JAMES WATSON

James Watson is a proud member of Calgary's professional music community. He started playing the violin at the age of 7, and now, since completing his Bachelor of Music (minor in linguistics), he is a full-time freelance member of Calgary’s music community, working as a teacher, mentor, composer, recording, and performing artist, with stand-out work as an emerging composer-in-residency at the cSpace, GRAND theatre, and the Arts Commons respectively.

James is an experienced orchestral player. In addition to being principal 2nd of Key 30 Orchestra, he is also principal 2nd of Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra, a founding member of Stringendo String Orchestra, played and recorded with juno–nominated Orchestre de la francophonie, and is a principal player of the Daniel Pelton Collective.

James' focus is classical, jazz, and folk music but his eclectic experience working on the fringe has led him to play in unique genres such as Metal-Mariachi, Raga, Avant-garde Jazz-Punk, and many more.