James Crabb

James Crabb, (b. 1967) is a classical accordion player.

Scottish born James Crabb is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading ambassadors of the classical accordion. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen with classical accordion pioneer Mogens Ellegaard and was awarded the Carl Nielsen Music Prize, Denmark in 1991.

James’ acclaimed London debut in 1992 launched him on to the concert platform and critics internationally have praised him for his breathtaking virtuosity and versatile musicianship. Since then he has performed worldwide as soloist with orchestras and ensembles including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Sydney and Melbourne Symphonies, the Philharmonia, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, The Hallé, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the London Sinfonietta, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, the Paragon and Nash Ensembles.

His solo and chamber music repertoire ranges from original contemporary works, frequently collaborating with composers, to transcriptions from Baroque through to the 21st Century, Tango Nuevo and folk music. He also performs and directs chamber orchestras from the instrument with amongst others, the Scottish Ensemble, Northern Sinfonia, English and Irish Chamber Orchestras and the Kuhmo Virtuosi.

James’ great passion and acclaimed authority for the music of Astor Piazzolla has been highlighted by several concert performances with the original members of Piazzolla’s own quintet along with two highly acclaimed recordings, one as soloist and arranger with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the second with Richard Tognetti and the quintet named Tango Jam. In 2005 he directed from the accordion Piazzolla’s Maria de Buenos Aires at the Royal Danish Opera.

James has recorded with his accordion duo colleague Geir Draugsvoll for EMI Classics transcriptions of Stravinsky’s Petrouchka and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. This duo performs regularly worldwide and collaborates frequently with the Tero Saarinen Dance Company from Finland.

He is professor of classical accordion at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen and has held a long-standing guest professorship at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria. He regularly gives master-classes at music institutions worldwide.

External links

* [http://www.jamescrabb.com/ James Crabb Website]
* [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,779926,00.html James Crabb/Geir Draugsvoll, Guardian.co.uk]
* [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/02/1093939058229.html?from=storyrhs Classical tunes get a breath of fresh air]