American orchestra has ever done: he won blind auditions for the 2nd, Associate Principal/3rd, and Principal Trumpet positions within the same section.
As a soloist, he has performed concertos by Bach, Hummel, Haydn, Vivaldi, and Neruda, and has appeared with the Chicago Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Seoul Philharmonic, and Jalisco Philharmonic. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Texas Tech University and has taught at Winthrop University, UNC Charlotte, and Texas Tech University.
Sound Familiar?
The frustrations below are not signs of a lack of talent. They are signs of a missing system.
You burn out halfway through a rehearsal or performance, your chops giving out exactly when you need them most.
You strain and force notes in the upper register instead of playing with an effortless, soaring sound that carries the hall.
Your tonguing is sluggish, inconsistent, or unclear — holding back your musicality and limiting your technical ceiling.
You know the material cold in the practice room, but crumble under the pressure of a live audition when it counts most.
These are solvable problems. There is a proven path forward.
The System
Forged from the greatest trumpet method books ever written — Arban, Clarke, Schlossberg, Bai Lin, and more — hammered into a single, practical system used nightly on the Houston Symphony stage.
The air is the sound. Every element of The Steel Method begins with tone quality — resonant, centered, and consistent across all three registers. Nothing else is built until this foundation is right.
The tongue is a valve, not a hammer — the air leads, the tongue follows. Develop clean single, double, and triple tongue technique through the exact Clarke, Gecker, and Arban exercises used in professional warmups.
One continuous instrument from the lowest pedal tone to above high C — no breaks, no gear shifts, no change in color. The Steel Method builds a register that sounds like one player in every room.
Choose Your Path
Whether you need foundational work, targeted technique training, or ongoing elite mentorship — there is a clear path for you.
YouTube & Lead Magnet
Start your journey with Dr. Harris's growing library of free YouTube lessons — and download The Steel Method free warmup guide — the exact 5-point checklist Rich Harris runs through before every Houston Symphony concert or rehearsal.
$97 – $297 One-Time
Dive deep into a specific technical challenge with a premium, step-by-step video course. Each course is a complete system, not a collection of tips.
$29–$49 / Month
Join the exclusive membership community for ongoing, structured mentorship from a Houston Symphony musician. Weekly masterclasses, live coaching, and a community of serious players.
See It in Action
Experience The Steel Method in action before you commit to anything. These are the same principles Rich Harris uses nightly on the Houston Symphony stage.
Student Results
"Working with Mr. Harris has broadened my perspective on playing in a section. He's taught me many things about the mechanics of playing, which have allowed me to self-diagnose issues in my playing and figure out what I need to do to remedy them. Mr. Harris sets himself apart from others because he is able to demonstrate a wide range of technique and give detailed explanations to each facet of playing. I recommend getting in contact with Mr. Harris if you're looking to improve your abilities and experiences as a musician."Oliver Lampson — Winner, 2024 National Trumpet Competition — High School Division
"Rich has been a wonderful addition to the Shadow Creek High School lesson and masterclass staff. He brings an endless amount of knowledge and passion to our students that they feed off of and grow from. Rich is incredibly flexible in his scheduling, always putting the student’s needs first. I am excited to see what the future holds for our students with Rich at the forefront of the trumpet lessons and masterclass staff."Jordan Amara — Assistant Director of Bands, Shadow Creek High School
"Rich is among the finest trumpeters I’ve had the privilege of playing with. Aside from his technical mastery, his ability to improvise and provide exactly what’s musically needed in a moment’s notice are quite remarkable. He’s an effective musician all around!"Yuri McCoy — Organist, South Main Baptist Church, Houston, TX
"We’ve now been working together for about a year and a half and my playing is far beyond where it ever was. Rich has SO many things that set him apart from other teachers I’ve worked with — his massive heart, his absolute wealth of knowledge, and his ability to quickly diagnose an issue and provide several solutions. You will come out of your lesson feeling as though you’ve made a friend who just happens to be REALLY good at playing and teaching the trumpet. I don’t ever want to quit working with Rich — he’s been the BIGGEST asset I’ve had in all of my trumpet playing. I would urge anyone looking for a teacher to take at least one lesson with Rich. That’s all it’ll take and you’ll realize there’s no other way."Jonathan Persaud — Trumpet Player, Houston Area — Pre-Professional Orchestral Candidate
Ongoing Mentorship
The Trumpet Studio is the only membership community where you receive weekly, structured guidance directly from a current Houston Symphony musician. This is not a passive video library — it is an active, accountable training environment designed to produce real, measurable results.
Technique deep dives, repertoire analysis, and practice strategy sessions every week.
Submit your playing for direct, personalized feedback from Dr. Harris in live sessions.
Full archive of every masterclass, Q&A, and excerpt breakdown — yours to revisit anytime.
Connect, share, and grow alongside a community of dedicated trumpet players at every level.
Membership
Annual plan available at a discount. Cancel anytime.
Join The Trumpet Studio30-day satisfaction guarantee. No risk.
Your Next Step
Stop settling for plateaus. Stop guessing at solutions. Join the students who have transformed their playing with elite, symphony-level instruction — and start playing the way you were meant to.
Click below for more information and a chance to win a free lesson
