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The orchestral music of James Ledger is well known to Australian concertgoers. His first work for orchestra, Indian Pacific (1996), is still regularly performed around the country.

Since then, Ledger has been resident with many orchestras and institutions, including the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (New Zealand) and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. From 2007 to 2009 he was composer-in-residence with his home orchestra, the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Ledger has written much instrumental music and 'has established an impressive reputation as a symphonic composer' (The Australian). Ledger has also received commissions from Australia's leading chamber ensembles including the Australian String Quartet for whom he wrote Processions, described by the Australian as 'a triumph'.

The Monthly magazine listed Ledger's orchestral work Chronicles as one of 20 Australian Masterpieces since 2000, describing it as 'a piece of emotional extremes in which everything is in balance'. In 2011, the work was awarded Work of the Year: Orchestral in the APRA/Australian Music Centre Art Music Awards. In 2014, his violin concerto Golden Years won the same award.

Ledger was composer-in-residence at the Australian National Academy of Music in 2011. This led to a collaboration with songwriter Paul Kelly. The result was the ARIA award-winning song-cycle Conversations with Ghosts. The CD was released on ABC Classics.

James Ledger studied French horn at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. In 2008, he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to research contemporary compositional practice with a particular focus on new music in Estonia. He is currently lecturer in composition at the University of Western Australia.

2015 saw the premiere of two large orchestral works: War Music to mark the ANZAC centenary commemorations for the Sydney and New Zealand symphony orchestras, and Simpler Times for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

2016 sees the Canadian premiere of Two Memorials by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. There is also a new work being premiered by the Melbourne and Adelaide symphony orchestras, and he is also the composer-in-residence at the Four Winds Festival, Bermagui, New South Wales

For more information please visit jamesledger.com.

James Ledger — current to November 2015