James Barnes
James Charles Barnes (born September 9, 1949 in Hobart, Oklahoma, U.S.) is an American composer.
Also recorded as James C. Barnes
James Barnes

The United States Army Band · DSC_2409 Uploaded by AlbertHerring · CC BY 2.0
- Name
- James Charles Barnes
- Born
- 9 September 1949
- Birthplace
- Hobart, Oklahoma, U.S.
- Occupation
- Composer, tubist, professor
- Education
- University of Kansas (B.M., M.M.)
- Known for
- Wind band compositions
- Awards
- American Bandmasters Association Ostwald Award (twice)
- Full name
- James Charles Barnes.
- Nationality
- United States.
- Languages
- English.
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Documentary summary
James Charles Barnes (born September 9, 1949 in Hobart, Oklahoma, U.S.) is an American composer.
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Note VALÉORINE
James Barnes (born 1949) is a composer, conductor and music educator, among other activities, of American nationality. The composer was born James Charles Barnes in Hobart.
James Barnes was educated at University of Kansas. The composer worked for University of Kansas. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q705833
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — James Charles Barnes • Born — 9 September 1949 • Birthplace — Hobart, Oklahoma, U.S. • Occupation — Composer, tubist, professor • Education — University of Kansas (B.M., M.M.) • Known for — Wind band compositions • Employer — University of Kansas (Emeritus Professor) • Awards — American Bandmasters Association Ostwald Award (twice) • Notable Works — Numerous wind ensemble works performed internationally
Life and career
Life and career
Barnes studied composition and music theory at the University of Kansas, earning a Bachelor of Music in 1974, and Master of Music in 1975. He studied conducting privately with Zuohuang Chen. In 1977 he joined the faculty at the University of Kansas as professor of music theory and composition. He retired in August 2015, but retains his emeritus status at KU. Barnes is also a tubist and has performed with numerous professional organizations in the United States. His numerous compositions are frequently played in America, Europe, Japan, Taiwan and Australia. The Japanese concert band Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra has produced 3 CDs to date with works of James Barnes. He has twice received the American Bandmasters Association Ostwald Award for contemporary wind band music.
Works for concert band
Works for concert band
• A Solemn Prelude for Symphonic Band, Op. 114 • A Light in the Wilderness • A Very American Overture, Op. 93 • All Pleasant Things - commissioned by the Northshore Concert Band • Alvamar Overture, Op. 45 • Appalachian Overture, Op. 51 • Arioso For Symphonic Band • Autumn Soliloquy for Oboe and Concert Band • Beautiful Oregon • Breckenridge • Brookshire Suite • Caribbean Hideaway • Carnaval in São Paulo • Centennial Celebration Overture • Century Tower Overture • Chorale and Jubiloso • Chorale Prelude on a German Folk Tune, Op. 61 • Citadel (2015) • Credo (2016) • Concerto for Tuba and Wind Band • Crossgate • Dance Variants - commissioned by the Honolulu Wind Ensemble • Danza Sinfonica • Desperate Pursuit • Dexter Park Celebration (2017) • Dream Journey (a Tone Poem for Symphonic Band), Op. 98 • Dreamers... • Doctor Who • Duo Concertante, Op. 74 • Eagle Crest • Eagle Bend Overture for Band • Eisenhower Centennial March • Fanfare and Capriccio • Fanfares and Alleluias • Fantasy Variations on a Theme by Nicolo Paganini (1988) • Festival Concert March • Festive Music for Singapore • Foxfire Overture for Symphonic Band, Op. 111 • German Folk Tune • Golden Brass • Golden Festival Overture, Op. 95 • Heatherwood Portrait • High Plains Overture • Hobart Centennial March • Hunter Park • Inspiration Point • Inventions On Marching Songs • Invocation and Toccata • Impressions of Japan • Jubilation Overture • Legend • Lonely Beach Normandy 1944 • Long Gray Line • Maracas from Caracas • March Kawasaki • Meadowlark, A Pastorale • Medicine Lodge • Mojaves Claves • Music from "Girl Crazy" by George Gershwin • Nulli Secundus March • Omaggio • Pagan Dances • Ritual • Mystics • The Master of the Sword • Poetic Intermezzo • Rapscallion • Rhapsodic Essay; Gathering of Eagles • Riverfest • Romanza • Scenes of the Aztecs • Spitfire Overture • Stone Meadows • Sunflower Saga • Symphonic Essay, Op. 133 • Symphonic Overture, Op. 80 • The Old Guard • The Pershing Rifles • The Silver Gazebo • The Texans • Toccata Fantastica • Torch Dance • Trailridge Saga • Trail of Tears • Tribute, Op. 134 • Trumpets and Drums • Twin Oaks Overture for Band • Valor • Variations on a Moravian Hymn • Visions Macabres • Westport Overture • Westridge Overture • Wild Blue Yonder • Wildwood Overture • Yama Midori (Green Mountains) • Yorkshire Ballad
Symphonies
Symphonies
• First Symphony, Op. 35 • Allegro Vivo • Lento • Scherzo • Passacaglia • Second Symphony, Op. 44 • Elegia • Variazioni Interrotte • Finale • Third Symphony - "The Tragic", Op. 89 [MAJOR WORKS] • Lento. Allegro ritmico • Scherzo • Fantasia - Mesto (for Natalie) • Finale - Allegro giocoso • Fourth Symphony – "Yellowstone Portraits", Op. 103b • Dawn on the Yellowstone River • Pronghorn Scherzo • Inspiration Point (Tower Falls) • Fifth Symphony "Phoenix", Op. 110 • Eulogy • Scherzo • Reverie • Jubilation • Sixth Symphony, Op. 130 (written for the Lake Braddock High School Symphonic Band) • Andante, ma non troppo • Adagio • Allegro energico • Seventh Symphony – "Symphonic Requiem", Op. 135 • Prologue - The Hornet's Nest (Shiloh, April 1862) • Marye's Heights (Fredericksburg, December 1862) • Longstreet's Assault (The Third Day at Gettysburg, July 1863) • Apotheosis (Appomattox, 1865) • Eighth Symphony – "for Wangen", Op. 148 (written for the 1200 anniversary of Wangen im Allgäu in 2015, premiere on March 20, 2015 in Wangen im Allgäu by Stadtkapelle Wangen conducted by James Barnes.) • Ninth Symphony – "Elegy', Op. 160 (commissioned by a consortium of twenty-one college bands, including the University of North Texas Symphonic Band, community bands, professional bands and individuals to help mark the 70th birthday of the composer.) • Elegy • Scherzo • Night Music • Finale
Identity
Identity
James Barnes is recorded as music educator, tubist, musicologist, conductor and composer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1949
James Barnes born at Hobart.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.United States Naval Academy Band. Mr. James Barnes.
- 2.James Barnes - Keiser Southern Music.
- 3.American Bandmasters Association. Sousa/ABA/Ostwald Contest.
- 4.Nationally renowned composer to participate in ONU's Spring Band Festival this Sunday, May 10. The Ada Herald. May 7, 2009.
- 5.Pulitzer-winning composer-conductor's talk slated for Tuesday. Lawrence Journal-World. March 1, 1981.
- 6.LeComte, Richard. March honors Eisenhower on 100th anniversary of birth. Lawrence Journal-World. June 7, 1990.
- 7.Chaudhari, Saiqa. Smithills band to take on the world. Bolton News. February 12, 2009.
- 8.Marshall Municipal Band to feature trio of Sousa marches Thursday, June 12. Marshall Democrat-News. June 11, 2008.
- 9.Schwäbische Zeitung feiert sich mit Kretschmann und Sinfonie March 21, 2015
- 10.Symphony IX (Barnes). Wind Repertory Project.
References
Citations
References
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authority record
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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