James Undercofler
Employment Experience
State University of New York, Purchase College, Purchase, New York
Department Chair, Professor, Arts Management, 2013-Present
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
Artistic Director, National Orchestral Institute, 2012-Present
Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Professor (with tenure), Arts Administration, 2009-2012
The Philadelphia Orchestra, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
President and CEO, 2006-2009
Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
Dean and Howard Hanson Director, 1996-2006
Associate Director for Academic Affairs, 1995-1996
Professor of Music Education (tenured), 1995-2006
Founder, Institute for Music Leadership (www.esm.rochester.edu/iml/)
Minnesota Center for Arts Education, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Executive and Founding Director, 1986-1995
The Center, now named the Perpich Center for Arts Education, is a state agency in the
executive branch of government founded in 1985 to meet the artistic educational needs of
students in grades K-12, statewide. It is comprised of a full-time residential arts high school
and a resource center providing technical services to school districts, staff development for
teachers and artists, and information services.
Educational Center for the Arts, New Haven, Connecticut
Director, 1978-86; Associate Director, 1976-78; Assistant Director, 1972-76
The Educational Center for the Arts is a regional public arts education service center
founded in 1972 and offering a regional high school program for talented students,
community schools in theater and dance, contractual services in arts education for school
districts statewide and staff development opportunities for teachers.
Neighborhood Music School, New Haven, Connecticut
Conductor, Greater New Haven Youth Orchestra, 1975-86; Chair, Winds, Brass, Percussion
and Voice Departments, 1971-74; Teacher, Horn, Recorder and Chamber Music, 1967-74.
Darien Public Schools, Darien, Connecticut
Director, High School Orchestra, Band and Jazz Ensemble, 1969-71.
Horn Performer
Section horn, New Haven Symphony; section and principal, Connecticut regional
orchestras; improvisatory work with the New Haven Dance Ensemble and other
contemporary dance troupes; numerous chamber music and solo performances,
1967-86.
Education
Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester
Bachelor of Music in Music Education/Horn
Yale University
Master of Music, Horn Performance
University of Connecticut, Storrs, and
Southern Connecticut State University
Fifty credits earned in educational administration and curriculum development
Current Volunteer Service
Board Member, Alarm Will Sound, New York;
Editorial Advisory Board, Journal of Performing Arts Leadership in Higher Education;
External Advisor, Research Group in Lifelong Learning in Music & the Arts, Hanze
University of Applied Sciences, Groningen; and, Royal Academy of Fine Arts,
Design, Music and Dance, The Hague, Netherlands;
National Advisory Board, Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP).
Miscellaneous
Recipient, Arts Council of Greater New Haven, “Coming Together” and Distinguished
Service Awards;
Recipient, Connecticut Association for Gifted and Talented Education, William G. Vassar
Award for distinguished service to the field of gifted and talented education;
Recipient, Minnesota Alliance for Arts in Education, Distinguished Service Award for
outstanding contributions to the field of arts education;
Recipient, 2 Minnesota Governors’ Citations for outstanding contributions to the field of
education;
Recipient, Arts Education Award from the Rochester City School District;
Recipient, City of Rochester Mayor’s Renaissance Award;
Keynote and featured addresses at national conferences of the American Symphony
Orchestra League, Music Educators’ National Conference, the International Council
of Fine Arts Deans, the Council on Exceptional Children, and the Network of
Performing and Visual Arts Schools; Network of Music Career Development
Officers.
Numerous published in Arts Education Policy Review;
Organizational Models In the Arts and Culture Sector, “ Chapter 8, “Building Communities, Not
Audiences,” Borwick, ArtsEngaged, 2012.
Former Board Member and Past-President, Chair, Investment Committee and PastPresident, American Music Center, New York;
Former Board Member and Chair, Education Committee, League of American Orchestras.
Co-Founder, International Network of Performing and Visual Arts Schools professional
Organization;
Taught Leadership Issues in the Performing and Visual Arts at the University of Pennsylvania,
Spring, 2009;
Taught Entrepreneurship in Music and the Arts, Ithaca College, Fall, ’11 and Spring, ’13;
Active Blogger, “State of the Art,” in ArtsJournal (www.artsjournal.com/state).