The Soprano Concert seat is generously sponsored by Mr & Mrs Sanders.
James began playing trumpet at aged 8. At 11 years old he joined the Blackpool Music Service Concert Band, where 6 years later he is Lead Trumpeter and mentor to younger members of the Training Band. As part of BMS he has been on two European Tours to Spain & Germany, won Blackpool Young Musician of the Year and regularly performed at the annual Armed Forces Week Concert at the Winter Gardens. James is a currently a 6th Form Music Scholar at Kirkham Grammar School. He is also Lead trumpet with Lancashire Youth Jazz Orchestra (LYJO) & Principal trumpet with Lancashire Youth Symphony Orchestra (LYSO).
After achieving his grade 8 distinction at age 14, James became one of the pioneering participants in the National Youth Orchestra of GB ‘NYO Inspire’ Programme and a year later he was the only young person in Lancashire to be selected as a full member of the main orchestra. In the same year he was a member the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and started studying under Rhys Owens, Principle Trumpet with RLPO. James is now completing his 2nd year with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and has had the privilege of playing under some world-class conductors including John Wilson and Edward Gardiner, with whom he recorded Holst’s Planet Suite in collaboration with Chandos Records. He has been lucky enough to perform in some of the countries leading venues including The Barbican, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Royal Festival Hall and The Royal Albert Hall at the BBC Proms last August.
This summer as part of NYOGB 2017 James will be playing Piccolo Trumpet in Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, under the direction of Thomas Ades, culminating in a second televised performance at the BBC Proms and performances in the prestigious Berlioz Festival in Lyon, France.
James loves to play all genres of music and has played with the Terry Reeney Blue Bird Big Band for the past 4 years but has only recently has taken on the position of Soprano Cornet Player initially with Freckleton Brass Band and Foden’s Youth Band.. Having achieved his ABRSM Diploma in Performance in 2015, a year later at aged just 16, he became a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music (LRSM). In 2017 he was one of 4 finalists who performed live in the BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Award,
As well as being a keen brass player James is an accomplished drummer and pianist who also likes to play golf and cycle.