James Harley


James Harley is a Canadian composer, author, and professor of music born in Vernon, British Columbia. His creative output consists of orchestral, chamber, solo, electroacoustic, and vocal music.

Studies

Harley studied at Western Washington University, Royal Academy of Music, Université de Paris, Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music, Warsaw, and McGill University.

Teaching

He has taught at the Faculty of Music at McGill University, Wilfrid Laurier University, California Institute of the Arts, University of Southern California, and Minnesota State University Moorhead. In 2004, he took up a tenure-track position in music at University of Guelph, where he is associate professor.
Harley is also the author of the book Xenakis: His Life in Music. His areas of expertise and specialization include digital music, composition, contemporary music analysis, and history of electronic/computer music. Music and research by James Harley is represented by Art Music Promotion.

List of works

Orchestra
  • Along the Riverrun 10 min.
  • Overture Divertimento 8 min. 2222/2220/timp/strings
  • Windprints 15 min. 2222/4221/3 perc/pf/strings
  • Kekula 15 min. 2222/4221/strings
  • Naissance 16 min. 1202/2000/1 perc/44321
  • Old Rock 10 min. 2222/4221/timp/strings
Ensemble
  • Sabbath 20 min. jazz ensemble
  • The Tail of Pinky Oozgreen and the Mossbrains 20 min. jazz ensemble
  • Stillness Dancing 10 min. 11 players
  • Mobile 18 min. 10 trombones, 2 percussion
  • Prelude 7 min. flute, clarinet, horn, harp, violin, cello
  • Tapisserie 13 min. 11 players
  • Memories of a Landscape – II 15 min. 13 strings
  • Daring the Wilderness 12 min. percussion ensemble
  • Etude pour une Fete 6 min. alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone, cello, double bass, piano
  • Neue Bilder 10 min. piccolo, oboe, E♭ clarinet, trumpet, percussion, viola, cello, double bass
  • Wine of Dragons 7 min.
  • Kaleidarray 15 min. violin/bass violin, clarinet/bass clarinet, trumpet, Thai gongs, vibraphone, marimba, piano
  • Cuimhneachan Urramach 15 min. solo cello and 14 players
  • Octane-VX 8 min. flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, double bass
  • Canon 3 min. clarinet, trumpet, vibraphone, marimba, piano, violin, double bass
  • bien serré 20 min. jazz ensemble
  • KappaMusik 13 min. jazz ensemble
  • aXis 12 min. 13 players
  • soundskein 15 min. two string quartets
Chamber music
  • Images 17 min. flute, vibraphone, violin, viola, cello
  • Encounters – II 10 min. percussion duo
  • String Quartet 10 min. 2 violins, viola, cello
  • Jazz 7 min. saxophone quartet
  • Here the Bird 13 min. viola, piano
  • Épanoui 12 min. flute, cello, piano
  • Tyee 13 min. bass flute and percussion
  • Consort: Dances of the Borealis 15 min. two pianos, two percussion
  • Cachées 11 min. guitar and cello
  • nmaya 12 min. percussion and piano
  • TreDue Sextet 10 min. flute, clarinet, marimba/vibraphone, piano, violin, violoncello.
Instrumental
  • Exposures 7 min. horn
  • Portrait 8 min. flute
  • Piano 14 min. piano
  • Variations 21 min. piano
  • Song for Nobody 8 min. B♭ clarinet
  • Ma'dhanah 12 min. Accordion
  • flung loose into the stars 10 min. piano
  • Exh... 5 min. piccolo
  • Édifices 10 min. piano
  • pLayer8a 5 min. player piano
Vocal and choral
  • Five Poems by Richard Brautigan 8 min. mezzo-soprano, flute, cello, percussion, piano
  • Soft Morning 7 min. soprano solo
  • Singing a silence of stone 6 min. soprano, harp, 2 percussion
  • Two Psalms 14 min. Lullaby, Jubilate Domino SATB chorus, harp
  • Jubilate Domino SATB chorus, harp
  • Reflections on a Prayer of Saint Augustine 13 min. SATB chorus
  • one winter afternoon 8 min.. soprano, bass clarinet, cello, piano
  • Cantico delle Creature 23 min. mezzo-soprano, choir, chamber orchestra, soundfiles
  • re: Hallelujah 5.5 min. soprano and chamber orchestra
Electroacoustic
  • Sonnet Sonore 14 min. oboe and stereo electroacoustic
  • Voyage 15 min. 4-channel electroacoustic
  • Per Foramen Acus Transire 15 min. flute/bass flute and stereo electroacoustic
  • Night-flowering... not even sand – I 12 min. bassoon and electroacoustic
  • Night-flowering... not even sand – II 9 min. stereo electroacoustic
  • Spangled 5 min. stereo electroacoustic
  • Jardinages – I 6 min. electric guitar and tape
  • Jardinages – II 6 min. stereo electroacoustic
  • On Frogs 13 min. reciter, interactive electronics
  • Anasazi: Kokopeli I 11 min. amplified piccolo and electronics
  • Xmix 12 min. stereo electroacoustic
  • Chaotika 12 min. percussion and interactive electronics
  • jem 3 min. 4-channel electroacoustic
  • Wild Fruits: Prologue 16 min. 8-channel electroacoustic
  • Wild Fruits: Installation open duration keyboard controller, sampler, stereo electroacoustic
  • Mashup: Derome vs Oliveros 7 min. stereo electroacoustic
  • Wild Fruits 2: like a ragged flock, like pulverized jade 11 min. amplified alto flute, live electronics, 8-channel electracoustic
  • blueBob 5 min. stereo electroacoustic
  • Ariel Fragments 17 min. SSSAAA choir, 8-channel electroacoustic
  • pLayer8b 5 min. 8-channel electroacoustic
  • re:Nude 4.5 min. stereo electroacoustic
  • re:Nude:ty 1 min. stereo electroacoustic
  • Wild Fruits 3: Chestnuts 13 min. 8-channel electroacoustic
  • re:Reckoner 4.5 min. stereo electroacoustic
  • Duol 7 min. violin, guitar, soundfiles
  • Raindown 4.5 min. stereo electroacoustic
Educational music
  • Dance Set 8 min. two cellos, Grade 4 level
Music theatre
  • Scenes From a Theatre on Mars 15 min. 2 speaking/acting roles, 2 cl, tp/flugel, vn/vl, vc.

    Affiliations

James Harley is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre, and a board member of the Canadian League of Composers. He is also a member of the American Composers Forum, the Canadian Electroacoustic Community, and the International Computer Music Association.

Selected performers

Arraymusic, Codes d'Accès, Composers' Orchestra, Continuum, Corey Hamm Marc Couroux, ECM, Hammerhead Consort, Kappa, Kore, Kovalis Duo, Duo Vira, Groundswell, Hammerhead Consort, Lafayette String Quartet, McGill Contemporary Music Ensemble, McGill Symphony Orchestra, Elizabeth McNutt, New Music Concerts, Patricia O'Callahan, Oshawa-Durham Symphony, Open Ears Festival, Penderecki String Quartet, Polish Society for New Music, Brigitte Poulin, Prince George Symphony, Ben Reimer, SMCQ, Transmission, Trio Phoenix, Trio Fibonacci, Alain Trudel, University of Guelph Women's Chamber Choir, Vancouver Bach Choir, Ellen Waterman.