H. James Schoepflin

1942 -

James Schoepflin, professor of music at the School of Music and Fine Arts at Washington State University from 1976 to 2005, is now retired and living in Spokane, Washington. An accomplished clarinetist and pianist, during his years at WSU Schoepflin taught clarinet, music history, orchestration, and woodwind techniques, and was Coordinator of Woodwind Studies. He lso served as chair of the music program. His clarinet students were consistent winners in competitions such as the Greater Spokane Music and Allied Arts Festival and the Washington-Idaho Symphony Young Artists Competition.

During his career, Schoepflin earned an enviable reputation as a soloist with orchestras, recitalist, and chamber music participant. He played the Mozart, Weber, Debussy, and Copland concertos with a number of orchestras and gave numerous recitals, including two at the national conferences of Music Teachers (MTNA), held in Washington, D.C., and Miami, and three at International Clarinet Association (ICA) Conferences held in Toronto, Denver, and London.

He has given hundreds of concerts in chamber music. With the Crown Chamber Players and the Muhlfeld Trio, he performed in Europe, Mexico, Canada, and the United States. His 1984 recording of Robert Muczynski's Fantasy Trio, with the Muhlfeld Trio, was selected for worldwide performance on the classical channel of United Airlines.

Shortly after accepting his position at WSU, Schoepflin helped form the Solstice Wind Quintet and served as its clarinetist until he retired. Solstice presented hundreds of concerts on the WSU Campus as well as for special music events, tours, and various sponsoring concert venues throughout the Northwest.

He played as a member of the Spokane Symphony from 1987 to 2001 and conducted the Washington-Idaho Symphony for eleven seasons. He had previously conducted the Idaho Falls Symphony and the Idaho State Civic Symphony. He conducted the Spokane Youth Orchestra from 1987 until 1991. More recently, he conducted performances of La Bohéme, Cosi fan Tutte, The Mikado, and Le Nozze Di Figaro for the Spokane Opera.

Schoepflin played a key role in the development of the International Clarinet Association. When it formed in 1974, he was asked to inaugurate and publish The Clarinet, official magazine of the society. He served as its publisher for ten years, was ICA Treasurer, and then became a member of its board of directors. In July 2010, ICA honored Schoepflin with a Lifetime Honorary Membership, a recognition given to only 25 clarinetists worldwide since its founding. The award was presented to Schoepflin and Buddy DeFranco prior to the final concert at ICA's annual ClarinetFest in Austin, Texas.

Schoepflin completed a B.Mus., cum laude, in piano and clarinet at the University of Idaho in 1964. Two years later he earned an M.Mus., also at UI. He began his career at Southern Adventist University, where he taught for four years. He completed a DMA at the North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas, in 1972.

ds/2010

Sources: Interview with James Schoepflin, 2004, 2010, and other contacts; U. S. Public Records, Ancestory.Com; Online sources; personal knowledge.