James Huschka

James brings excitement to his teaching and an individualized approach that meets each student where they are. He believes in the importance of pulling from all resources to provide his students with the highest quality musical experience. James has taught students from 6 to 85 he loves teaching and seeing his students become their best self. His students have won awards in many regional and national competitions and are frequent members of top performing ensembles. James “gets” his students;he takes the time to know each one and designs their curriculum to create in them the most complete musician possible. James teaches classical, jazz and contemporary strings. James has been a professional string teacher, conductor and composer for nearly 40 years. He has played string instruments for over 50 years. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Music Education from Texas Tech University and a Doctorate in Education Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction Edgewood College Madison. James has performed throughout the South and Midwest with groups including the Santa Fe Chamber and Symphony Orchestras, Albuquerque Symphony, El Passo and Lubbock Symphony, as well as many chamber ensembles and as a soloist. His secret love is jazz violin which he has had the honor of playing with such jazz greats as Roscoe Mitchell, Clyde Stubblefield,Jeff Eckels, Jane Reynolds and Hannah John Taylor. James was the founding director of the Four Lakes Chamber Ensemble and is the current Chorus Master and Conductor of the Fresco Opera where he has conducted several world premiers. James recently retired from his career of 30 years with the Madison Schools where he taught Choir, Orchestra, General Music and Music Theatre.