James began the study of drum kit at the age of 7 with Adam Manning. He completed the HSC in 2010, gaining first place in the Dioceses for Music 1. In 2011 James began his Bachelor of Music at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with teachers Daryl Pratt, Rick Miller and Mark Robinson. He has performed in the Sydney Conservatorium’s Wind Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Modern Music Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra and Early Music Ensemble.
Outside of University James has performed with the Sydney Youth Orchestra, the Manly Warringah Chamber Orchestra, the Ku-Ring-Gai Philharmonic Orchestra, the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra and the Eastern Suburbs Chamber Orchestra. In 2015 James moved to Melbourne to study at the Australian National Academy of Music and has since played with the ANAM Symphony Orchestra, Brass Ensemble, Synergy Percussion and the Australian Brass Quintet. James currently plays casually with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria.
