Bio

James Ferree is Principal Horn of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and a member of the American Horn Quartet.

Praised by the Star Tribune for his “deliciously mellow” playing, Ferree previously served as Principal Horn of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Richmond Symphony. He has appeared as guest principal with the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Utah Symphony, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Highlights include serving as guest principal on the New York Philharmonic’s 2023 Asia Tour and guest associate principal on the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s 2016 New York-Europe Tour. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Richmond Symphony, Masterworks Festival, Music in the Mountains, Music in the Vineyards, New World Symphony, and Juilliard.

A passionate composer and arranger, Ferree’s works have been performed across the United States and Europe, with premieres by the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Richmond Symphony, Salt Bay Chamberfest, and David Jolley, among others. In 2022, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra commissioned and premiered his chamber orchestra arrangement of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, later taking the hour-long work to the Bravo! Vail Music Festival.

An Atlanta native, Ferree was studying piano and singing as a choir boy with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra under Robert Shaw when he became mesmerized by the sound of the horns. He soon took up the horn, studying first with Richard Deane. After a family move to Germany, he continued his studies with Hermann Baumann, then earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Juilliard with Jerome Ashby and William Purvis. After graduation, he joined the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas, and he was a member of the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra in Switzerland.

Ferree is married to conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin. When not performing or composing, he enjoys baseball, kayaking, and reading over coffee.