James Darling

Based in Rimouski since 2002, James Darling is a leading figure in the musical life of Eastern Quebec. A cellist, conductor, and educator, he is co-founder and co-artistic director of the Concerts aux Îles du Bic chamber music festival, cellist with the Quatuor St-Germain, principal cello of the Orchestre symphonique de l’Estuaire, Music Director of the Orchestre des jeunes du Québec maritime, and professor at the Rimouski Conservatory, where he has held the cello chair since 2012.

Originally from Edmonton, he studied in Houston and Victoria before joining the Quebec Symphony Orchestra and later the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne in Montreal. An active freelance musician and chamber player, he has performed with major Canadian ensembles and at leading festivals. In 2012, he received both the CALQ Award for Artistic Creation and the Fernand-Lindsay Award. He is also active as a conductor, having led orchestras in Canada and abroad, including the Orchestre Métropolitain.