James Rodde

James Rodde, the Louise Moen-Hamilton Professor and Director of Choral Activities at Iowa State University, Ames, conducts the Iowa State Singers, the Iowa Statesmen, and teaches choral conducting and literature.  Choirs under his direction have toured internationally to critical acclaim and have been honored with performances at several distinguished music conferences, including seven national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association (1993, 1997, 2005, 2009, 2015, 2019, and 2025) and two national conferences of the National Collegiate Choral Organization (2008 and 2011).

An active clinician, Dr. Rodde has led regional ACDA honor choirs and over a dozen all-state choirs, most recently in Georgia, Texas, Kentucky, and Mississippi.  As a conducting mentor, one of his students won the ACDA National Undergraduate Conducting Competition.

Beyond his university duties, Dr. Rodde is the Artistic Director of the Des Moines Choral Society, a position he has held since 2003.  For more than a decade he served ACDA as the North Central Repertoire and Standards Chair for Men’s Choirs, and he continues to edit and arrange choral music, with a number of published works.  

From 1985 to 2000 he served as Director of Choral Studies at the University of North Dakota, where he was honored with the Fine Arts Faculty Award for Teaching.  His alma mater, Augsburg University, recently honored him with the Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of his significant achievement in vocation and outstanding contribution to the community.