James Popejoy is Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at the University of North Dakota where he conducts the Wind Ensemble and University Band. He instructs courses in graduate and undergraduate conducting, as well as a rotation of classes including instrumental literature, methods and materials, rehearsal techniques, and jazz pedagogy. In addition, he serves as the advisor for the UND Collegiate Music Educators National Conference Chapter. Under his direction, the University of North Dakota Wind Ensemble has been selected to present performances at the 2001, 2005, & 2008North Dakota Music Educators Association Conferences; the 2002 North Dakota Arts & Humanities Summit; and the 2006 College Band Directors National Association North Central Division Conference.
He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Central Missouri State University; completed the Master of Arts degree in Conducting from the University of Iowa with Myron Welch; and earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the University of North Texas, where he was the first graduate student at UNT to complete a doctorate with a minor in Jazz Studies. At UNT, he served as a Doctoral Conducting Associate and Teaching Fellow in the Wind Studies program with Eugene Corporon.
Dr. Popejoy served as Director of Bands and Percussion Studies at McLennan Community College in Texas for five years, where he was also the Music Director and Conductor of the Waco Community Band, as well as the Founder/Music Director and Conductor of the Waco Area Youth Wind Ensemble. In addition to serving as Music Director and Conductor of the Greater Grand Forks Youth Symphony for three years, he was a public school music educator in Missouri for nine years in both rural and suburban school districts, and has been active as a conductor and performer with concert bands, jazz ensembles, and orchestras at the public school, community, university, and professional level.
Selected as the Outstanding Graduate Student in Conducting from among the more than 1600 music majors at the University of North Texas, Dr. Popejoy has also been chosen for membership in the national honor organizations of Pi Kappa Lambda, Kappa Delta Pi, and Phi Beta Mu. Most recently, he received the 2003 Outstanding Faculty Award from the UND chapter of Gamma Sigma Alpha; a 2003 Outstanding Professor Award from the UND Mortar Board Society; a 2004 UND Outstanding Student Organization Advisor Award; the 2005 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the CMSU Department of Music; and selection as the 2006 North Dakota Music Educators Association Educator of the Year. Dr. Popejoy has several articles published in the “Teaching Music Through Performance in Band” series, having also served as a production assistant and performer on the recordings that accompany these resource books.
Dr. Popejoy is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, National Band Association, Music Educators National Conference, International Association for Jazz Education, Percussive Arts Society, Chamber Music America, Manitoba Band Association, North Dakota National Band Association, and the North Dakota Music Educators Association, and has served as a member of the Executive Boards for NDMEA and NDNBA. He performs reguarlarly throughout the region with the guitar and vibraphone duo PLUCKSTRUCK, and remains active as a classical and jazz percussionist, clinician and guest conductor.
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