James Blair, Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra was born in Scotland. Whilst studying in London with Bernard Keefe, Sir Adrian Boult and in Italy with Franco Ferrara his talent was soon recompensed with numerous awards including the Ricardi Conducting Prize and an Italian Government Scholarship to study in Sienna, Rome and Venice.

Mr Blair’s association with the YMSO dates from 1971. He received particular renown with the orchestra in two areas; the interpretation of large scale romantic works and the rediscovery of and, in some cases, British and World Premieres of neglected works by a variety of important composers. In 1993 at the Royal Festival Hall, Blair and the YMSO were the first British team to perform John Coriglianos’ Symphony No 1.

Blair has worked with a variety of orchestras in this country and abroad including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia, San Jose Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, Orchestra Sinfonica de Evdkadi in Saint Sebastian, Spain and the Camerata of St Petersburg.