A passionate cellist with a “soulful, lyrical tone“ (Boston Music Intelligencer) and a “phenomenal color palette” (Radda Rise), Tyler Michael James has performed with such renowned orchestras and groups as the Tristan Trio, A Far Cry, Castle Of Our Skins, and Fermata Chamber Soloists. As a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborator, James has performed on Rockport Music, Naumberg Orchestral Concert, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 92nd Street Y, the Peabody Institute, New York University, Lyrica Boston, Cherry Street Music, and the Bar Harbor Music Festival. He has had the honor of recording at WGBH Studios.  

A champion of new music, James worked closely with Jessie Montgomery on her work “Loisaida, My Love,” in recording and performance. He premiered Benjamin Shbarber’s Concerto “The Wolf” with The Longy School of Music Orchestra and was a guest soloist with the New York University Percussion Ensemble’s performance of the Tan Dun Concerto for Cello and Percussion. He has been a guest principal cellist with several orchestras including the Handel Society, Middlebury Opera and was the solo cellist on the National Tour of Miss Saigon.

James is currently on faculty at the Boston String Academy, Project STEP, and the Attacca School of Music. He has had the pleasure of teaching at festivals including the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Montecito International Music Festival, Point Counterpoint, and Four Strings Academy.

Born in Virginia, James received his Bachelor’s degree from New York University’s Steinhardt School on full scholarship under esteemed pedagogue Marion Feldman. There, he won the concerto competition, performing the Elgar Cello Concerto with the NYU Symphony Orchestra. He was awarded a joint Master’s Degree and Artist Diploma with Terry King and Phoebe Carrai on full scholarship from the Longy School of Music of Bard College.