James was born in Edinburgh and studied Music at Birmingham University after which he was awarded the Barber Postgraduate Scholarship to attend the Advanced Conductors’ Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (GSMD) in London. For nine years he worked in the Junior Department of GSMD, teaching Musicianship and conducting the orchestra. Whilst in London he conducted two choirs and was Head of Junior Music at the Purcell School before becoming Head of Strings and Head of the Saturday Music Centre in the London Borough of Havering. Whilst in Havering, he conducted various ensembles including the Youth Orchestra.In 1999 he moved to Edinburgh, working as a visiting music teacher in Clackmannanshire and then Edinburgh. For four years he worked for the Edinburgh choirs of the National Youth Choir of Scotland (NYCOS), teaching Musicianship and
conducting various choirs, before leaving to establish and conduct the Midlothian choir of NYCOS for a further four years. In 2008 he moved to the Scottish Borders, teaching there as well as in Edinburgh.
For a number of years, until the resignation of Steve King, Director of Music at Heriot Watt University (HWU), James conducted occasional rehearsals of both the HWU orchestra and choirs. He has conducted the Solway Sinfonia in concert and more recently in a ‘Play Day’. In the Borders he was MD of three productions of the Melrose Gilbert and Sullivan Society and has been MD of the Eildon Singers for 12 years, arranging music and conducting concerts.
James plays violin and Viola in many groups, including the illustrious Borders Chamber Orchestra!
