Widely acknowledged as one of the most influential conductors in America, James Jordan, through his seventeen textbooks and recordings, has brought about far-reaching pedagogical and philosophical changes not only in choral music, but also in the worlds of orchestral conducting, wind conducting, piano, and music education. The Choral Journal has described his writings as “visionary.” Renowned American composer Morten Lauridsen dedicated the third movement of his Midwinter Songs to him. One of the country’s leading choral artists, Dr. Jordan is Senior Conductor at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, where he conducts the Westminster Williamson Voices and the Westminster Schola Cantorum, and teaches undergraduate and graduate choral conducting. Over thirty works have been premiered by the Westminster Williamson Voices, including the works of Mantyjaarvi, Custer, Ames, Hill, Whitbourn, Henson, and Wilberg. Dr. Jordan also conducts Anam Cara (www.anamcarachoir.com), a professional choral ensemble based in Philadelphia that has received critical acclaim for its recordings. The American Record Review wrote that Anam Cara “is a choir to please the fussiest choral connoisseur” and called their inaugural recording, Innisfree, “skillful and shining,” “glowing,” “supremely accomplished” with a “tone that produces a wide range of effects from vocal transparency to rich, full-throated glory.”
Dr. Jordan is one of the country’s most prolific writers on the subjects of the philosophy of music making and choral teaching. His trilogy of books on the philosophy and spirituality of musicing—The Musician’s Soul, The Musician’s Walk, and The Musician’s Spirit—have made a deep and profound impact upon musicians and teachers around the world. His latest projects include a new text, The Choral Rehearsal, Volume 2: Inward Bound, which deals with all aspects of score preparation, as well as a DVD, The Anatomy of Conducting, with Eugene Migliaro Corporon, conductor of the Wind Symphony and Regents Professor of Music at The University of North Texas. This DVD uses state-of-the-art animation to assist musicians in learning anatomically correct conducting technique.
Dr. Jordan is also Executive Editor of the Evoking Sound Choral Series (GIA), which now includes over seventy published works. In addition, he teaches and delivers over thirty workshops and keynote addresses each year in addition to an extensive conducting and guest-conducting schedule. Among his most recent engagements were a residency at Houston Baptist University and appearances at the North Carolina American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Wisconsin Music Educators National Conference (MENC), Michigan ACDA, Pennsylvania/Delaware Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Chorus America, and Arizona ACDA, as well as presentations and workshops at The University of Buffalo, The United States Army School of Music, and The Curtis Institute.
Dr. Jordan’s lecture/teaching schedule and writings are detailed on his Web site (www.evokingsound.com) and his publisher’s Web site (www.giamusic.com/jordan).
Education
Bachelor of Music: Susuquehanna University, Master of Music
(Choral Conducting): Temple University, Doctor of Philosophy
(Psychology of Music): Temple University, Additional Professional
Study
Laban Institute of Movement Studies - New York, Bucknell
University (Psychology), Laudinella Kulturzentrum: Conducting
Studio Wilhelm Ehmann, Conducting and Choral Music Studies
_Elaine Brown_Wilhelm Ehmann_Frauke Haasemann_Gail B. Poch_Janet
Yamron_Howard Swan_Volker Hempfling_Sabine Horstmann_Welfard
Lauber_Psychology of Music__Edwin E. Gordon (Ph.D. Dissertation
Advisor)
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