James started his musical life at the Milton Keynes Music Service, studying ‘cello with Janet Wright and Jenny Brown and piano with Margaret Woodward, gaining a County Music Scholarship.
He was a member of the Buckinghamshire County Youth Orchestra, which toured France, Italy, Spain, Hungary and Poland, leading the ‘cello section for a few years.
James also gained valuable experience in chamber music, playing in quartets, quintets and other ensembles – also playing continuo ‘cello and also harpsichord on many occasions in baroque ensembles.
On leaving the area for university in 1994, James studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama in Glasgow (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) – principal study ‘cello with Mark Bailey (Edinburgh String Quartet) and second study piano with Anne Scott.
As well as studying for his degree in Scotland, James furthered his experience, gaining an apprenticeship and consequently work with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Royal Northern Sinfonia, touring with the Edinburgh String Quartet to the Isle of Arran as well as giving well-received chamber music concerts. He was also a member of a sextet from the RSAMD, which performed at the renowned St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London.
After graduating, James returned to the Milton Keynes area, joining orchestras locally. He became leader of the sections almost immediately.
James has also performed as a soloist – joint soloist with the Bedford Sinfonia in their ‘out and about’ concerts, performing the Haydn Sinfonia Concertante – and the same piece with the Milton Keynes Sinfonia. James has also performed as soloist on the piano with the Milton Keynes Sinfonia – playing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in 2005.
James has a cello and piano partnership with Milton Keynes based pianist Helen Rouse and they have been playing together for many years now, gaining a trusty musical rapport between them. They have performed together at an Arts Festival in Flore, Northamptonshire, at various festivals and Churches in Milton Keynes as well as for many weddings too. More recently they gave a lunchtime recital in St. Mary & St. Giles’ Church in Stony Stratford in 2015, which had very favourable reviews, so much so that they were asked back to perform as guest soloists with the Northampton Male Voice Choir at their 75th Anniversary concert in the same Church later in 2015.
James was filmed in July 2016 by the BBC for the series 'All together now: the great orchestra challenge', performing with his sister, world famous trombonist Carol Jarvis.
James will be performing Richard Strauss' Romance for Cello and Orchestra with the Bedford Sinfonia in March 2017.
James plays a ‘cello made for him in 1988 by Rex England; a local luthier from Stony Stratford.
