James Campbell

Professor of Clarinet at Indiana University School of Music

United States

Since I still travel a lot and play a variety of musics I am thankful not to be too concerned with the climate changes I encounter. By using a rotation system I find I am often choosing the reed that works best for the situation, not simply what reed works.

James Campbell has followed his muse to five television specials, more than 40 recordings, over 30 works commissioned, a Juno Award, a Roy Thomson Hall Award, the 1989 Canada's Artist of the Year, and in 1997 Campbell received Canada's highest honor: the Order of Canada. Mr. Campbell used a Légère reed for the manhattan echoes recording, which has recently been released on the Marquis Classics Label. The subject of numerous features and cover stories in Clarinet Magazine (USA), Clarinet and Sax (UK), Piper Magazine (Japan) and Gramophone, James Campbell is also featured in the book Clarinet Virtuosi of Today, by British author and clarinet authority Pamela Weston.

Called "Canada's pre-eminent clarinetist and wind soloist", by the Toronto Star, James Campbell has performed in most of the world's major concert halls. Campbell has also collaborated and performed with many of the world's great musicians including the late Glenn Gould, Aaron Copland, Elly Ameling, Janos Starker, as well as the Borodin Trio, Penderecki, Amadeus, Guarneri, Fine Arts, Allegri, Manhattan, and Colorado String Quartets.