OMEA East Central Regional Orchestra

2024 Region Orchestra Conductor

James Mick, PhD, is Professor of Music Education at Ithaca College in upstate New York. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in string pedagogy, orchestral rehearsal techniques, instrumental conducting, and the psychology of music teaching and learning. Dr. Mick frequently works with students in a variety of settings ranging from individual school and all-district events to all-county and all-state honor festivals. Recent All-State orchestra appearances include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, and Wyoming. Dr. Mick previously served as music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, conducting the orchestra in several concerts each year around the Rochester community including an annual side-by-side performance with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at Eastman’s Kodak Hall.

Dr. Mick has given professional presentations at numerous regional, state, and national music education conferences including recent engagements with the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Conference and The Midwest Clinic: An International Band & Orchestra Conference. Dr. Mick’s research interests include school string program viability, adjudication reliability, and performance perceptions. His scholarly work has been published in various journals including the Bulletin for the Council of Research in Music Education, Contributions to Music Education, Music Educators Journal, and String Research Journal. Dr. Mick has also contributed pedagogical book chapters to The Oxford Handbook of Preservice Music Teacher Education in the United States and to Teaching Music through Performance in Orchestra, Volume 4, which he co-compiled and edited. In addition to his scholarly work, Dr. Mick serves on the editorial board of the String Research Journal and previously served as president of the New York State chapter of the American String Teachers Association.

Originally from Kansas, Dr. Mick previously taught elementary and middle school orchestra in Texas, and high school orchestra and jazz in New York. He holds degrees in Music Education from Florida State University, Ithaca College, and Texas Christian University. Outside of his academic pursuits, Dr. Mick is an avid bicyclist who enjoys spending time with his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Moore, DVM, PhD, and their son, Silas, exploring the gorgeous Finger Lakes region of upstate New York.