James Doyle
Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, James Doyle earned a bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Central Missouri and a master's degree in percussion performance from Louisiana State University. James served as principal percussionist with the Air Force Band of the Golden West where he spent 5 years touring, recording, and performing throughout the western United States, while maintaining an active freelancing schedule in the San Francisco Bay area. His performances have appeared on PBS, CNN, NBC, ABC, and CBS as well as numerous NPR broadcasts. Prior to his appointment with the band, James was a member of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and performed frequently throughout the gulf coast. Other performance appearances include The Reno Philharmonic, Pacific Chamber Orchestra, Classical Philharmonic of San Francisco, Sacramento Chamber Orchestra, Napa Valley Symphony, California Wind Orchestra, Shreveport Symphony, Natchez Opera Orchestra, Louisiana Sinfonietta, and the Blue Lake Festival Orchestra. He has performed as soloist with the Air Force Band of the Golden West, Louisiana State University Wind Ensemble, American River Chamber Orchestra, and the Napa College Orchestra. As a classical, jazz, and rock musician, he has toured Europe, Southwest Asia, and East Africa. Additionally, he's performed with Grammy artists Dionne Warwick, Lee Greenwood, Mary Wilson, Nancy Wilson, and Grammy nominees Three Dog Night and Maureen McGovern. James is also a founding member of West Coast Impact, a percussion group dedicated to the performance of traditional Ugandan music as well as 21st century repertoire.
James is currently on faculty at Adams State College where he teaches courses in percussion, world music, music literature, and directs the percussion ensemble. He has taught music literature at Trinidad State Junior College and undergraduate lessons, percussion ensemble, and marimba ensemble as a graduate assistant at LSU. Other teaching positions have included the Louisiana State University Music Academy, Yamaha Sounds of Summer Percussion Camp, LSU Chamber Winds Camp, the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Grandview High School, Knob Noster High School, and several high school percussion ensembles and drum lines in Missouri, Louisiana, California, and Colorado. Additionally, James presents clinics and master classes at numerous colleges and universities, maintains a successful private teaching studio, is an active music festival clinician and adjudicator, and is a member of the Vic Firth Education Team and a Vic Firth endorser. He currently performs with the Air National Guard Band of the Gulf Coast, Ft. Worth, The Medano Creek Jazz Trio, the celtic group, Tripping Upstairs, the Doyle-Kane Duo for flute and percussion, and tours and records regularly with the Air Force Band of the Golden West and the Band of Mid-America.
Mr. Doyle can be reached by phone at (719)587-8157 and by email at jwdoyle@adams.edu