James Bryant: accompanist, keyboard skills

A native of West Virginia, James Bryant is currently Music Director and Organist at Blacksburg Presbyterian Church, and an instructor in the Virginia Tech Department of Music, where he teaches class piano and ear training, and serves as accompanist for numerous junior and senior recitals each year. He is also a frequent collaborator with other music professionals, and was one of three harpsichordists for the 1999 presentation of all six Brandenburg Concertos by the Audubon Quartet. He recently organized and conducted the Faure Requiem with the choirs of Blacksburg Presbyterian and Blacksburg United Methodist. The choirs performed John Rutter's Gloria during worship services in December 2003.

Bryant received Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Westminster Choir College, which is now part of Rider University. While at Westminster, Mr. Bryant toured with the choirs, and studied organ with George Markey, along with choral conducting under Joseph Flummerfelt. Special summer choral experiences included performances, with Robert Shaw conducting, of the Bach St. Matthew Passion in New York's Riverside Church, and the Brahms Requiem and Haydn Creation with the Pittsburgh Symphony at their summer residence in Ambler, Pennsylvania. Mr. Bryant was invited, as a college senior, to perform the Sowerby Organ Symphony at Saint Patrick's Cathedral, also in New York City. He played numerous choral rehearsals under conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Antal Dorati, Pierre Boulez, and Loren Maazel while at Westminster.

Mr. Bryant was organist and pianist for the Blacksburg Master Chorale for eight years, and served as rehearsal accompanist, harpsichordist and assistant conductor with Opera Roanoke for a number of years. During a recent opera production, he was engaged to coach world-renowned soprano Elizabeth Futrall.