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“In his second book with international pedagogue Dr James Jordan, John Frederick Hudson brings a practical approach with this innovative new resource to Intonational Solfege.
Whether it be pattern training or various solfege methods, no methods teach singers to sing in tune! For the first time, James Jordan has developed a ‘spiraling’ complete method for developing aural and intonational literacy in ALL the modes, at the same time expanding through inferential teaching patterns outside tonic, dominant, and subdominant. With newly composed accompanied exercises written by John Frederick Hudson and recorded tracks of all the exercises and patterns available for digital download, this method offers a comprehensive integration of Edwin Gordon’s Music Learning Theory and intonation teaching techniques developed by James Jordan.”
GRAMMY-nominated conductor James Jordan is recognized and praised throughout the musical world as one of America’s pre-eminent conductors, writers and innovators in choral music. He was described as a “visionary” by The Choral Journal, which cited his book Evoking Sound as a “must read.” His more than 60 books explore both the philosophical and spiritual basis of musicianship, as well as aspects of choral rehearsal teaching and learning. At Westminster Choir College of Rider University and Director of Choral Studies where he conducts the Westminster Choir and the Westminster Symphonic Choir. He is also director of the Westminster Conducting Institute and co-director of the Choral Institute at Oxford now in its sixth year (rider.edu/Oxford) He is also Conductor and Artistic Director of The Same Stream Choir (thesamestreamchoir.com)
James Jordan holds degrees from Susquehanna University (BM), a MM in choral conducting and a Ph.D in the Psychology of Music from Temple University. He holds conducting certificates from Chorsttudio Wilhelm Ehman earned in St. Moritz, Switzerland. He has attended the Laban Institute of Movement Studies in New York. Dr. Jordan has been fortunate to be a student of the leading conductors and researchers of our times. He is a student of Elaine Brown, Gail B. Poch, Frauke Haasemann, Edwin E. Gordon, Eric Ericsson, and Volker Hempfling. His popular summer programs at Westminster Choir College and at The Choral Institute at Oxford for 30 years have influenced thousands of conductors around the world.
Dr. Jordan’s career and publications have been devoted to innovative educational changes in the choral art, which have been embraced around the world. His residencies, masterclasses and guest conducting have taken him throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and China. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2015, conducting the New York premiere of Paul Mealor’s Stabat Mater. In 2015, Dr. Jordan also conducted the world premiere of Paul Mealor’s First Symphony: Passiontide in Scotland.
Through his work at The Choral Institute at Oxford, one of the world’s foremost conductor study programs in the world, he is developing a music learning pedagogy based upon choral improvisation practices developed by Gary Graden. His exploration of the use of Gregorian Chant as a door into musical artistry in Discovering Chant (GIA) will be expanded into choral improvisation in the text, Choral Improvisation through Chant.
James Jordan has been the recipient of many honors and residencies around the world. James Jordan has been honored as a distinguished alumnus of Temple University, where he has been inducted into the University’s Hall of Fame. In 2016, he received the distinguished alumni medal from Susquehanna University. He was awarded the distinguished Doctor of Music by the University of Aberdeen in Scotland in 2014 to honor his artistry and contributions to choral music throughout the world. The University, established in 1485, has awarded degrees throughout its history to only two Americans: Dr. Jordan and Morten Lauridsen. He shares this distinguished honor with Gustav Holst, Benjamin Britten and Dame Joan Sutherland.
