James Franklin

James Franklin is the Director of Choral Activities at East Carolina University where he conducts the internationally renowned ECU Chamber Singers, directs the graduate program in choral conducting, and teaches undergraduate conducting.

Recent honors include invitations to perform at the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing (Varna, Bulgaria), National ACDA Conference (Kansas City, MO), Southern ACDA Conference (Mobile, AL), SW-ACDA Conference (Little Rock, AR), Piccolo Spoleto Festival (Charleston, SC), and Duke Chapel (Durham, NC). In 2020, the Chamber Singers won second place in The American Prize in Choral Performance in the college/university division. Franklin’s ensembles have been invited to collaborate with such notable groups as the Bach Society Houston, Rice University Symphony Orchestra, Mercury Baroque Orchestra, Houston Masterworks Chorus, and the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra. Franklin remains active as a guest conductor and clinician with frequent invitations across the United States.

In addition to his duties at ECU, Franklin remains active as a singer. He has performed with many professional choirs including the Grammy-nominated South Dakota Chorale, Taylor Festival Choir, Orpheus Chamber Singers, Dallas Bach Society, Houston Bach Society, Fuma Sacra of New Jersey, and Texas Choral Artists. Recent recording projects include CDs with Taylor Festival Choir (2018), South Dakota Chorale (2016 & 2014), and Bach Society Houston (2010).

With a consistent commitment to learning, Franklin continues to pursue educational opportunities. He has participated in the Eric Ericson Master Class in Haarlem, The Netherlands; the Choral Conducting Master Class at the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary; the Eric Ericson Master Class in Lund, Sweden; and the International Master Class with the Stuttgart Kammerchor in Vaison-la-Romaine, France. Conducting teachers included Eric Ericson, Frieder Bernius, Andrew Parrot, Péter Erdei, Stephen Cleobury, and Jos van Veldhoven.

He serves as co-director of traditional worship at St. James United Methodist Church. Prior to his conducting at the collegiate level, he taught public high school and middle school choir in Texas. An active member of ACDA, IFCM, TMEA and TCDA, he often serves as a clinician and adjudicator across the united states.

He received his BME, vocal emphasis, from Baylor University, his MM in Choral Conducting from Westminster Choir College, and his DMA degree from the University of North Texas.