James Mason

James Mason is highly regarded as one of Canada's most prominent oboists. He has been Principal Oboe of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and Canadian Chamber Ensemble since 1979. Prior to that, Mr. Mason held the Principal Oboe position with the Saskatoon Symphony and Assistant Principal Oboe with the Virginia Symphony. He has appeared as a soloist and in chamber music in Germany, Spain, Holland, South America, and Japan, as well as the United States and Canada. Mr. Mason has many recordings to his credit, including such diverse musical styles as a Concerto for oboe and pan flute with Zamfir to Bach cantatas with Canadian Baritone, Daniel Lichti. During the Summer Months, Mr. Mason plays in music festivals across North America. He has performed at the Wolf Trap Festival in Virginia, the Flagstaff Festival of the Arts in Flagstaff , Arizona, and many Canadian Festivals, including the Elora Festival and the Festival of the Sound in Parry Sound, Ontario. Mr. Mason returned to Japan to play chamber music in a group consisting of musicians from Festival of the Sound. Mr. Mason is an instructor of Oboe and Chamber Music at Wilfrid Laurier University. James Mason is a Yamaha Oboe Artist and performs on the YOB841 Grenadilla and YOB841K Kingwood Custom Oboes

Website: www.kwsymphony.on.ca