OUR COMPOSERS

 

James E. Clemens

 

James E. Clemens (b. 1966) grew up in the northern Indiana town of Goshen, where he earned a music degree from Goshen College. While there he played piano with the jazz band, sang with the Chamber Choir, played violin in the orchestra, served as accompanist for choirs and soloists, studied organ, and performed on recorders and other Renaissance instruments with the Early Music Consort.

A mostly self-taught composer, Mr. Clemens has written instrumental and vocal solos, choir anthems, music for brass and percussion, pieces for string orchestra, and arrangements for various ensembles. He has received commissions and awards from the American Composers Forum (with the National Endowment for the Arts), the New England String Ensemble, the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), and numerous other ensembles and soloists.

In addition to composing, Mr. Clemens does music typesetting for publishers and individuals, and he works as a freelance proofreader. He also enjoys playing viola with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, bird-watching, reading, cooking, and making music at home with his family.

Mr. Clemens is an at-home father - his main occupation. He is married to Angie, a grade school music teacher. Together they traveled to Russia to adopt their two children: Alex, in 1996, and Lena, in 1998.

Go to James E. Clemens' web page.