James Newby

James Newby is a former BBC New Generation Artist and Rising Star for Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. He was nominated by the Barbican Hall for the European Concert Hall Organisation Rising Star scheme and will be presented by them in recitals throughout Europe in the 22-23 season.

A recipient of the Richard Tauber Prize for best interpretation of a Schubert Lied at the 2015 Wigmore Hall/Kohn International Song Competition, James has since enjoyed a close relationship with the Hall. Most recently, he has been awarded a prestigious Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award, in recognition and support of his emerging status as one of the most outstanding young musicians of his generation.

The release of his debut solo CD Wonder as I Wander on BIS Records in 2020 with pianist Joseph Middleton was the winner of the Diapason d’Or Découverte and described in Gramophone Magazine as “a performance that sets the tone, announcing Newby as an impressive artist”.

In September 2019 James joined the Ensemble of the Staatsoper Hannover where in 2021 he garnered particular praise for his performance of Eddy in Mark Anthony Turnage’s Greek. Other important role debuts in Hannover include Guglielmo Così fan tutte and the title role in Eugene Onegin. Future opera plans include debuts with Opera National du Rhin and Liceu Opera Barcelona.

On the concert platform James has sung Berlioz with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Mozart with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Handel with the Britten Sinfonia. He has also appeared in other baroque repertoire with conductors David Bates, Jonathan Cohen and John Butt. 2022 concert highlights include Die Schöne Müllerin with Simon Lepper at the Wigmore Hall, and Bach St Matthew Passion arias in his debut with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Harry Bicket. He has toured in Europe with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century and made his US debut with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Juanjo Mena.

James studies with Robert Dean