James R Tener

James R. Tener is an Associate Teaching Professor of Music, Emeritus, at Iowa State University's Department of Music within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He has dedicated 25 years to teaching applied voice to non-music and performing arts majors, alongside music direction for theater productions and church music leadership. His expertise spans vocal performance, classical guitar instruction, and music theory.

Education:

• Bachelor of Music and Master of Music from the University of Iowa
• Master of Divinity from Yale University
• Teacher Certification Program completion at Iowa State University

Research & Performance: Tener has a distinguished performance history including oratorio roles with the Warsaw Philharmonic, Des Moines Symphony, and Iowa City Chamber Singers. Notable performances include Mozart’s Requiem, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, and the Midwest premiere of William Zinn’s Elegy for Mother Theresa. He also served as last-minute substitute for Simon Estes in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

Awards:

• 2016 Excellence in Teaching by a Lecturer (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences)

Current Activities: Focuses on private voice and classical guitar teaching, Finale software layout design, and guitar restoration. Maintains a studio in Simon Estes Music Hall for instruction and creative projects.