Position:
Professor Emeritus, Conducting
Email:
jlaster@su.edu
Employed Since:
1973
Conservatory Professional Highlights:
James Laster has held teaching positions in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Iran and Lebanon. At Shenandoah Conservatory, he worked primarily as a choral conductor as well as a musical director for many musical theatre productions. As an organist, he has worked in many churches and was organist/choirmaster at Trinity Episcopal Church, Upperville for 25 years. He has composed many choral works some of which have been published by Concordia, Augsburg, Boosey & Hawkes and Treble Clef Press.
Since his retirement in 2000, he has worked steadily as an actor in roles such as “Tuesday with Morrie,” “On Golden Pond,” Visiting Mr. Green” and can be seen in films such as “Syriana,” “Animal Husbandry” and “Darkest Days.” He is the author/compiler of “A Catalogue of Choral Music Arranged in Biblical Order,” “A Catalogue of Music for Organ and Instruments,” as well as “So… You’re the New Musical Director,” all published by Scarecrow Press.
Educational History:
B.A., Maryville College; M.S.L.S., The Catholic University of America; M.A., Ph.D., George Peabody College for Teachers