The Oregon State University Sesquicentennial Oral History Project

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James Douglass Oral History Interview. December 5, 2013

James Douglass Oral History Interview

Life history interview conducted by Bob Schapper, Chris Petersen and Steve Matthes.

December 5, 2013

Location:  Valley Library, Oregon State University.

James Douglass (b. 1936), served as Oregon State University's Director of Bands from 1968-1999. During that time he directed the OSU Symphonic Band and the OSU Marching Band, as well as other athletic bands. Under his leadership, the OSU Bands performed internationally, engaging in goodwill tours of Japan, Taiwan and Costa Rica. Douglass is also the founder of the Northwest Band Camp, which serves 450 middle school students each summer. He has appeared as an adjudicator, guest conductor, band clinician, and trumpet soloist at colleges and high schools in Europe, Canada, Taiwan, the Philippines, and the U.S. His interview focuses on his early musical interests, his tenure in the Navy Band, his long career at Oregon State University and some of the outstanding musicians who performed at OSU during his three decades in charge.