James Crabb

Scottish born James Crabb is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading classical accordionists. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, Copenhagen with accordion pioneer Mogens Ellegaard, became professor there from 1995 until 2010, and was awarded the prestigious Carl Nielsen Music Prize, Denmark in 1991. He also held a long-standing guest professorship at the University in Graz, Austria. James.

James has collaborates with many of the most important 20th and 21^st century composers including Sofia Gubaidulina, Thomas Adès, Harrison Birtwistle, Sally Beamish, Luciano Berio and has premiered countless concertos, chamber music and solo works dedicated to him. Recognised internationally as an authority on the music of Astor Piazzolla he was invited to curate the inaugural Piazzolla Festival in Buenos Aires in 2016. James has given the world premiere of Brett Dean’s accordion concerto The Players in Sweden, (recorded on the BIS label) and featured in the on-stage role in Dean’s opera Hamlet with Glyndebourne Opera, Cologne Opera, the Bavarian State Opera, Munich, at Adelaide Festival and for Opera Australia. Recent and upcoming projects include returns to the ACO, the AFCM, the UK for performances, including at Wigmore Hall, with Anthony Marwood and recitals at numerous music festivals around Australia.

James is a passionate and sought-after music educator and mentor, and whilst Artistic Director of the Four Winds Festival in Bermagui, curated both the Easter and inaugural Youth Festivals and developed the local schools music education program.