Bio

MM, Cleveland Institute of Music
BM, Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music

James Ackley studied trumpet with James Darling (Cleveland Orchestra, retired), Michael Sachs (principal of the Cleveland Orchestra), Mary Squire (principal of the Ohio Chamber Orchestra, retired) and Eugene Blee (principal of the Cincinnati Symphony, retired), among others. James has also performed with the Charlotte Symphony, Florida Orchestra, Charleston Symphony, Moscow State Radio Symphony, Bogota Philharmonic, Mexico City Philharmonic, Cincinnati Symphony, among other orchestras. He is currently the principal trumpet of the South Carolina Philharmonic.  As a soloist and recitalist, he has performed in more than 33 countries and in the most famous concert halls in the world.  He was a member of the award winning Bala Chamber Brass (with several recordings available). James has recorded several solo CDs to critical acclaim: Recital Music for Trumpet (Claronade Records 2005), Lirico Latino (MSR Classics 2007), Tromba Mundi (MSR Classics 2009), Gabriel (Beauport Classics 2010), Eternal Source of Light Divine (Accord Records 2011), New American Music for Trumpet (Beauport Classics 2012), and Plastic (Beauport Classics 2014). A champion of new music, he has commissioned well over 40 works for trumpet, including two operas and two ballets for trumpet soloist. He has served on the board of directors for ITG, hosted the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Solo Trumpet Competition at USC, and is the founding director of the International Trumpet Camp in Montemorelos, México.  James has also published numerous arrangements, compositions, and a book, A Sytemmatic Approach to Flexibility (Mountain Peak Music).