James Campbell
“Canada’s pre-eminent clarinetist and wind soloist.”
— The Toronto Star
James Campbell has followed his muse to five television specials, more than 40 recordings, over 30 works commissioned, a Juno award for Stolen Gems (Marquis Records), a Roy Thomson Hall Award, Canada’s Artist of the Year, and the Order of Canada. Most recently, Campbell received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal. This was given on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the accession of Her Majesty the Queen to the Throne.
Called “Canada’s pre-eminent clarinetist and wind soloist” by the Toronto Star, James Campbell has performed in most of the world’s major concert halls. James has also collaborated and performed with many of the world’s great musicians including the late Glenn Gould, Aaron Copland, and Samuel Sanders; Elly Ameling, Janos Starker, Menahem Pressler, and the Borodin Trio, as well as the Penderecki, Amadeus, Guarneri, Fine Arts, Allegri, Manhattan, and Colorado String Quartets. He has been a guest soloist with over 50 orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic, the Toronto Symphony the National Radio-Television Orchestra of Spain, the Belgrade Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra, to name but a few.
Of Campbell’s extensive discography, many have won international acclaim. Most recently, on Cala Records, are the Brahms Clarinet Quintet with the Allegri Quartet that was voted “Top Choice” by BBC Radio 3 ,and the world premiere recording of Brahms’s [orchestrated Berio] Sonata Op. 120 No.1 with the London Symphony Orchestra. On CBC Records, are the Mozart, Beethoven, and Witt piano and wind Quintets, Finzi Clarinet Concerto with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, and the Jenner Trio in E-flat Major. Also of note is the Sony Classical re-release of the Debussy Première Rhapsodie with Glenn Gould.
Since 1989, James Campbell makes Bloomington his base during the academic year as professor of music at the prestigious Music School of Indiana University, returning to his home in Parry Sound each summer.
