James Higgs

James Higgs (he/him) is an Instructor of Choral Conducting at the University of Arizona where he directs Collegium Musicum, Arizona Baroque, and teaches graduate conducting students. He is co-director of the University of Arizona Choral Literature Intensive, a workshop dedicated to promoting the study and performance of works by historically excluded composers and populations. James’s research is focused on the works of Marianna Martines, 18th century Viennese masses, and the critical editing of 18th century manuscripts. He has presented on Martines and his critical edition of Martines’s Terza messa at regional and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, was interviewed about his research by Arizona Public Media on the Extempore series, and authored the chapter on Martines for the book Choral Repertoire by Women Composers (GIA Publications, 2025). His article on Martines’s Terza messa was recently accepted for publication in the Choral Journal. Before joining the faculty at the University of Arizona, James served as Associate Faculty in Music at Cochise College.

James is passionate about community engagement, working with diverse populations of singers, and building community by providing inclusive musical experiences. James has over ten years of experience teaching in nonprofit community music schools in Los Angeles and Tucson. He is a board member of the Arizona Choral Arts Association where he assists in planning the annual community-sing events like Tucson Big Sing and One Voice Choral Festival. James is also the Artistic Director of Desert Voices, a nonprofit 115 member mixed chorus committed to promoting the ongoing and positive LGBTQIA+ presence in southern Arizona. He is also Director of Music at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, where he has established a free community concert series that has featured members of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, University of Arizona artist faculty, and international artists.

James holds a D.M.A. in choral conducting from the University of Arizona, an M.M. in Keyboard Collaborative Arts from The University of Southern California and a B.M. in Piano Performance from Chapman University.