James E. Gardner

After a lengthy national search, the University of Utah has announced that James E. Gardner will be the new director of the school of music. Gardner is currently a professor of music and director of graduate studies at George Mason University, where he has also served as the director of the school of music.

A violinist and former concertmaster of the Wilmington (North Carolina) Symphony, Gardner is a dedicated performer and has played the standard violin concerto repertoire as well as chamber music by Vivaldi, Beethoven, Sarasate, Tchaikovsky and Bernstein. And as a conductor, Gardner has collaborated with university, community and school orchestras in North Carolina, Arkansas, Texas and Virginia.

A native of Oklahoma, Gardner received a bachelor’s degree in violin performance at Oklahoma City University, where he met his future wife Diane. Gardner continued his education at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and at the University of North Texas, where he received a doctorate in music history and musical aesthetics.

Gardner will assume his new position Aug. 1, replacing Robert Baldwin, who was the school’s interim director for 2010-11. Baldwin will continue at the school of music as director of graduate studies and director of orchestras.