James Ehnes, Artistic Director

A 2008 Grammy award winning artist for Best Performance as Soloist with Orchestra, James Ehnes has performed as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician in over 20 countries on five continents and has worked with many of the world's most renowned orchestras and conductors. Highlights of his 2007-2008 season include appearances with the New York Philharmonic, the San Francisco, Detroit, Seattle, New World, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver Symphonies, a tour of South America, and European performances in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Berlin, Prague, Istanbul, San Sebastian and Pamplona. Born in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada in 1976, Mr. Ehnes began violin studies at the age of four, and at nine became a protege of the noted Canadian violinist Francis Chaplin. He continued his studies with Sally Thomas at The Juilliard School, winning the Peter Mennin Prize for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Music upon his graduation in 1997. Mr. Ehnes's extensive discography of over 20 recordings features repertoire ranging from Bach violin sonatas to John Adams's Road Movies. He has received the Avery Fisher Career Grant, an honorary doctorate from Brandon University, and in 2007 became the youngest person ever elected as a Fellow to the Royal Society of Canada. He plays the "Ex Marsick" Stradivarius of 1715 on extended loan from the Fulton Collection.