Artistic Director
Don James CM
Don James, Artistic Director of the Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific, is one of Canada’s leading musical visionaries. After graduating in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Washington, Mr. James settled on Canada’s west coast in Powell River, British Columbia where he began his career as a conductor, music educator and initiator of important musical projects in Canada and abroad.
Mr. James is the founder and music director of the Powell River Academy of Music and the International Choral Kathaumixw. His work in opera led him to an intense interest in vocal music. Under his direction, Academy choirs have been heard in concert and on radio and television broadcasts in the Americas, Asia and Europe. Mr. James has commissioned new works for choir, soloists and orchestra and has been awarded prizes and recognition from the Canadian and European Broadcasting Corporations.
Mr. James has been a juror for the Juno Awards, CBC National Choir Competition, Miedzyzdroje Festival of Song, Poland, the national choral competitions of Sweden and the Choir Olympics in Korea. Recently Mr. James was invited to observe the development of choral music in China and to facilitate choral exchange between China and Canada.
Mr. James has served as president of the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors, the British Columbia Association of Community Music Schools and, for a decade, was Canada’s representative on the Board of Directors of the International Federation for Choral Music. Mr. James was recently appointed a Member of the Choir Olympic Council.
Mr. James is the recipient of the Willan Award and Canada’s highest honor, the Order of Canada, in recognition of his distinguished service to music.
International Choral Kathaumixw website
