James Worlton portrait

Biographical Sketch

James T. Worlton (b. 1971) received a DMA in composition from the University of North Texas, where he studied with Joseph Klein, Jon Nelson, and Cindy McTee. He earned a Bachelor of Music (cum laude) and a Master of Music, both in composition, from Brigham Young University, where his principal composition teachers were David Sargent and Murray Boren.

He has written chamber, orchestral and electroacoustic works and music for film. He has received commissions from various performers and from the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University. He has taught at Brigham Young University, Collin County Community College, the University of North Texas, and Texas Woman's University. Current musical interests include algorithmic composition, drones, and progressive rock.

Biographical Background

I began piano studies at an early age, and composed my first piece at the age of 10. Music was not what I thought I would ever be doing as a career until the summer before I entered college. I had to choose a major; and since I had ruled out the option of being an engineer after taking A. P. Calculus, I naturally (I think) chose music, as I had been active in music through High School (Marching, Concert and Jazz Bands, and the choir.) I had also been composing since that first piano piece, and wanted to continue with it.

After one year of college, I put my studies on hold and spent two years abroad in Honduras and Belize (Central America) as a missionary for my church - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I graduated cum laude with a Bachelor's degree in 1995 and a Master's degree in 1998. I completed a Doctorate degree (DMA, August 2003) at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX.