Born in Washington D.C. to music-loving parents, James began drum lessons through the DC Youth Symphony at Roosevelt High School in 1978, after which he attended St John’s College High School, an all-male military college prep. From there, James enrolled in the Film Scoring Program at Berklee College of Music in Boston where he studied Composition and Orchestration with a major in Film Scoring. During this time he studied composition with Boston composer Thomas McGah, studied percussion with Dean Anderson, Principal Percussionist of the Boston Ballet and studied conducting privately with noted conductor David Callahan, a former student of Leonard Bernstein. After moving to Los Angeles in 1992 he began paying his dues, working as a librarian and copyist for Suzy Katayama at the Sony Music Library.

James is also an avid supporter of Washington DC sports teams as well as London’s Arsenal Football Club.

James completed Dark Music for Bass Clarinet and Orchestra with the hope of it being premiered in 2022.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts | Berklee College of Music

SIMILAR FACULTY