Resident Composer

James Richens

Resident Composer

In the twenty years that James Richens has been Composer in Residence with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra he has written and arranged numerous works in a variety of styles. Settings of gospel music, popular standards, Christmas and Hanukkah music as well as blues and Elvis Presley charts have contributed to the MSO Pops Concert repertoire.

Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee he completed graduate work at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York where he studied composition with Bernard Rogers and Samuel Adler. Works commissioned by the MSO for its Masterworks Series include the "Icarus" Symphony, "A Joyful Noise" and "The Bells."

In recent years the Cleveland Pops, Charleston Symphony, Louisville, Tulsa and Memphis Symphony Pops orchestras have performed his symphonic arrangements. Outside the U.S. his works have been performed in England, France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Canada, S. Africa, Belgium and China and Taiwan.

An award winning ASCAP composer for the last 30 years, he has written chamber music, ballets, education pieces and works for concert band. Richens is Professor of Composition and Theory at the University of Memphis.

Reach him at jrichens@memphis.edu

For a CATALOG OF WORKS: http://www.jamesrichens.com