Biography

James Lowe began his tenure as the 8th Music Director of the Spokane Symphony in the 2019/20 season. His work as a conductor has ranged over five continents including collaboration with orchestras in the UK and Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA. Passionately committed to the belief that classical music is for everyone, he balances his conducting schedule with his work to engage new audiences and a long-standing commitment to youth music.

His work as Artistic Director of the Hallé Harmony Youth Orchestra was featured in a four-part documentary shown in the UK on Channel 4. A recipient of the Bernard Haitink Fund for Young Talent, Lowe has held the position of Chief Conductor with the Prueßisches Kammerorchester, Germany and the Vaasa City Orchestra, Finland, the position of Associate Conductor with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Orchestras Advisor to the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland.

Educated at the University of Edinburgh, Lowe continued his development as Benjamin Zander Conducting Fellow with the Boston Philharmonic, and has studied with leading conductors in master classes, including Jorma Panula, Neeme Järvi, Bernard Haitink and Valery Gergiev. He worked as Assistant Conductor to Haitink in performances with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam.

In addition to his conducting work James is active as an educator, teacher of conducting and is undertaking research exploring ways in which orchestras can meaningfully engage with a wider public.

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Orchestras and Soloists

James Lowe has worked with the following ensembles and soloists:

Ensembles

  • BBC Philharmonic (BBC Young Conductors 2002)
  • BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
  • Edinburgh Contemporary Music Ensemble (Principal Conductor)
  • Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra
  • Sinfonia Finlandia Jyväskylä
  • The Gecko Ensemble
  • The Hallé Orchestra
  • The Hallé Harmony Youth Orchestra
  • Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
  • Kaiserslautern Symphony Orchestra
  • Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra
  • Kwa Zulu Natal Philharmonic
  • London Symphony Orchestra in master class with Valery Gergiev
  • Luxembourg Philharmonic
  • Luzern Symphony Orchestra in master class with Bernard Haitink
  • Meadows Chamber Orchestra
  • Moscow Chamber Orchestra
  • Music for Everyone (Principal Guest Conductor)
  • National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada
  • New Bristol Sinfonia (Artistic Director)
  • New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Nottingham Youth Orchestra
  • Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Pori Sinfonietta
  • Residentie Orkest, Den Haag also in master class with Neeme Järvi
  • Richard Strauss Gala Orchestra (Thistle Music) Strauss – Alpine Symphony
  • Rose Street Ensemble
  • Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
  • Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama Youth Works
  • Royal Scottish National Orchestra (Associate Conductor, 2004-2007)
  • Scottish Ballet
  • Scottish Borders Orchestra
  • Scottish Chamber Orchestra
  • Scottish Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Sinfonia ViVA
  • St. Petersburg Academic Symphony Orchestra
  • Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Trondheim Symphony Orchestra
  • Vaasa Sinfonia
  • Welsh National Opera
  • The Orchestra of Welsh National Opera
  • West of Scotland Schools Orchestra (Artistic Director)

 

Soloists:

Piano

  • Peter Donohoe
  • Philip Fischer
  • Tanya Gabrielian
  • Lang Lang
  • Natasha Paremski

 

Strings

  • Nicola Benedetti, violin
  • Rafal Zambrzycki-Payne, violin
  • Steven Isserlis, cello
  • Guy Johnston, cello
  • Natalie Klein, cello

 

Brass and woodwind

  • John Gracie, trumpet
  • Tine Thing Helseth, trumpet
  • Carla Rees, flute
  • John Cushing, clarinet
  • Scott Lygate, clarinet

 

Voice

  • Barbara Hendricks, soprano
  • Jane Irwin, soprano
  • Elizabeth Llewellyn, soprano