Music for secondary school students

Fanfare (2012). Junior brass ensemble with smaller professional ensemble and optional organ.

Commissioned and premiered by MLC School at the Sydney Town Hall. Designed to encourage beginner brass players by coupling them with their teachers in performance.

Symphony of the Child (2009). Orchestra, extended Percussion, SATB Choir. Note: each movement of the Symphony is for different aged children. Every movement has parts for senior school orchestra with some virutosic solo parts. The third movement features senior percussion ensemble (taiko-style) again with senior orchestra, and all movements include three or four part choir.

Commissioned and premiered by International Grammar School, Sydney.

Too Much (2005). Clarinet in B flat, Alto Saxophone, Violin and Cello.

Commissioned and premiered by students of Caringbah High School. Caringbah commissioned three works from me over three years, the first two (Hiroshima and Under the Surface) of which were quite sombre pieces. For the third I decided they deserved something a bit fun, and so this character piece is just that, a frivolous play on themes.

Hiroshima (2005). Flute, Clarinet in B flat, Violin, Cello, Piano.

Commissioned and premiered by students of Caringbah High School. This piece was inspired by a moving visit to the Hiroshima memorial with my family in June 2005.

Jabberwock (2004). Combined Concert and Stage Bands.

Commissioned and premiered by MLC School at the Sydney Opera House under Anna Parry (see video of premiere performance below).

Under The Surface (2004). Flute, Cello, Marimba, Piano.

Commissioned and premiered by students of Caringbah High School.

Changing Land (2004). 4 Flutes with delay effect, 2 Clarinets in B flat, Alto Saxophone, SATB voices, Electric and Bass guitars, Piano, Keyboards and antiphonal Drum Sets.

Commissioned and premiered by Aitken College, Vic.

When Satie Met Miss Daisy (2004). Flute, Violin and Piano.

Another little character piece, this time for some friends to play.

Three Moments (2004). Flute, cello and piano.

Composed for a friend who was moving to the US to study. The unison cello and flute lines were inspired by Howard Skempton's Surface Tension - a sound I also explored in Under the Surface.

Aftertrace (2003). Solo Drum Kit, Timpani, Vibraphone with String Orchestra.

Commissioned and premiered by Sydney Grammar Prep School, St Ives. This piece is also available as a short solo violin work.

Fanfare for School Orchestra (2001). Orchestra.

Ta Yu (2000). String Orchestra.

Commissioned and premiered by Nova Orchestra.

One Piece in the Olden Style (2000). String Orchestra.

Commissioned and premiered by Nova Orchestra.

Simple Suite for Strings (1999). String Orchestra.

A very simple suite for beginner string ensembles which will introduce a few new pitches outside D major.

Much of James' solo concert music is suitable for senior school students. See the Solo section under Concert Music for scores and recordings. In addition, some of James' chamber music is performable by good senior students.