James Moyer

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A native of Shamokin, PA, Dr. James Moyer received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Susquehanna University, where he was twice selected for the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band, the oldest such organization in the nation. He holds a MM and DMA from the University of Oklahoma where his teachers included Dr. Richard Gipson and John Bannon. During his time at O.U., Moyer was a member and soloist with the O. U. Percussion Ensemble, the first college percussion ensemble to release a commercial CD. O.U. also joined the University of North Texas as the first 2 college percussion groups to perform at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in 1985.

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Dr. Moyer was Associate Professor of Music at Millikin University from 1986-98 where he served as Assistant Band Director and Percussion Professor. During that time, he was part of a team of faculty that LPO.JPG the nation's largest college music program at an undergraduate institution. Of Millikin's 1800 students, 350 are music majors. His percussion program had 25 majors and toured extensively throughout the midwest. In addition to being director of the Symphonic Band, Marching Band, and the percussion program, he also piloted new courses in digital audio editing. 

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From 1998 until 2012, his career moves varied, serving as an Account Executive with Apple, Inc., the department chair for music at Marywood University, the Director of Bands at Lafayette College, and Palisades High School. He has performed as percussionist or timpanist with the Oklahoma and Bartlesville Symphony, Illinois Symphony, and the Allentown Symphony. From 2000-2012, he was Timpanist and keyboard soloist with the world-famous Allentown Band, the oldest civilian band in America. With this group, he performed for international conventions at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and was a featured soloist on a 2-week tour of France. 

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Dr. Moyer's articles appear in Percussive Notes, School Band and Orchestra, and his solo CD, "Something Old, Something New" as well as his multiple publications, which are available through Alliance Publications, Studio 4 Music, and C. Alan Publications. His latest marimba method, Four Mallet Progressive Literature was released in 2010 by Studio 4 Music. In addition to Richard C. Gipson and John Bannon, his teachers include former Pittsburgh Symphony timpanist, Stanley Leonard and marimba virtuosos Gordon Stout and Lehigh Howard Stevens. Moyer also completed the Bob Becker Ragtime Xylophone Institute at the University of Delaware. His post-doctoral work includes Level II certification with the Technology Institute for Music Educators.

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He has presented clinics and masterclasses at state and national conferences throughout the southwest, midwest, and northeastern U.S. including the 2015 TMEA State Convention. Dr. Moyer is Chairman of the Department of Fine & Performing Arts and Director of Bands at Texas A & M International University. He served as Timpanist of the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra from 2012-2020 and performs with the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Moyer is an Artist/Educator for DeMorrow Instruments and Salyers Percussion.