Testimonials

“James creates one of the most amazing musical experiences you’ve ever had.”

-Contemporary Fusion Reviews

“A prodigiously gifted composer and virtuoso pianist.”

-World Music Report

“Listening to James’ seemingly effortless command of the piano provides no small amount of satisfaction.”

-Textura Magazine

“Cutting edge. Fernando should inspire forward thinking pianists across the genre spectrums.”

-Chalked Up Reviews

“His touch on the ivories is deep and thoughtful.”

-Jazz Weekly

“Fernando’s sense of creativity is vibrant, he is limitless in his ability to articulate his ideas.”

-Jazz Sensibilities

“With each note he plays, James creates another constellation within his vast universe of sound that he shares with us.”

-Tiger Okoshi

“Fernando opens a multitude of doors for other composers.”

-The Vinyl Anachronist

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Short Bio

Hailed as a “prodigiously gifted composer and virtuoso pianist,” James Fernando creates music that lies at the intersection of jazz, classical, and electronic music. He relies on his genre-expanding original compositions to deliver thought provoking and exciting performances on some of the world’s most renowned stages. The Berklee College of Music graduate has five albums to his name and has collaborated with award winning artists internationally. James is on faculty at Levine Music in Washington, D.C. and has served as a Strathmore Artist in Residence.

Long Bio

James Fernando has been hailed by World Music Report as a “prodigiously gifted composer and virtuoso pianist,” by Jazz Sensibilities as “limitless in his ability to articulate his ideas,” and by Contemporary Fusion Reviews as “creating one of the most amazing musical experiences you’ve ever had.”

Having served as a Strathmore Artist in Residence, James’ many accolades include awards from Downbeat Magazine, the National Young Arts Foundation, and first prize at the 9th West Virginia International Piano Competition. In 2017, he participated in the historic Banff International Workshop in Jazz & Creative Music. James studied at Berklee College of Music, where he graduated summa cum laude after three years.

James has performed at leading venues and festivals internationally. A few of the notable artists he has performed and recorded with are GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award winner Tom Paxton, two time GRAMMY award winners Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, steelpan virtuoso Victor Provost, and jazz luminary Chris Cheek. In 2018, James collaborated with Mingjia to release his debut album, Extended Layover. In 2019, James released his first album as a solo artist, The Lonely Sailor, to widespread critical acclaim. After releasing Blackbird/Fly in 2021, he teamed up with Matt Lagan to release his fourth album, The Grind, in 2022. His latest creation, Piano Poetry, was released in 2023.

In addition to being a highly sought after pianist and composer, James is a talented educator with an active private studio and he frequently leads masterclasses and workshops. He a jazz piano faculty member at Levine Music in Washington, D.C.

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