Music education at MacPhail prepared James Pumphrey for the national stage.
Recent high school graduate and longtime MacPhail student James Pumphrey was one of eight winners of the National Endowment for the Arts and National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s (NAMT) Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High Schoolers in May 2026. His winning song, “Am I Doing Enough?” explores the anxiety many young artists face as they pursue their dreams while questioning whether they’re doing everything they can to succeed.
Am I Doing Enough? - Demo
As part of the songwriting competition, Pumphrey’s song was professionally workshopped and performed at New World Stages off-Broadway in June 2026.
“Seeing my new musical work performed off-Broadway was an eye–opening moment because it made my future feel both clear and attainable,” Pumphrey said. “After my time in New York with NAMT, I am secure in the notion that I belong in the arts and that it is possible to do great things with a career as an artist.”
This recognition and creative experience marks the culmination of years spent studying voice, piano, guitar, and participating in Prelude—a singer-actor lab at MacPhail that prepares students for careers in the performing arts. Prelude students explore vocal technique, text interpretation, stage presence, music and theatre genres, and vocal and theatrical performance.
Pumphrey credits faculty mentors at MacPhail for honing his talents and musical ambitions.
“MacPhail is the most important organization in my musical journey so far, because it’s where I was introduced to the teachers and mentors who have most shaped me as a performer, musician, and person,” he said.
“One of the most memorable moments from my time at MacPhail was at the end of my final Prelude concert, realizing just how much my artistry was shaped by my teachers at MacPhail, and how lucky I was to have studied with so many talented working artists at such a young age.”
Pumphrey’s Prelude faculty were equally impressed with him as a student, not only for his talent, but for his approach to learning. “James always had the courage to try and fail, try and fail, because he believed in the process rather than just going for a showy performance,” says Prelude coordinator Bradley Greenwald. “James is a gifted singer-actor. His commitment as a composer runs just as deep—proof that he wants to explore not just his talent, but the tools he needs to learn to develop it.”
Like many MacPhail students, Pumphrey was also impacted by MacPhail’s network of donors. “MacPhail succeeds at providing scholarships which make broader learning possible. The scholarships I received at MacPhail helped me branch out and deepen my overall musicianship,” Pumphrey says.
This fall, Pumphrey will continue his artistic journey at Northwestern University, where he plans to study Voice and Opera Performance. “As I am getting ready to leave for Northwestern, I am most thankful to MacPhail for giving me a place to find my life’s calling,” he says. “Not everyone gets that opportunity.”
