Born in 1976 in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, James Ehnes has rapidly established a pre-eminent reputation among young concert violinists. Despite his youth Ehnes has already performed with many of the major orchestras of the world including Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, New York, London Symphony, Philharmonia, Czech Philharmonic, DSO Berlin and the NHK Symphony Orchestra. He has worked with numerous leading conductors including Ashkenazy, Dutoit, Ivan Fischer, Paavo Järvi, Robertson, Saraste, Skrowaczewski, Thielemann and Mackerras.

In the 2004-5 season Ehnes made his Barbican debut with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and John Adams and his Royal Festival Hall debut with the Philharmonia and Sir Charles Mackerras. He appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra and Hickox at the Brighton Festival. He toured in Germany with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and made his debut with the Residentie Orkest.

Highlights of the 05-06 season include returns to the London Symphony, Philharmonia, New York Philharmonic and his debut with Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Other future European performances include appearances with the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Philharmonic, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Philharmonique de Liege, Gulbenkian Orchestra and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.  He will also appear at the St Magnus Festival in Orkney in concerto and recital, and in chamber music with international musicians at the Deauville Festival in France.  

James Ehnes maintains a busy recital schedule across Europe and North America, and has appeared at the City of London Festival, Ravinia, Montreux, Festival de la Chaise-Dieu and the White Nights Festival in St Petersburg. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with such artists as Leif Ove Andsnes, Louis Lortie, Yo-Yo Ma and Jan Vogler.

Ehnes' discography includes a CBC recording of Bruch Concertos Nos. 1 & 3 with Charles Dutoit and the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal that was the winner of the Juno Award 2002 for Best Classical Album. He has made several recordings for Analekta including a highly acclaimed recital disc of Dvorak, Janacek and Smetana with pianist Eduard Laurel, of which The Daily Telegraph commented “ There is colour, rhythmic élan, a feeling of pure joy. Yet the performances also attest to Ehnes' total finesse, his lyrical warmth and tenderness…”   Ehnes has also made a number of recent recordings for Chandos which reveal the diversity of his repertoire including the premiere recordings of the Hummel Violin Concertos, Dohnányi Violin Concerto No 2 and Dallapiccola's Tartiniana. His most recent releases are of the Dvorak Violin Concerto with the BBC Philharmonic and Gianandrea Noseda and a recital recording of John Adams with Andy Russo for Black Box. 

Ehnes began violin studies at the age of four, became a protégé of the noted Canadian violinist Francis Chaplin aged nine, made his orchestral debut with Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal aged 13, and graduated from The Juilliard School in 1997, winning the Peter Mennin Prize for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Music.

James Ehnes plays the “Ex Marsick” Stradivarius of 1715 and gratefully acknowledges its extended loan from the Fulton Collection.
James Ehnes is represented by Intermusica.   

St Magnus Festival engagements:
Friday 16th June 2006
Sunday, 18th June 2006