James
R. Rogers
Director of Music Ministry
jrogers@churchstreetumc.org
(865) 521-0276
link
to Music Ministry
Education
- Bachelor of Music
degree, 1968, Birmingham-Southern College; Organ performance
- Master of Music
degree, 1969, also in organ performance from George Peabody College,
Nashville, Tenn.
Employment
- 1969-79 Organist/Choirmaster
Belle Meade UMC, Nashville, Tenn.
- 1979-present
Organist/Choirmaster . . . current title: Director of Music Ministries
Jim is responsible
for administration of comprehensive music program, which includes choirs
for all ages, four year olds through adult.
His professional
affiliations include the American Guild of Organists, the American Choral
Directors Association, the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers,
the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and other Arts, the Chorister's
Guild, and the R.S.C.M.
Jim has led workshop
sessions in Service Playing, Organ Improvisation, Choral Techniques,
Music for Youth Choir for local and regional American Guild of Organists
(AGO).
In 1998, he directed
the Parish Adult Choir in a performance for the Southern Region Convention
of the A.C.D.A. and in 1999, designed and directed the opening service
(and composed several psalm settings) for the opening service/concert
of the Region IV convention of the A.G.O. In the fall of 1998, with
singer Terrance McCracken, he co-founded and became the artistic director
of Cantaré!, the first and only (at this time) professional vocal
ensemble in the east Tennessee area.
Jim also enjoys
composition, particularly of service music and arrangements for choir.
Two of his compositions, an arrangement of Promised Land and an arrangement
of O Sons and Daughters are being published by MorningStar music publishers.
He also enjoys woodwork, refinishing furniture, basic handyman stuff,
and mountain bike trail riding.
Jim is married with
two adult children. His wife, Mary Jane, is a tax associate and Manager
of Client Services with Coulter-Justus, a local accounting firm. She
is also a mezzo soprano soloist who is frequently heard on Rejoice!,
Church Street UMC's weekly TV program. She also sings as a member of
the Knoxville Opera Company chorus and with the professional choral
ensemble, Cantare!
Their daughter Jami,
a coloratura soprano, recently married Kevin Anderson, tenor. They both
enjoy careers in opera and have sung lead roles with numerous leading
opera companies around the U.S., including New York City Opera, Santa
Fe, Los Angeles, Boston Lyric and Hawaii, where they met while singing
the respective leads in Gounod's Romeo and Juliet!
Daughter Susan followed
the direction of her father. After earning degrees in organ performance
and choral conducting, she worked as a full-time church musician for
three years before recently entering the doctoral studies program in
choral conducting at Boston University.
