Biography

Critically acclaimed musician James Akers was hailed as ‘the great Scottish guitarist’ by Classical Guitar Magazine and, in a review from Gramophone, his playing was described as, ‘containing all the warmth, colour and expressive richness one could hope for.’ James has, throughout a varied career, explored music from a historical and stylistic perspective, combining diligent research with expressive performances to communicate the continuity of musical endeavour through the centuries. James was born in Scotland and began playing guitar at the age of 10.As a continuo player James has worked for many major opera companies including, English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, Opera North, Glynbourne, and Innsbruck Festival Opera and orchestras and chamber groups including The Scottish, Irish and English Chamber Orchestras, Northern Sinfonia, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, The Ulster Orchestra, and The Essen Philharmonie. James has performed on numerous recordings, film soundtracks, theatrical stages, and broadcast for the BBC, France Musique and RTE Lyric, Ireland James lectures in early plucked strings at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

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