FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music is pleased to announce the appointment of violinist James Ehnes as professor of practice in violin, effective Aug. 1, 2024.
A Grammy Award winner, Ehnes has established himself as one of the most sought-after musicians on the international stage: as a concert soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. He is a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Manitoba, a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and an honorary fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, where he is a visiting professor.
“Violin at the Jacobs School of Music has an astonishing history of excellence, with faculty such as Josef Gingold, Jorja Fleezanis and Mauricio Fuks, and alumni including Joshua Bell and Noah Bendix-Balgley,” said Abra Bush, David Henry Jacobs Bicentennial Dean. “We enthusiastically welcome violinist James Ehnes into that tradition and look forward to his impact on the Jacobs students and our school well into the future.”
Throughout the 2023-24 season, Ehnes continues as artist-in-residence with the National Arts Centre of Canada and artistic partner with Artis–Naples. He is also leader of the Ehnes Quartet and has been artistic director of the Seattle Chamber Music Society since 2012. Season highlights include appearances with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.
Ehnes has an extensive discography and has won many awards for his recordings, including two Grammys, three Gramophone Awards and 11 Juno Awards. In 2021, he was announced as the recipient of the coveted Artist of the Year title in the 2021 Gramophone Awards, which celebrated his recent contributions to the recording industry, including the online recital series “Recitals from Home,” released in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent closure of concert halls. The recordings were met with critical acclaim worldwide, and Ehnes was described by Canada’s Le Devoir newspaper as being “at the absolute forefront of the streaming evolution.”
“The Strings Department is thrilled to welcome world-class violinist James Ehnes to our faculty,” said Simin Ganatra, chair of the department. “His extraordinary gifts as one of today’s most celebrated players will bring a wonderful musical perspective to our students as well as to the greater community.”