Biography of James Galoway
Biography of James Galoway
James Galway was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland on December 8, 1939. As a child, he began playing the penny whistle and the mouth organ before switching to flute. At the age of ten, he was the winner of all three classes of the Irish Flute Championships, which earned him a BBC radio session, as well as a spot in the Belfast Youth Orchestra. He continued studying the flute at the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music, and eventually landed a scholarship at the Paris Conservatory.
He began his career at the Sadler Wells Opera and the Royal Opera Convent Garden which led to positions with the BBC Symphony Orchestra where he played the piccolo, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra where he was Principal Flute. In 1969, he was appointed Principal Flute of the Berlin Philharmonic, and in 1975, Galway launched his solo career, playing 120 concerts within his first year, including appearances with many London orchestras. In 1979, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II all for his contributions to society.
Since going solo, Sir James Galway has traveled extensively giving recitals, performing with the world’s top orchestras, participating in chamber music engagements, performing in popular music concerts, and giving master classes. In December of 1997, he was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the London Mozart Players and he began working with them during the 1999/2000 season.
Galway has appeared in many spectacular special concerts and events. His most notable one was at Buckingham Palace in July 1991 before The Queen, members of the Royal Family and the Group of Seven Heads of State during the London Summit Meeting. A few more include, a performance of Pink Floyd‘s “The Wall” in Berlin which was televised internationally, several performances at the White House, and a December 1998 performance at the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony. Galway tours extensively world wide including recitals in the U.S. and appearances with many major orchestras. He has also become a regular visitor to Japan and Hong Kong, and is in demand at many major European music festivals.
Galway has forty nine albums to his credit, and appears as a guest on over fifty others. He has been praised for his remarkable tonal range,...