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Biography
Ifor James
was born in 1931 in Carlisle, England. His
father was a top cornet player and his mother was
a famous soprano. At the age of 4 years he began
playing cornet in a Brass Band. Only three years
later he became a "professional,"
playing trumpet frequently in the theatre. After
serving as assistant cathedral organist in
Carlisle, he took up the horn in 1951. He studied
privately and then at the Royal Academy of Music
under Aubrey Brain. He began his career with the
Halle Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool
Philharmonic Orchestra. Additionally he played
concertos, recitals, chamber music and broadcasts.
Later Ifor James moved to London where he
played as principal horn with many orchestras and
also many well known chamber groups. There he
became professor of horn at the Royal Academy of
Music, principal horn of the English Chamber
Orchestra, and horn player in the world famous
Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. With this group he
toured the world and made no fewer than 30
recordings. He also became professor for horn at
the Royal Northern College (Manchester). Ifor
James left Philip Jones and RNCM to become
professor for horn at the Staatliche Hochschule für
Musik in Freiburg, Germany.
He is one of the world’s most successful
teachers, having put over 60 people into the
profession, among them several who are now
following solo careers and over 20 principal
horns. The orchestras with which Ifor James has
played are too numerous to name, as are the
countries he toured. Many famous composers have
written for and dedicated works to him. He is also
a composer who has written both for the horn and
many other combinations. Ifor James says about
himself: "I play the horn because I can't
sing. If I could sing, I would not play the horn.
"
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