James Sommerville

James Sommerville was principal horn of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1998–2023. During his time as principal horn, he was also a member of the Boston Symphony Chamber Players. Mr. Sommerville is also music director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. Winner of the highest prizes at the Munich, Toulon, and CBC competitions, he has pursued a solo career spanning thirty years and has made critically acclaimed appearances with major orchestras throughout North America and Europe. His disc of the Mozart horn concertos with the CBC Vancouver Orchestra won the JUNO Award for Best Classical Recording in Canada. Other award-winning CBC recordings include Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings and Britten's Canticle. He has recorded chamber music for Deutsche Grammophon, Telarc, CBC, Summit, Marquis, and BSO Classics. Mr. Sommerville has been a member of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, and Symphony Nova Scotia, and was acting solo horn of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. He has toured and recorded extensively as an orchestral player, is heard regularly on the CBC network, and has recorded all of the standard solo horn repertoire for broadcast. As a guest artist and faculty member, he has performed at chamber music festivals worldwide.

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Featured Performances

Mozart and Ziigwan

Friday, July 26 | 7:30 pm

Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts

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Two Grand Serenades

Thursday, July 25 | 7:30 pm

Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts

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Brahms, Ravel & Harold Lloyd

Wednesday, July 24 | 7:30 pm

Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts

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