Examiner 1266

BEd, LMusA, AMusA

James Brice OAM has 28 years of professional conducting, teaching, performing and adjudicating experience.

After recording and producing his solo CD Symphonic Variants for Euphonium in 1995, Mr Brice began an 11-year stint as Principal Euphonium/Trombone with the Royal Australian Air Force Air Command Band. In 2005, he was appointed Musical Director of the Castle Hill RSL North West Wind Ensemble and Youth Wind Orchestra. The ensembles have since won multiple state and national awards. Mr Brice was appointed Musical Director of the NSW State Youth Concert Band in 2012 and was a seasonal guest conductor with the Monash University Wind Symphony from 2012 to 2017.

Mr Brice has written pedagogical feature articles on adjudication, recruitment and retention, and Australian repertoire. He also prepared and presented The Good Music Guide – Composers in the Spotlight, an interactive online professional development resource for wind band conductors.

As Head of Performing Arts at Knox Grammar School, Mr Brice currently leads a team of 40 educators across 73 weekly rehearsals involving more than 900 students. He is also a regular adjudicator at leading state and national competitions, festivals and eisteddfods.

In 2022, he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for service to music education and performance.

Positions held

• Former Chair – Music Selection Committee, Band Association of NSW (2008–18)
• Former Member – Professional Development Subcommittee, Australian Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association (2014–17)