Born in Michigan, James Chapman earned Bachelor and Masters degrees in Organ and Theory at the University of Michigan under Marilyn Mason and Robert Noehren. Then followed a two year tour of military duty which included a remarkable experience in choral directing while on assignment to the Headquarters Chapel Center, Tokyo. Working with a choir of one hundred Japanese singers, most of whom spoke little English, not only challenged and invigorated Chapman but also formed the basis of his life-long devotion to choral music. He went on to earn a PhD in Historical Musicology at New York University under Gustave Reese, then became organizer and choir director at Middlebury College, also teaching Music History and Theory. In 1968 he moved on to the University of Vermont as Assistant Professor of History, Theory and Organ. Among various assignments was that of Department Chair, a position he held for ten years.
Early in his Appointment at the University, Chapman was asked to form a choir that would be open to townspeople as well as Univeristy staff members and students. This group became the University Choral Union. Its repertoire has been wide-ranging: among large works are Bach's "b-minor Funeral Mass" and "St. John's Passion;" the Mozart and Brahms "Requiem" settings; Orff's "Carmina Burana." The repertoire has covered 13th to 20th century a cappella music as well. It's "Vermont Harmony" project resulted in four volumes of scores and recordings of selected works of eight early American composers who lived and/or worked in Vermont during the period 1790 to 1820. Musicologically interesting as an historical record, these are hymnns, anthems and fuging tunes of such people as Justin Morgan, Hezekiah Moore, Ebenezer Child, etc. For the last 21 years the Choral Union has offered to the greater Burlington community its very successful Christmas Carol Dinner series.
