James Sommerville has been Principal Horn of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1998. Sommerville grew up in Toronto, ON and began piano lessons at age 7. It was in high school that Sommerville took up the French horn.
Sommerville studied at the University of Toronto with Eugene Rittich, and at the University of Western Ontario. He spent three summers with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and Sommerville also won the CBC Radio Competition for Young Performers in 1985.
Before joining the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Sommerville was Acting Principal Horn with the Chamber orchestra of Europe and Associate Principal Horn of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He has also been a member of major Canadian orchestras in Toronto and Halifax. Sommerville added conducting to his repertoire and was Music Director of the Hamilton Philharmonic in Ontario for eight years beginning in 2007.
An accomplished and adventurous chamber musician, Sommerville performs all over North America and in Europe. He currently makes Boston his home.
On this edition of This Is My Music, Sommerville shares the stories and the music he loves.
This Is My Music is heard Saturdays on Radio 2 at 10:00 am.
James Sommerville shares his favourite music on This Is My Music