James Mainwaring

James’ musical education started when he was 9 years old. He started playing the clarinet in his local wind band and developed a passion for music. He went on to study the clarinet at the RWCMD and RAM. After leaving college he started developing his musical career as a multi instrumentalist as the work he undertook required him to play clarinets, saxophones and flutes. 

He worked in Germany for many years but decided to return to the UK to pursue a career there. 

He has been lucky enough to play with artists such as George Michael, James Galway, Sophie Ellis Bexter, Brian May etc. His work has been mostly in theatres in the West End for such productions as Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Billy Elliot etc. To date he has performed in 45 West End Musicals. 

Being a multi instrumentalist he has also played in Orchestras from the London Symphony to Northern Ballet and Welsh National Opera. Being brought up in a musical family he also was surrounded by brass and strings and has a good knowledge of both. 

He recorded an entire Wind Orchestra for John Packer instruments which can be found on YouTube under the title ‘A real one man military band’