James Pratt

James is a recipient of the Brian Stacey Emerging Conductors Award, the first graduate of the University of Adelaide’s Orchestral Conducting Master’s Degree, and winner of the Edouard Toldrà Conducting Competition in Spain. James worked as a conductor at the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden and was invited to conduct at the Impuls Festival, leading premieres of new works with the Zafraan Ensemble in Berlin and Dessau.

In 2022, James was appointed as the Music Director for Perth Philharmonic Orchestra and Perth Symphonic Chorus. He conducted the Australian premiere of Invicitus: A Passion by English composer Howard Goodall, and performances of Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Verdi’s Requiem, Faure’s Requiem the Mozart Requiem and Handel’s Messiah. In 2023, James conducted HMS Pinafore, The Sorcerer and Trial by Jury as part of the G&S Festival with the State Opera of South Australia. For Victorian Opera, James conducted The Pirates of Penzance in January 2026, and returns to conduct another season in 2027.