J A M E S Q U I N N
B i o g r a p h y
​Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire in 1983, James is a professional freelance musician active as a pianist and organist, with extra versatility as a composer, arranger and singer! He holds both a BA Music and Master of Music Performance degrees from Bath Spa University as well as a diploma as an Associate of the Royal Schools of Music.

At Bath Spa University, he was heavily involved as a soloist, lieder and opera accompanist, chamber musician and conductor. He continued his studies there gaining his Masters of Music in Performance.
He has been very fortunate to continue his studies at a number of piano summer courses, masterclasses and workshops with highly established concert pianists including Steven Osborne, Benjamin Frith, Murray McLachlan, Graham Scott, Craig Sheppard, Noriko Ogawa, and Peter Donohoe CBE.
​
He now studies privately with James Willshire.
He also enjoys playing the organ for several churches in Gloucester and is a regular organist for services at churches such as
St Swithun’s, St. Barnabas and St. Catharine’s and has been studying privately with the Director of Music, Adrian Partington at Gloucester Cathedral.
​
James is also a member of Philomusica of Gloucestershire and Worcestershire with whom he also sings as a Bass-Baritone, and subsequently studies Singing with Linda Parsons.

He is also a founder member of a newly established piano group, Pianissami with good friends Joshua Crunden and John Kerr.
They gave their first recitals in St. Mary de Crypt, Gloucester and Holy Trinity Church, Stroud in October 2019. After a prolonged hiatus due to Covid, they are hoping to reunite very soon.
Some of his recent 2023/24 season career highlights include working with Violinist Christopher Horner in a performance of the last movement from Messaien’s Quartet for the End of Time in November 2023. He made his full recital debut in March 2024 at St. Andrew’s Churchdown, raising nearly £1000 for Gloucester City Mission and the Gloucester Cathedral Organ Fund. Most recently, he reunited with fellow pianist and friend Joshua Crunden in the 2 piano and percussion arrangement of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at Pershore Abbey with Philomusica.
James is also the proud creator of his own podcast, Relaxing Piano Playlist. Since then, with all the current episodes of Series 1 - 5 so far combined, his podcast has exceeded the incredible milestone of over 100,000 downloads around the world.