James Woodrow combines a varied performing career on both modern and baroque violins with a strong dedication to teaching. In addition to teaching privately, he previously taught violin at Solihull School for three academic years.

James studied violin at the Royal Northern College of Music, principally under Steven Wilkie, gaining a first class honours degree. During his studies he was awarded the Roger Raphael, Schubert and Nossek prizes for chamber music.

James’s interest in orchestral playing developed during his two years with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. He has played with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Skipton Camerata (regularly as principal second violin) and with Manchester Concert Orchestra amongst others. He has played on over a dozen commercial recordings as an orchestral player, including several recordings with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

Solo recitals include St Martin-in-the-Fields, Bradford Cathedral, Sheffield Cathedral, Whitworth Art Gallery and St Ann’s, Manchester. He has recently performed the Bach Double Violin Concerto with both Skipton Camerata and the Piccadilly Sinfonietta.

On baroque violin, he has performed with Manchester Baroque, Baroque in the North, Charivari Agréable, English Haydn Festival Orchestra, Fiori Musicali, Hanover Band, 18th Century Sinfonia, Eboracum Baroque and the International Baroque Players.

James has a keen interest in exploring some of the hidden corners of the violin repertory, reflected in his recital work and YouTube Channel. This has resulted in a number of varied performance projects including performances of some of the earliest 17th century violin sonatas, a probable first complete cycle of the sonatas of Andreas Romberg, Mendelssohn’s little known D minor violin concerto and an ongoing exploration of music for violin alone on his YouTube channel.