James. W. Story is Emeritus Professor of Volunteer State Community College retiring in 2018 after over 40 years As a music educator. He also has served as music director for several different churches in the Middle Teeneess area. He is currently serving as Director the Chancel Choir at Gallatin First United Methodist Church. He is now President of JSto Productions LLC and JSto Publishing Company. This is his premiere production of his company.
During his tenure in Sumner County as an educator, he has developed music curriculum from K-2 through Higher Education, won numerous superior ratings for band and choral performances, served as Chair of the Visual and Performing Arts Department at Volunteer State, produced over 35 student produced CD projects and produced over 40 Christmas and Spring Music Showcases. Additionally, he has developed new ensemble opportunities for the school and has been involved in campus and community activities and organizations.
Recent honors include being nominated for the 2014 Bellwether Award for an Interdisciplinary Collaboration CD Project and receiving the Innovations of the Year Award (2013, 2014 and 2017) from the League of Innovations of Community Colleges ) for the Interdisciplinary CD project. He was nominated by the Grammy Foundation in 2015 for Educator of the Year. He was a semi-finalist (top 25) out of 7,000 applicants across the country. He is an ASCAP member.
Professional participation includes NAME and ACDA, and served as guest panelist for the 2014 Summer Nashville NAMM convention and has taught music in Ireland through the Tennessee International Study Consortium and International Studies Program at Vol State. Story was instrumental in receiving funding from the Tennessee Community Foundation for a campus festival.
One of his most meaningful accomplishments was receiving a grant from The National Endowment for the Arts and Alternate Roots, Inc. to produce an original stage production, Tennessee Roots. The production was a musical display of Negro spirituals and Appalachian folk songs. He also presented his research on spirituals at the 2003 Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities.
Story is no stranger to the Hendersonville Performing Arts Company. He has served as music director for “Les Miserables”, “Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat”, “Mary Poppins”, “The Music Man”, summer music program and “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Fame”, “A Christmas Carol”, Shrek” and most recently, “Nuncrackers”. He had conducted and written numerous band and choral works with chorus and full orchestra. In addition, He has taught an array of talented students, recording artists, musicians and teachers in many different genres; including American Idol Finalist Kimberley Locke, several Broadway musicians, and several Cruise line dancers.
His company mission statement: Where dreams are free and creativity abounds!