SUNY Distinguished Professor James Davis (left) with Fredonia President Stephen H. Kolison Jr.
Dr. James Davis, a Professor of Musicology and Chair of the Music History Area in the Fredonia School of Music, has been appointed a State University of New York Distinguished Professor.
An internationally renowned musicologist with an expertise in the music of the American Civil War, Dr. Davis is known for his meticulous on-site archival research and his large body of groundbreaking published work, especially his two books with the University of Nebraska Press, a leading academic press for publications devoted to military history.
He has also made his research findings accessible to non-academic audiences through extensive media appearances and guest presentations at conferences and campuses around the world.
Dr. Davis is also recognized as a leader in the scholarship of music history pedagogy, both nationally and internationally, as he has deeply integrated his research with teaching. His strong influence in the American Musicological Society has resulted in the inclusion of the scholarship of teaching and learning into its mission, and he was instrumental in the formation of the AMS’s Pedagogy Study Group. It is widely acknowledged that Dr. Davis has continually elevated the standards of instruction in the discipline of musicology.
In presenting Dr. Davis with his honorary medallion, Fredonia President Stephen H. Kolison Jr. noted, “Dr. Davis is the latest example of the tremendous faculty leading our students to academic success at Fredonia. It was a pleasure to meet Dr. Davis in person today to present his medallion to him.”
Dr. Davis earned a B.S. in Music in 1984 from the University of Colorado at Denver, a M.M. in Music Composition from the University of Texas at Austin in 1987, and a Ph.D. in Music History and Theory in 1993 from Boston University. He has been a member of the Fredonia School of Music faculty since 1991. Dr. Davis’ scholarship has included dozens of scholarly articles and presentations.
The SUNY Distinguished Professorship is conferred upon individuals who have achieved national or international prominence and a distinguished reputation within a chosen field. The distinction is attained through significant contributions to the research literature or through artistic performance or achievement. It is the highest faculty rank in SUNY, and the Fredonia School of Music now has three current faculty with the distinction – percussionist Dr. Kay Stonefelt, guitarist James Piorkowski and Dr. Davis. Department of Visual Arts and New Media faculty member Alberto Rey is also a SUNY Distinguished Professor.
