James M. Stephenson
(b. February 4, 1969)
"... straightforward, unashamedly beautiful sounds..." and "deserves to be heard again
and again."
"... skillfully composed" and "covers a wide stylistic and emotional range... seamlessly
arranged..." - Boston Herald and Boston Globe
"I consider him to be one of the most exciting composers, not just in the U.S., but in
the world." - Peg Goldberg Longstreth, Naples Daily News
James Stephenson's music is the complete package: a fresh and energizing sound scape
that delights the audience while maintaining integrity and worthwhile challenges for the
performing musicians. This rare combination has rewarded Stephenson with ongoing
commissions and projects. Current collaborations include a concerto for
Branford Marsalis with Rodney Mack; a work for the Houston Symphony,; a concerto for
the Philadelphia Orchestra's principal trombonist, Nitzan Haroz; a piano/trumpet concerto
for Lisa Leonard and Marc Reese; and a new work for the Bozeman Symphony.
Stephenson's music has been performed by many of today's leading orchestras, including the
Cleveland Orchestra, the symphonies of Houston, Atlanta, Detroit, Baltimore, Oregon,
Jacksonville, the Rochester Philharmonic, Florida Orchestra, and the Naples Philharmonic.
His music has been conducted by such notables as Gustavo Dudamel, Jorge Mester,
Fabio Mechetti and Thomas Wilkins. His symphonic arrangements have been performed
by almost every leading orchestra in the U.S. A diverse sampling of individuals
who have performed Stephenson's works would include Pinchas Zukerman, Denyce
Graves, Jennifer Frautschi, the Chicago Symphony String Quartet, Empire Brass members
Marc Reese, Mark Hetzler and Greg Miller, and even the Pointer Sisters and 98 Degrees.
Stephenson's music appears on many artists' recordings, including those of Jouko Harjanne, Eric
Berlin, Richard Watson, the Christy Quartet, Musicians-out-of-the-Box and his own, Colors, released in 2002.
Stephenson's commitment to music for young audiences resulted in his landmark
educational work: Compose Yourself! This interactive and informative introduction to the
symphony orchestra has been performed over 125 times nationwide since its 2002
premiere.
Increasingly in demand for his passionate work with young musicians, Stephenson has
appeared as resident composer at many festivals, including the Las Vegas Music Festival,
the Southern Illinois Music Festival, and most recently he was featured at Lynn
University's Contemporary Music Festival in Boca Raton, FL and the St. Barts (French
West Indies) Music Festival. A similar highlight of 2007 involves three
brass conferences in three weeks, one of which being ITG's National Conference,
including two world premieres, and a showcase of Stephenson's brass compositions.
Stephenson studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, where he earned his
Bachelor of Music with distinction in trumpet performance. His wife, Sally, is a
performing violinist, and they have four children.
For a complete listing of Stephenson's works, written for many genres, please browse
this website.
