James Gower was born in Newport, South Wales. He studied at St John's College, Cambridge and the Royal Academy of Music and is currently studying with Robert Lloyd.

James is a young singer at English National Opera and has performed Mercury (The Coronation of Poppea) (broadcast on BBC Radio 3) and Lord Krishna/Parsi Rustomji (Satyagraha) by Philip Glass for the company. As an associate artist with Welsh National Opera James performed Un Moine (Don Carlos) and second armed man (Magic Flute). For Glyndebourne Festival Opera he performed Pinellino (Gianni Schicchi) (broadcast on BBC Television and performed at the Proms) and Erster Priester/Zweiter geharnischter Mann (Die Zauberflöte). For Glyndebourne on Tour he sang Doctor (Pelleas and Melisande) and Doctor Grenvil (La Traviata). Other roles include Raimondo (Lucia di Lammermoor) Iford Arts; Colline (La Bohème) Opera Theatre Company and High Priest (Dvorak's Vanda) for University College Opera.

James made his Proms debut singing a false witness in Mendelssohn's St Paul with BBC NOW directed by Richard Hickox, recorded for Chandos. He has since performed with Hickox as Sir Walter Raleigh (Gloriana) St Endellion Festival; Nym (Sir John in Love) with the Northern Sinfonia; the voice of God, the Devil and Jesus, (Fall and Resurrection) by Sir John Tavener, with the City of London Sinfonia; Horaste (Troilus and Cressida) with the Philharmonia Orchestra in Birmingham Symphony Hall and the Royal Festival Hall, broadcast on BBC Radio 3. In Dortmund Konzerthaus he has performed Israel in Egypt; Pagano (I Lombardi) and Silva (Ernani).

August 2012