James is in his first year at ANAM in 2026 under Howard Penny, having previously studied with Rachel Johnston and Simon Cobcroft. At age eight, James announced that he would become a “mathemusician”. This has proven unnervingly prescient, though he is still searching for an equally catchy portmanteau of music and physics. He holds a Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) in physics, mathematics, and music performance from the Australian National University (ANU), where he was awarded the University Medal in physics. His development has been supported by numerous accolades, including the ANU Friends of the School of Music Performance Scholarship, the Ruth Pfanner Scholarship, the Erika Haas Prize, and the Fankhauser Travelling Fellowship, which enabled his studies in Zürich in 2024.
James joined the Australian World Orchestra for their 2026 season and served as principal cello of the Australian Youth Orchestra in 2025 and 2026, performing in venues such as the Musikverein and Het Concertgebouw during the orchestra’s 2025 international tour. He is also a member of the Academic Orchestra of Zürich, appears casually with the Adelaide and Canberra Symphony Orchestras, and has performed in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Incurably fond of chamber music, James has collaborated with prominent artists including William Barton, Wilma Smith, Kirsten Williams, and Ensemble Offspring. As a soloist and recitalist, he has appeared at the Canberra International Music Festival and various embassies. His concerto performances with orchestras have garnered “wild acclaim”, with Canberra City News calling him a “dynamo on the cello”.
When he’s not playing cello, James enjoys composition, differential geometry, and reading Murakami.
FROM: SA. Lands of the Kaurna people.
James is supported by ANAM Syndicate donors Roger Bau and Eric Dias, Elida Brereton, Elaine Canty AM and Roy Masters AM, Cope-Williams Foundation, Mary Oliver, Mick and Margaret Toller.
Photo by Pia Johnson