Boyd smiles alongside Kalapuya tribal elder, Jan Michael “Looking Wolf” after indigenous land blessing, June 30
A native Oregonian and University of Oregon graduate, Dr. James Boyd, returned to the University of Oregon campus during the most difficult period the world of live performance has ever witnessed: the pandemic. His task was a monumental one; he was to produce Oregon Bach Festival’s (OBF) first festival back since COVID-19.
“Trying to relaunch a festival after a two-year hiatus was a real challenge,” Boyd said. “The majority of our staff at the time had not produced a festival. They were talented, but that brain trust was not present, and there was a fear we would miss something somewhere. Somehow that did not happen, and we were fine in the end!”
While OBF has a storied 53-year history to be honored and respected, Boyd saw the pandemic as an opportunity for a reset. It allowed him, along with staff, to program differently and to think about the role of music in the community in a new way. That shift was first reflected in the 2023 season, as Boyd expanded beyond the traditional OBF offerings. Today, the core focus of the festival is to present choral-orchestral repertoire inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach.
“Oregon Bach Festival is Bach at its core, and I do not see that ever changing,” he noted. “Even though it might not be obvious at first glance, there was a lot of Bach woven into the programming this year. What has changed is the way we articulate that. If we say that we are focused on the choral-orchestral repertoire, that invites us to do a lot more programming with a lot more freedom. It is subtle, but as a programmer, it makes a huge difference.”
That shift in focus allowed Bach’s Magnificat to be performed on opening night, and An Alpine Symphony a week later. The theme of musical wanderlust, based on Bach’s 1723 move to Leipzig, was echoed in the choice to stage An Alpine Symphony, because the themes of travel, movement, and passage of time are present in the piece, which depicts an 11-hour trek through the Alps.
“As long as we know we are a choral-orchestral festival at our core, and that every year we have a theme or topic we want to explore that emanates from Bach, but can go very far and wide, I think that makes for a compelling and diverse festival,” he said.
In addition to programming the festival, Boyd jointly oversees OBF’s development staff and serves as administrative representative to the OBF Advisory Board.
Boyd first developed a love for classical music growing up in Bend, Oregon. A clarinetist, he attended the University of Oregon School of Music, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music in 1998. He went on to the University of Cincinnati College- Conservatory of Music (CCM) for his master’s and DMA in music performance (clarinet).
His supporting area of study at CCM was arts administration, encouraging part-time jobs at the Cascade Festival of Music in Bend during summers. Later, a local opera guild in Youngstown, Ohio sought to found a small opera company. He was recruited as the orchestral musician representative in that process.
“I did not realize that would be the beginning of the end of my life as a performer, but I just fell in love with the work!” he remembered. His arts administration career opened opportunities across the country, from the Salem Chamber Orchestra to the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, where he was Chief Executive Officer before landing back in Eugene as OBF’s director of programming in October 2021.
“I love this field!” he said. “There's a sense of satisfaction you get as an administrator when you see a major project come to fruition. Even though you are not up there performing, knowing all it took to make that happen has always been fulfilling to me.” Early in his administrative career, he longed to perform alongside other musicians, but over time, that faded. "Now I look at them and I'm easily relieved that it's not me up there!” he laughed.
His sole focus today is to make OBF the best it can be; attracting audience members from across the country. “We hope people will hop on a flight and spend some time in Eugene and enjoy not only the amazing programming that we're assembling, but also the city and the state and all it has to offer,” he said.
While the namesake of the festival is that of the 18th century composer, he hopes to spread the message that you do not have to be a Bach fan to enjoy the festival; that there is something for everyone. “If you enjoy Bach and period performance, please do come, and please enjoy that part of the festival. But this year, and in the future, we will also have more modern pieces. For example, we had a jazz quartet come and a brass band played at PK Park this season. There is a way for people to experience music and to experience the Bach Festival, no matter what type of music they enjoy in their daily life.”
While Boyd is not planning the festival, he is traveling back to his home base in Youngstown, Ohio, where his wife, Dr. Misook Yun, is a professor of voice at Youngstown State University. In Ohio ten to twelve weeks a year, he travels back and forth to spend quality time with Misook and their 15-year-old son, William, who plays the violin. “It's not ideal, but we have found a way to make it work!” he said.
James poses with Misook and William at Metolius Springs
James also enjoys hiking, sampling Eugene’s local breweries, and fly fishing in his spare time.
James fly fishing on the McKenzie River
Passionate about historic preservation, he is on the City of Eugene’s Historic Review Board. Nurturing his passion for music, he collects old “78” records and purchased a Columbia Grafonola to enjoy.
