E. James Kotora, Jr.

Dr. E. James Kotora, Jr. earned his undergraduate and masters degrees in choral conducting and music education at Bowling Green State University. He taught middle school and high school choral and general music in the public schools prior to pursuing his doctorate in music education at Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Kotora currently is an Elementary Music Specialist for the North Ridgeville City Schools in North Ridgeville, OH where he teaches Kindergarten and First Grade General Music. Dr Kotora has also served as a lecturer in the Department of Music at Case Western Reserve University where he has taught, Choral Methods, Music Methods: Voice, Class Voice and Music Listening in addition to directing the University Singers. His research interests include assessment in music, particularly as it relates to student learning and instruction in the general music and choral music performance classroom. He is also active as a choral clinician, arranger and composer.

Prior to his work at Case, Dr. Kotora was Director of Choral Activities at John Carroll University where he directed the University Concert Choir, Sound Advice Pop Vocal Ensemble and taught Music Appreciation and Class Voice. An active church musician, Dr. Kotora is the Children's Choir Director at Avon Lake, UCC in Avon Lake, OH. He is also a professional Tenor soloist. His teachers were Virginia Starr (Bowling Green State University) and Beverley Rinaldi (Cleveland Institute of Music).

Dr. Kotora has served on the board of the Ohio Choral Directors Association as its Northeast Region Chair. He is also a member of the Music Educators National Conference, American Choral Directors Association, and the United Church of Christ Musician's National Network.