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"Monty Harper is known for his library friendly songs"
- School Library Journal

 

Monty Harper Biography

“Vibrant images of a child's world are a hallmark of Mr. Harper's work,” says Dave Kinnoin of SongWizard Records, “and his prolific playfulness delights the child in all of us.” Based in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where he lives with his wife and six-year-old daughter, Harper has been writing, recording, and performing songs for kids since 1989.

Harper's songs and recordings have garnered many rave reviews and awards including Parents' Choice Awards, NAPPA Honors Awards, Unisong Awards, and Children's Music Web Awards.

Harper began creating music for kids as a way to combine various interests such as writing, music, performance, and working with children. After completing his master's degree in mathematics at Oklahoma State University (just in case) he immediately began to explore the possibility of children's music as a career.

In the ensuing years, Harper has engaged many thousands of children with his interactive programs at libraries and schools throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. He is one of the most often booked performers on the Oklahoma Arts Council Touring Roster and has penned many songs for clients such as The Oklahoma Department of Libraries and the LAUSD Nutrition Network. Harper's award-winning recordings are available at CDBaby.com, Amazon.com, and iTunes.

 

 

Monty's Reading Connection

Monty Harper began his children's music career with volunteer performances at his home town public library. He enjoyed sharing his own enthusiasm for books and reading with the kids so much that he began writing songs especially for upcoming summer program themes. In a few short years Harper was one of the most sought after acts on the Oklahoma summer library circuit.

Harper wrote and recorded four collections of songs for the Oklahoma Department of Libraries: Blast Into Books, Magical Madcap Tour, I'd Sooner Read, and Stampede to Read. Each was distributed to public libraries throughout Oklahoma for use with their reading programs. Many of the songs from these collections are now available on the Reading Songs Volume I: Blast Into Books CD.

More recently Harper has released CDs of original songs inspired by the Paws Claws Scales and Tales and Get a Clue CSLP themes.

Harper is adept at writing songs that grab kids' attention and celebrate reading in imaginative ways. From a "Great Green Squishy Mean Bibliovore" who learns to appreciate books as more than mere snacks to an alien who demands, "Take Me to Your Library," Harper's songs are filled with characters and situations that vividly depict reading as an adventure worth pursuing.

Harper's own favorite books and series include Green Eggs and Ham, The Great Brain, The BFG, Nate the Great, Junie B. Jones, Winnie the Pooh, Charlotte's Web, Bartimaeus, Larklight, and Harry Potter.

 

 

Performance Schedule

To book Monty at your library, inquire here.

 

 

June 2009

6/1/2009
Sand Springs, OK - Harry Pratt Library at 1:00 PM & 2:00 PM

6/3/2009
Hugoton, KS - Stevens County Library at 9:30 AM

6/4/2009
Ada, OK - Ada Public Library at 10:30 AM

6/4/2009
Coalgate, OK - Coal County Library at 2:00 PM

6/5/2009
Wellington, KS - Wellington Public Library at 10:00 AM

6/8/2009
Holton, KS - Beck-Bookman Library at 1:30 PM

6/8/2009
Seneca, KS - Seneca Free Library at 10:30 AM

6/9/2009
Cushing, OK - Cushing Public Library at 6:30 PM

6/10/2009
McAlester, OK - McAlester Public Library at 10:00 AM & 1:00 PM

6/11/2009
Altus, OK - Altus Public Library at 2:00 PM

6/11/2009
Hollis, OK - Hollis Public Library at 10:00 AM

6/15/2009
Healdton, OK - Healdton Community Library at 10:00 AM

6/15/2009
Davis, OK - Davis Public Library at 2:00 PM

6/16/2009
Atoka, OK - Atoka County Library at 10:00 AM

6/16/2009
Tishomingo, OK - Johnston County Library at 2:00 PM

6/17/2009
Lawton, OK - Lawton Public Library at 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, & 1:30 PM

6/18/2009
Skiatook, OK - Skiatook Public Library at 1:00 PM

6/18/2009
Tulsa, OK - Schusterman-Benson Library at 3:00 PM

6/19/2009
Woodward, OK - Woodward Public Library at 2:00 PM

6/22/2009
Owasso, OK - Owasso Public Library at 1:30 PM & 2:30 PM

6/23/2009
Hartshorne, OK - Hartshorne Public Library at 10:30 AM

6/23/2009
Wilburton, OK - Latimer County Public Library at 2:00 PM

6/29/2009
Watonga, OK - Watonga Public Library at 2:00 PM

6/29/2009
Okeene, OK - Okeene Public Library at 10:00 AM

6/30/2009
Enid, OK - Enid Public Library at 2:30 PM

 

July 2009

7/2/2009
Stillwater, OK - Stillwater Public Library at 10:00 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:30 PM

7/13/2009
Norman, OK - Norman Public Library at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM

7/16/2009
Perry, OK - Perry Carnegie Library at 10:00 AM

7/16/2009
Fairfax, OK - a location to be determined at 2:00 PM

7/19/2009
Oklahoma City, OK - Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library at 2:00 PM

7/20/2009
Cherokee, OK - Cherokee City County Library at 10:00 AM

7/21/2009
Emporia, KS - Emporia Public Library at 7:00 PM

7/21/2009
Rose Hill, KS - Rose Hill Public Library at 2:00 PM

7/22/2009
Marion, KS - City Auditorium 203 N 3rd St at 10:00 AM

7/30/2009
Weatherford, OK - Memorial Student Center Ballroom at 3:10 PM

7/30/2009
Weatherford, OK - Weatherford Library at 10:00 AM

 

November 2009

11/13/2009
Springdale, AR - Arts Center of the Ozarks at 9:15 AM, 10:45 AM, & 12:45 PM

 

* Events marked with an asterisk are made possible with assistance from the Oklahoma Arts Council.

 

More

These links will take you to other Monty Harper related websites...

 

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