James D. Ployhar
Biography
James D. Ployhar (22 September 1926, Valley City, N.D. – 2 January 2007, Fargo, N.D.) was an American composer, music educator, and film producer.
Ployhar attended Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota, was initiated into the Beta Rho chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity in 1952, and also originated the Fargo Big Band All-Stars, a musical group that frequently performed in and around Fargo, North Dakota, including regular engagements at Silent Movie Night, held at the historic Fargo Theatre.
Mr. Ployhar taught nineteen years in the public schools and was enthusiastically welcomed throughout the United States and Canada as a clinician and a conductor.
He was considered to be one of the most prolific writers in the field of music education. He was responsible for many great American songs, including the instrumental piece, Cool Blues for Trumpets, March of the Irish Guard, Crazy Clock and Korean Folk Song Medley. He was the author of the Contemporary Band Course, Belwin-Mills Publishing Corporation of New York, composer of The Fickertail, official North Dakota march, and recipient of the citation of excellence by the executive committee of the National Band Association. Mr. Ployhar was past president of the VCSC Alumni Association (1975-76) and is a member of the V-500 Foundation.
On May 20, 1977, Mr. Ployhar was given the Distinguished Alumnus Award at Valley City State University. In 1994, he was one of the co-producers of the Disney film Iron Will.
Works for Winds
- American Patrol (as arranger) (1891/2005)
- Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair (as arranger) (1963)
- Blue Tango (arr Ployhar) (as arranger)
- Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (as arranger) (1941/1975)
- Burtonwood Overture
- Caravan (as arranger) (1937/1975)
- Castlebay Overture
- Castle, Loch, and Heath (as arranger) (1983)
- Chiapanecas (as arranger)
- Christmas Sing-a-Long (as arranger)
- Christmas "Pop" Sing-a-Long (as arranger)
- The Civil War (as arranger) (1991)
- Clarinets on the Run (1986)
- Concerto for Faculty and Band (1972)
- Cool Blues for Trumpets
- Crazy Clock
- Crusader's Hymn (as arranger) (1997)
- Deep River (as arranger) (1959)
- Devonshire Overture
- Ding! Dong! Merrily on High (as arranger) (1987)
- Fantasy on Joy to the World
- Fantasy on "The Marine's Hymn" (as arranger) (1994)
- Flight of the Flutes (2007)
- He's Got the Whole World in His Hands (as arranger) (1973)
- A Holly Jolly Christmas (as arranger) (1997)
- The Hundred Pipers (as arranger) (c. 1852/1973/1988)
- Impressions of a Scottish Air (1957)
- Jingle Bells in Dixie (as arranger) (1857/1989)
- Korean Folk Song Melody
- Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (as arranger) (1945/1998)
- March of the Irish Guard (as arranger) (1989)
- Morning Has Broken (1931/1977)
- A Nation's Prayer (as arranger) (2006)
- Nobody Knows the Troubles I've Seen (as arranger) (1956)
- An Old English Christmas (1958)
- Patriotic Sing-a-Long (as arranger) (1976)
- Poor Wayfaring Stranger (as arranger) (1957/1960)
- Salute to the Patriots (1999)
- Santa Meets the Big Bands (2005)
- Simple Gifts (arr Ployhar) (as arranger) (1968)
- Sing for America (as arranger) (1998)
- Sleigh Ride (as arranger) (1948/1980)
- Songs of a New Nation
- Still, Still, Still (as arranger) (1988)
- Sunderland Overture
- Swingin' into Christmas (2002)
- Swingin' Old Saint Nick (as arranger) (1867/1998)
- Theme from "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (as arranger)
- Travelin' Trumpets (2006)
- Tunbridge Overture
- Vaudeville Favorites (as arranger) (1969)
- Vikingland (as arranger) (1986)
Resources
- Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Ployhar, James D." Accessed 4 October 2014.
- James Ployhar, Wikipedia