James Girling

One of James' recent projects was a collaboration with RPS Young Artist Lotte Betts-Dean (mezzo-soprano) and composer Arthur Keegan. In 2022, they premiered a unique programme for voice and guitar comprising both Keegan’s specially commissioned song cycle 'Elegies For Emma' and his arrangements of songs by Britten, Finzi, Ivor Gurney and Imogen Holst among others, as well as another specially commissioned song composed by Kerry Andrew: all settings of the poetry of Thomas Hardy. Joined by Ligeti Quartet, they recorded an album of this music, The Past & I: 100 Years of Thomas Hardy, which was released in July 2024 on Delphian Records. Officially launched at St George's Bristol, the album's release tour followed in Hardy's homeland of South West England, documented by filmmaker Mariana Mateus. Entering the Official UK Charts at No.5 in Specialist Classical category, the album was Presto Music's Record Of The Week, received a 4-star review in The Guardian/Observer, was featured in Gramophone and BBC Music Magazines, and received airplay generously on BBC Radio 3 programmes including Song Of The Day, Record Review and Composer of the Week.

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In 2024, James made his BBC Proms debut in Paraorchestra’s world premiere of ‘The Virtuous Circle’, reprising this production with them at Southbank Centre in 2025. Previously, James has recorded and been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 with the BBC Philharmonic, performed at Open Circuit Festival and The Tung Auditorium with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s Ensemble 10:10, and headlined Bluedot Festival with the Hallé Orchestra. He has performed at Glossop Music Festival and Chester Music Festival in specially formed tango quintets featuring international soloists such as South African cellist Abel Selaocoe and Serbian accordionist Milos Milivojevic. Uniquely, he has also performed as stand-in in the Aquarelle Guitar Quartet.​ James’ classical chamber music performances across the UK have also encompassed Buxton International Festival, Kings Place - for London Guitar Festival, Guitar In London series and Empower: Let The Music Lead event, Leeds International Concert Season, The Bridgewater Hall, Swaledale Festival, Fishguard & West Wales International Music Festival and Alwyn Music Festival. James recorded Edward Cowie’s guitar quartet ‘Kandinsky’ with Saki Kato, Bradley Johnson and Hugh Millington - in conjunction with the composer - which was released on Divine Art Recordings in 2022. 

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The winner of the II International Chamber Music Competition for Flute & Guitar in Spain in 2023, James' Meraki Duo with flautist Meera Maharaj recorded their debut album Notes from the Living Room on Delphian Records in 2025, due for release on 4th September 2026, having spent the past decade performing extensively across the UK. In 2019, Meraki Duo were finalists in the Royal Over-Seas League Competition (Mixed Ensembles) in London; in 2020 they were selected onto International Guitar Foundation’s Young Artist Platform; in 2025 they advanced to the final rounds of the LIGITA competition in Lichtenstin. Meraki Duo have been Live Music Now artists since 2018, through which they are trained to bring their performances into the wider community with interactive concerts in schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities, and in care homes. Additionally, they have given concerts at Wigmore Hall in partnership with the Wigmore Learning programme. In summer 2022, they recorded their first commissioned works, composed for them by Rafael Marino Arcaro and Effy Efthymiou, both of which Meraki Duo premiered in London. From 2021 to 2022, Meraki Duo gave two collaborative tours: the first as a trio with Canadian double bassist Benjamin Du Toit; the second as a quartet with Norwegian soprano Susanna Solsrud and Scottish harpist Sophie Rocks, with a folk-inspired programme based around Stravinsky’s ‘Four Songs’ for flute, voice, harp and guitar. 

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Strongly influenced by music traditions rooted in improvisation, James is highly active in both Norway's and UK's jazz scenes. In 2025, James' Scandinavian-British 'Bridge Quartet' debuted in Oslo and toured in England, returning with a wider tour in July 2026; his duo with trumpeter Aaron Wood - who performed together at Manchester Jazz Festival 2023 - toured in Norway; and he also closely collaborated with Whirlwind Recordings artist Nishla Smith on her debut concerts in Norway. He is a co-founder of the Afrobeat/Ethiojazz-inspired 12-piece Agbeko, whose music has garnered attention across the UK and in Europe. Agbeko have performed main stages in the spectacular settings of Bulgaria’s Rhodope Mountains, Malta International Arts Festival, Paris’s Dauphine Jazz Festival, Austria’s Beserlpark Festival, Croatia’s Soundwave Festival and Milan’s Linecheck Festival. For WOMEX 24 they featured as hometown ambassadors at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, upon their return from debut shows in Spain. Among previous highlights in the UK, Agbeko have opened Manchester Jazz Festival and featured across the major festival scene from Green Man and Manchester International Festival to The Great Escape. Their debut album, 'D.O.D’, was released in 2020, following 2018's 7″ single ‘Leaders Of The Free World’ on Stutter & Twitch Records. Sophomore album 'There Must Be Another Way' was released and toured in late 2023 to critical acclaim internationally: Songlines Magazine describing that “the spectacular chemistry shared by this large band is electric and emotive." Their next album, 'When The People Say', is due for release on 23rd October 2026.

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James is also co-founder of 1920s-&-'30s-inspired jazz septet The Easy Rollers. The band cut its teeth performing Jazz Festivals including Manchester, Brecon and Marsden, as well as Buxton International Festival, Lake District Summer Music Festival, and Edinburgh Festival Fringe where their widely acclaimed, all-singing-and-dancing cabaret show was formed with annual residencies. Released in 2025, their critically acclaimed album ‘... And Another Thing’ - which was spun on BBC Radio 3 and praised internationally for its “craft, strong ensemble work, and a clear passion” (Jazz In Europe)  - was launched in London to a sold-out PizzaExpress Live. In 2026, The Easy Rollers celebrate their 10th anniversary, embarking on their most high-profile UK tour yet encompassing the likes of Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Stoller Hall, Howard Assembly Room, Wales Millennium Centre and Shakespeare North Playhouse. Their 2024 Album Preview Tour included their RNCM Concert Hall debut and sold-out returns to Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room, Clonter Theatre, Peggy's Skylight and Toulouse Lautrec. Meanwhile, James recorded and toured outfit The 7:45s’ debut album 'Spinning' - 'soul of the highest order' (BBC Radio 6's Craig Charles) - and recorded singer/composer/violinist Claire Victoria Roberts’ album 'Inconsistent' featuring Alexandra Ridout. He has also toured with groups including Lieko Quintet, whose E.P. ‘Amethyst’ was released in 2019, and short-lived poets-fronted offshoot Beats On Book - featured at Love Supreme Jazz Festival. Elsewhere, highlights include supporting Marquis Hill's 'Blacktet' and post-Bowie Donny McCaslin with Artephis, playing at Manchester International Festival with The 7:45s, and performing with the late saxophonist and funk-pioneer Pee Wee Ellis after being selected onto his residency through Brighter Sound. As a session musician, James has played on BBC series ‘Cold Feet’ and 'World On Fire'; alongside Simone Rebello’s BackBeat Percussion Quartet in 'African Sanctus'; and in the Côte d’Azur at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix and Château de Cassis.

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A keen arranger, James has written duo arrangements toured by the Jacqui Dankworth - Craig Ogden duo and recorded by the Lotte Betts-Dean - Dimitris Soukaras duo on Delphian Records. Published by Astute Music in 2021-22, he produced arrangements commissioned by composer Andy Scott for flute and guitar of a set of Scott’s works. He also arranged Hermeto Pascoal's 'Bebê' for Aquarelle Guitar Quartet and Sara Dowling, released on their 2025 album of Latin American music on Chandos Records. James has long arranged Meraki Duo’s concert programmes and also arranged the majority of their forthcoming debut album. His orchestral arrangements have been performed and broadcast internationally, including by The Hallé & RTÉ Orchestra. 

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As guitarist in the RNCM Big Band throughout his conservatoire studies, James performed alongside eminent British jazz musicians including Tim Garland, Julian Joseph, Nikki Iles, Tina May, Laurence Cottle, Dave Hassell and Mark Nightingale, and such European virtuosi as Markus Stockhausen and Bart van Lier, and was broadcast live on Radio 3’s ‘In Tune’ programme. He performed duets with guitarist Martin Taylor MBE and violinist Christian Garrick, and was the soloist in Fred Sturm’s electric guitar concerto ‘Steely Dan Suite’. After graduating, James was invited to return as a guest soloist with the Big Band in Mike Hall’s final concert as its director.

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The contemporary jazz quintet James co-led with Aaron Wood, Artephis, were Jazz North ‘Northern Line’ and ‘Introduces’ artists 2015-20. In 2020, they released singles ‘Glow’, ‘Treading Water’ and 'Artephis with The Untold Orchestra', following their debut album 'All Change No Change' in 2017. Aired on BBC Radio 3 and on Radio 2 by Jamie Cullum, who called it a “brilliant new release that got my ears bouncing” and playlisted track 'Feroz' as a BBC Introducing highlight of the year, the album was awarded the Sir John Manduell Prize. Artephis performed at the major jazz festivals across northern England, as well as Kendal Calling, The Cavern Club and for TEDxRNCM. As composers for the band, James and Aaron also wrote for a filmed collaboration between Artephis and The Untold Orchestra, who in 2018 appeared together in a full-length original concert - all scored by James and Aaron - at Brecon Jazz Festival. 

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James is an experienced educator, as part of which he has adjudicated competitions, given masterclasses and workshops across Britain including at The Glasshouse, The University of Liverpool, Charterhouse School and Dulwich College.