Music Department at University of Arkansas

James Greeson

Guitar I Music Composition I Theory I Jazz Ensemble

James Greeson is a Professor of Composition and Music Theory in the Department of Music at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He received his doctorate in composition from the University of Wisconsin and MM and BM from the University of Utah (Magna cum Laude). His compositions have been published by Cor Publishing, Willis Music and SeeSaw Publishers.

In recent years he has focused on composing soundtracks to documentaries for public television and has completed nine of them, which have been broadcast in both the U. S. and Canda. In 2009 he was awarded an Emmy for his score for the PBS documentary, "The Buffalo Flows." Two other soundtracks have been nominated for Emmy awards. His Fantasy for Fi ve Players, (1984) commissioned by the Da Capo Chamber Players, has been heard by that group in performances at Carnegie Hall, Symphony Space in New York City, and around the country. His Trees of Arkansas, (1987) for soprano and orchestra, has been performed in Arkansas, Kansas and Bolivia. In 1983 he was selected as one of three finalists in the Music Teachers National Association's "Composer of the Year" competition for his Piano Fantasy, which was commissioned by the Arkansas State Music Teachers Association. In 1979 he was the first place winner in the St. Louis "Forum fo Composers" competition, and in 1978 he was first place MIssouri winner in the Missouri Contemporary Music Composition competition. Contra, a composition for solo doublebass has been recorded on Crystal Records by bassist Daniel Gwyn.

Also active as a jazz composer, Dr. Greeson's music for jazz ensemble is published by University of Northern Colorado Music Press and has been performed at the Clark Terry Jazz Camp and the Telluride Jazz Festival, as well as by various school jazz groups in the midwest. He also serves as the jazz guitar consultant for Kendor Music Publishers in Delevan, New York and produces guitar chord charts for many of their jazz ensemble publications. As a jazz guitarist and bassist he has performed with Clark Terry, Bruce Barth, Nneena Freelon, Steve Wilson, Terrel Stafford and many orthers.

Dr. Greeson is also active as a guitarist in both the classical and jazz idioms. He is a member of the flute and guitar duo "Novaria" with Ronda Mains and in 1996 they released a CD on the Nuance label featuring many orginal compositions and arragements composed by Greeson. He has performed widely throughout the region as a soloist and part of a duet team and is the jazz guitar consultant for Kendor Music, Inc. At the University of Arkansas, Dr. Greeson directs the UA Jazz Ensemble, teaches a variety of music theory courses, teaches guitar and bass and private composition. In 2007 he received a Fulbright College "Master Teacher" award.