Dr. James S. Hoch

James S. Hoch is a very active as a composer in the Midwest and previously in the West. His Quartet for flute, clarinet, bassoon and horn was the first place winner in the New Music Competition for the state of Wyoming in 1992. Several of his works are published by Seesaw Music (New York) and Zames Music Co. (Winona, MN). Four compositions were accepted by the National Flute Association for their library. 

In the fall of 1998, he released his first CD Jubilance, a selection of his works from the previous decade. The title work for alto saxophone and organ was featured at the 1999 national convention of the Society of Composers, Inc. in New York City.

During the summer of 1999, Hoch studied with internationally noted composer Knut Nysted in Oslo, Norway. While there he completed the Missa Brevis for a cappella choir, which was premiered at Central Lutheran Church in Winona as part of a concert featuring the works of Nysted during his visit to this country in 2000. Other recent works include Millennium, which was commissioned by Winona State University for the dedication of its new library, Symphony No. 1, op. 28, which was commissioned by the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra and Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, which was written for cellist Paul Vance and premiered by the Winona Symphony in 2001. Also commissioned and premiered by the Winona Symphony Orchestra was In Memoriam:9/11, in 2002. Recently, Hoch received a commission from the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra in conjunction with the Ho-chunk nation to compose a Concerto for Native American Flute and orchestra. The work was premiered on the final concert of the 2004-05 LSO season, May 6 and 7, 2005 with native American flutist, 5 time NAMMY winner and 2005 Grammy winner for best Native American album, Bill Miller.

For the spring of 2001, while on sabbatical, he traveled to UCLA to study film scoring… taking classes in Music Editing, Composing for the Low Budget film, and Film Scoring III: composing and conducting to picture. While there he studied film composition with noted TV and film composer Jerry Grant and orchestration with Scott Smalley.

In March of 2004, Hoch's eagerly awaited second CD, From Within...was released at a concert featuring three of the six new compositions on the CD. 

James Hoch earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music and his Masters and Doctoral degrees from the University of Colorado. He has taught instrumental music at Carroll College (Wisconsin), the University of Hawaii, and Central Wyoming College. He is currently Professor of Music at Winona State University, where he teaches woodwinds, theory/composition, and music education. His secondary teaching experiences were in California and Virginia.

Currently, Dr. Hoch is the principal clarinet in the Winona Symphony and associate clarinet with the La Crosse Symphony. He has been a soloist with the Honolulu Symphony, the Northern Virginia Symphony, the Winona Symphony, the WSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and the Winona Municipal Band. Hoch is a founding member of The Wind River Trio, a chamber ensemble in residence at Winona State University consisting of Zoe Shepherd, flute, James Hoch, clarinet, and Barbara DuFresne, piano. The trio is part of the Artist Series of the Thursday Musical Club in Minneapolis and they perform in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Southern Minnesota yearly. He is a member of MENC, ASCAP, and the Society of Composers, Inc.