Currently accepting cello students age 4 and up
James Holland began his cello studies at the age of nine in his hometown of Pensacola, Florida. He earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in cello performance from the University of Alabama, where he studied with Carlton McCreery, and a Master of Music degree in the same discipline from the Eastman School of Music, where he served as a teaching assistant to Pamela Frame. His summer studies at the Brevard Music Center, the ENCORE School for Strings, the Quartet Program, and the Kent/Blossom Music Festival gave him the opportunity to learn from such cellists as Orlando Cole, Eleonore Schoenfeld, Timothy Eddy, and Stephen Geber. Additionally, Mr. Holland's education includes master class performances for Janos Starker, Joseph Silverstein, Lynn Harrell, Gary Hoffman, and Philip Setzer of the Emerson String Quartet, among others.
Upon completion of his Master's degree, James was invited to become a member of the Miami-based New World Symphony, where for two years he performed, toured, and recorded under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas. Afterward, he returned to Alabama for two years of doctoral study. In 1996, he successfully auditioned to become Principal Cellist of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and cellist of the Charleston Symphony String Quartet, a position he held until 2007. During his years in Charleston, James was a frequent soloist with the CSO, performing works for cello and orchestra by Bruch, Richard Strauss, Haydn, Elgar, Schumann, and Shostakovich. He was also an active chamber musician - besides his activity with the CSO String Quartet he also was cellist for the Charleston Chamber Players, an oboe-flute-cello trio that performed numerous recitals and commissioned new works by South Carolina's finest composers. James was also a featured performer in the Spotlight Chamber Music Series of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival. His other significant performing credentials include a tour of Japan with the University of Alabama Piano Trio as well as principal cellist stints with the Spoleto Festival Orchestras of the US and Italy and the Music at Penn's Woods orchestra in State College, PA. In 2002, James was invited to perform with the Orchestra of the Californias, a chamber orchestra assembled by the Mainly Mozart Festival and comprising many of the country's top orchestral musicians, for a two-week tour of California and Mexico. He has held the position of Principal Cellist for the Breckenridge Music Festival, a summer chamber music and orchestra festival under the direction of Gerhardt Zimmermann, since 1998.
For many years James has been an active and enthusiastic cello teacher and chamber music coach. During his years in Charleston he maintained a small private teaching studio. His students have been leading musicians in the Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra and have earned high seatings in the South Carolina All-State Orchestras. They have won state MTNA competitions, earned full scholarships to the Brevard Music Center through the SC Federation of Music Clubs competition, and performed in state-wide master classes for Steven Doane and David Ying. James has served as guest faculty for the Tennessee Valley Music Festival in Huntsville, AL, and the String Summitt workshop in Cullman, AL. In
Upon completion of his Master's degree, James was invited to become a member of the Miami-based New World Symphony, where for two years he performed, toured, and recorded under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas. Afterward, he returned to Alabama for two years of doctoral study. In 1996, he successfully auditioned to become Principal Cellist of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and cellist of the Charleston Symphony String Quartet, a position he held until 2007. During his years in Charleston, James was a frequent soloist with the CSO, performing works for cello and orchestra by Bruch, Richard Strauss, Haydn, Elgar, Schumann, and Shostakovich. He was also an active chamber musician - besides his activity with the CSO String Quartet he also was cellist for the Charleston Chamber Players, an oboe-flute-cello trio that performed numerous recitals and commissioned new works by South Carolina's finest composers. James was also a featured performer in the Spotlight Chamber Music Series of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival. His other significant performing credentials include a tour of Japan with the University of Alabama Piano Trio as well as principal cellist stints with the Spoleto Festival Orchestras of the US and Italy and the Music at Penn's Woods orchestra in State College, PA. In 2002, James was invited to perform with the Orchestra of the Californias, a chamber orchestra assembled by the Mainly Mozart Festival and comprising many of the country's top orchestral musicians, for a two-week tour of California and Mexico. He has held the position of Principal Cellist for the Breckenridge Music Festival, a summer chamber music and orchestra festival under the direction of Gerhardt Zimmermann, since 1998.
For many years James has been an active and enthusiastic cello teacher and chamber music coach. During his years in Charleston he maintained a small private teaching studio. His students have been leading musicians in the Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra and have earned high seatings in the South Carolina All-State Orchestras. They have won state MTNA competitions, earned full scholarships to the Brevard Music Center through the SC Federation of Music Clubs competition, and performed in state-wide master classes for Steven Doane and David Ying. James has served as guest faculty for the Tennessee Valley Music Festival in Huntsville, AL, and the String Summitt workshop in Cullman, AL. In