TORONTO, ON, CANADA, January 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Harris Institute, an internationally recognized leader in music industry education, is celebrating unmatched academic results and the significant achievements of Alumni in 2025.
For a second consecutive year, Harris Institute’s Arts Management Program achieved 100% Graduate Employment in the Field of Study in the Ministry of Colleges and Universities’ Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The Audio Production Program and Arts Management Program achieved 100% Employer Satisfaction, according to Forum Research statistics.
For the first time in the Institute’s 36-year history, 100% of graduates earned honours with an average of over 80% from 56 courses. Harris Institute has achieved 5 annual 0% Student Loan Default Rates and its programs have achieved 16. Nearly all post-secondary schools in Canada and the US have never achieved even one 0% Default Rate.
“These results are due to our award-winning faculty,” said John Harris, President. “We are thrilled to be contributing to the next generation of music industry leaders.”
Henry “CIRKUT” Walter received 7 nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year (two nominations), Record of the Year (two nominations), and Best Dance Pop Recording. The nominations are for “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga, “APT” by Rosé and Bruno Mars, and Lady Gaga’s album Mayhem. Walter previously won the Grammy for Starboy by The Weeknd and the Jack Richardson Producer of the Year JUNO Award. With ten #1 Billboard Hot 100 singles, he is ranked #3 on Billboard’s “Top Producers of the 21st Century.”
Ron Mellegers, Jason Charbonneau and Brandon Bak won five EMMY Awards for Sound Editing on HBO’s The Last of Us and Sound Mixing on Seth Rogen’s The Studio. Four Harris Institute alumni were featured in Billboard Canada’s Power Players list of ‘Most Influential Music Executives’: David Quilico, Vice President, Sony Music Publishing Canada; Neville Quinlan, Managing Director, peermusic; Michelle Mearns, Senior Vice President, SiriusXM Canada and Cheryl Link, General Manager, peermusic.
Alfio Annibalini was appointed Program Coordinator of Seneca College’s Independent Music Production Program. He has produced Blue Rodeo, The Tea Party, I Mother Earth, Amanda Marshall, Big Sugar and The Trews, among others. Heather Gardner, Head of Music Supervision at Vapor Music, and Andrea Higgins, Founder of AHA Sound & Vision, were appointed President and Vice President of the Guild of Music Supervisors Canada.
Mike Denney and his MDM Recordings were nominated for six CCMA Awards including ‘Industry Person of the Year’, which he has won four times. Denney issued the 4th Henry Armstrong Award, providing a $10,000 bursary and mentorship to support emerging Canadian Indigenous artists. Matt Maw (President, Red Music Rising) and Heather Gardner (Vapor Music) were featured in Billboard’s 40 Under 40 listing. Julian Taylor won the Community Builder Award from the Toronto Musicians Association and the 2025 CRABO Award for Best Syndicated Radio Show.
PAVLO toured extensively in support of his 4th PBS Special ‘Live in Santorini’. He is also the Promoter of many of his concerts including sold out shows at Toronto’s Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall.
Entrepreneurship has been central to Harris Institute’s mission since its founding in 1989. Faculty members are 87% entrepreneurs with the highest percentage of award winners at 62%. Graduates have launched successful companies across all sectors of the music industry. In 2025, alumnus Cleve Sandy’s company celebrated its 30th anniversary. “Harris Institute was a great incubator for new concepts and ideas fostered by insightful faculty,” said Sandy. “It equipped me with the theoretical and technical skills required to launch Sandy Audio Visual.”
Harris Institute ranked “best school of its kind” and was the top private college for 7 consecutive years in the ‘Media Arts Education Report’. Other schools in the top ten include Toronto Metropolitan University, Humber College, OIART and Metalworks Institute. Harris was also featured in Billboard’s ‘Top 11 Schools’ and Mix’s ‘Audio Education’s Finest’.
Harris Institute offers a 12-month Audio Production Program, a 12-month Arts Management Program, and a 20-month Music Business Professional Program, taught by award-winning industry leaders. Programs begin in November, March, and July.
John Harris
Harris Institute
+1 416-367-0178
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