James attended Bakersfield College out of high school where he studied composition, theory and piano with Dr. John Gerhold, who introduced James to the art of composition. James then attended California State Univeristy, Bakersfield where he studied composition, theory and 20th century history with Dr. Doug Davis and trumpet with Charles Brady. He received his BA in music composition with a minor in philosophy in 2005 graduating magna cum laude as a member of Alpha Chi National Honors society, also earning the music department's outstanding graduating senoir award. He then went on to get his Master of Music in Composition from Oklahoma City University's Wanda L. Bass School of Music under the direction of Dr. Edward Knight. James is now teaching elementary band and orchestra while taking a year off before continuing on to obtain his doctorate in music composition.
Most recently James was commissed by the 2nd Annual San Francisco Chamber Winds Festival to be performed by their resident ensemble Chamber Mix. This piece was Metempsychosis and was well received at the festival. James has been the recipient of many music and academic scholarships throughout his college career and has won or placed in the Bakersfield Symphony New Directions Composition Contest three times.

James hopes go into a doctoral program in fall of 2008 and on completion teach composition/theory/20th century history at the university level as well as compose professionally.

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