Faculty & Staff

Dr. Bruce Lesley

Assoc Prof & Dir of Choral Act
Choral Activities

blesley@colled.msstate.edu
(662) 325-7801

• D. A. University of Mississippi (MS)
• M. M. University of Mississippi (MS)
• B. S. University of North Alabama (AL)

James Bruce Lesley is presently the Director of Choral Activities and Associate Professor of music at Mississippi State University. Prior to his appointment at MSU, Dr. Lesley served as Director of Choral Activities at Mississippi University for Women (1990-2003) and Tupelo High School (1979-1990).

During his tenure at Tupelo, the choral department expanded to accommodate 375 students, grades 9-12, in a total of ten performing ensembles. Those ensembles amassed over 130 Superior ratings, 27 Best-in-Class trophies in Mississippi and Tennessee, and performed for Presidents Bush's 1988 visit to Tupelo, the Conductors' Conference at the University of Southern Mississippi, the Vocal Symposium at the University of Mississippi, the 1988 Southern Division Convention of ACDA in Birmingham, Alabama, and Music Week at Ridgecrest Baptist Conference Center in Ridgecrest, North Carolina. Dr. Lesley was spotlighted in 1988 by the Superintendent, Tupelo School Board of Education and Mayor for excellence in music education, and upon his resignation, received a citation from the Tupelo Public School Board of Education for appreciation of his loyal service to the community and commitment to educational excellence.

At the "W," the choral department increased participation 300% and enlarged to include the MUW Chorale, Madrigal Singers, Men's and Treble Choir, and The Group. Dr. Lesley taught Voice, Materials and Methods of Music Education, Conducting, Music for Children, the performing ensembles, and supervised student interns. He restored to the choral department a strong sense of commitment to excellence for which the "W" was once known.

Dr. Lesley is in demand as soloist, recitalist, accompanist, organist and musical theatre actor/director in a wide range of musical styles, as well as being a frequent adjudicator and clinician throughout the Southeast. Dr. Lesley made his conducting debut at New York's famed Carnegie Hall in June of 1989 with 100 singers from Tupelo High School and returned to Carnegie Hall in 1996 with the Chorale from Mississippi University for Women. In the spring of 2003, The MUW Chorale performed to two standing ovations by peers at the ACDA/MENC State Convention in Jackson, Mississippi. During his tenure at Mississippi State, Dr. Lesley received the The Ernestine Ferrell Award by his peers at the 2005 Mississippi ACDA/MMEA convention in Jackson for outstanding service to Mississippi. The MSU Chamber Singers opened the 2006 ACDA/MMEA convention to yet another round thunderous ovations by the audience.

Dr. Lesley was the Director of Music and Ministry at First Presbyterian Church (USA) in Tupelo 20 years where he conducted the Chancel Choir, Presbyteen Choir, Cherub Choir and supervised the music program which included ongoing coordination with pastors and the Worship Committee in the development of traditional and new forms of music and worship for special services. Among his achievements at the First Presbyterian were the creation of the Sanctuary Artist Series featuring local artists performing sacred music, supervision, enlargement and remodeling of the choir suites to accommodate the unprecedented growth of the music worship program and the oversight of selection, financial budgeting and placement of a new pipe organ.