Faculty
Kimberly James
Kimberly Gratland James, Mezzo-Soprano,
enjoys an active performance career in opera, concert, and recital venues. She made her Lincoln Center debut in 2003 in John Adams' Grand Pianola Music with John Adams conducting the London Sinfonietta. She previously performed the piece with the New World Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Recent concert performances include: Verdi’s Requiem with the Texas University Chorale and Orchestra at Ft. Worth’s Bass Hall followed by a performance with the Corpus Christi Symphony, the title role of Carmen with the Helena Symphony, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Mahler’s Second Symphony at Amherst College, Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Indianapolis Symphony, and the Bach St. John’s Passion at Minot State University. She has also performed Ravel’s Shéhérazade, Mahler’s Fourth Symphony, Duruflé’s Requiem, and several baroque oratorio works.
Kimberly has been engaged professionally with New Orleans Opera, Chautauqua Opera, the Opera Theater of St. Louis, the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program for Singers, Opera Mundi (Mexico City), Lyric Opera Cleveland, and Western Plains Operaamong others. Her favorite performed roles include include Carmen, Jo (Little Women), Hansel, Erika (Vanessa), Nancy (Albert Herring), Siébel (Faust), and Dido (Dido and Aeneas).
Dr. James’s upcoming performance calendar includes: her faculty recital at UM on September 16, Opera on Draft with Montana Lyric Opera on October 8, Honneger’s King David with the Valdosta Symphony, the Verdi Requiem with the Missoula Symphony, and the role of Marcellina in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro with the Helena Symphony in April.
Kimberly received a Doctor of Music degree and Performer’s Diploma from Indiana University. Dr. James joined the University of Montana music faculty in 2005. Currently, she teaches applied voice, music theory (MUS111-112), and aural perception (MUS137-138). She has also taught class voice - a methods class for music education majors – and vocal literature. She will teach the Philosophy of Music Education (MUS522) on-line Spring 2009. Dr. James’s research interests are varied and include curriculum development, teaching with technology, gender subversion in vocal music, and vocology. She serves as the Pacific Northwest Region’s Vice-President for the College Music Society and holds memberships with MTNA, ATMI, NATS, and AGMA as well. Dr. James recently established a local chapter of the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN), a consumer childbirth advocacy, awareness, and education group. She is the Editor for ICAN’s international newsletter, the Clarion.
Dr. James’s Studio Site – http://msovoice.terapad.com
Dr. James’s Music Theory/Technology Blog – http://msomustek.wordpress.com
Dr. James’s Music Theory Ning Network – http://freshmontanatheory.ning.com
Contact Dr. James: kimberly.james@umontana.edu