James Donahue has been principal flutist of the Evanston Symphony since 2012. As an active freelance musician in the Chicagoland area, he has appeared as guest principal flute with the Rockford Symphony and a regular substitute on flute, piccolo, and alto flute with the Rockford, Elgin, and Elmhurst Symphony Orchestras, and the Midwest Philharmonic. During the 2025-2026 season, James began playing with the Chicago Wind Symphony, Chicago’s premier professional wind ensemble.

As a concerto soloist, James has performed Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1 in G major with the Midwest Philharmonic. In 2028 he gave the premier performance of Timothy McCormick’s Tumma Pilvi for solo bass flute and chamber orchestra with members of the Oberlin Contemporary Music ensemble, conducted by the composer. This latter work was commissioned by James.

James is an enthusiastic recitalist with a special interest in music of the 20th and 21st centuries. He has commissioned new works for flute by composers such as Timothy McCormick, Alice Gomez, and Karen LeFrak. He was part of the consortium which commissioned Amanda Harberg’s Court Dances for flute and piano in 2017. James has also presented numerous lecture recitals on the influence of the Japanese shakuhachi (a bamboo flute developed by buddhist monks) on the contemporary flute music of both Japanese and western composers.

James has been the flute instructor at Knight Music Academy (North Barrington) since 2011, and also maintains a private studio in his home in Chicago’s Northwest suburbs. His students range in age from eight to eighty years old! Formerly, he taught flute and chamber music at the Midwest Conservatory (2011-2022). Each summer from 2014-2019 James taught masterclasses in flute repertoire, piccolo, and a lecture on world flutes for high school students at the Universtity of Wisconsin-Whitewater Flute Camp. His students have won and placed in competitions hosted by the Chicago and Madison Flute Clubs, the Society of American Musicians, Illinois Music Educators Assn., and various concerto competitions. Many have gone on to pursue music degrees at notable universities such as Northwester, Roosevelt, and Yale.

James holds a Bachelor of Music Degree (2006) from the Baylor University School of Music where he studied with Helen Ann Shanley. He then attended the Oberlin Conservatory on a full scholarship, receiving the prestigious Artist Diploma following two years of intensive graduate study with famed French flutist and pedagogue Michel Debost (2008). He has also studied with Kathleen Chastain, Tal Perkes, Dr. Rita Lindard, and former Pittsburgh Symphony principal flutist Bernard Goldberg.

James plays Powell custom handmade flutes. His primary instruments are a solid platinum flute with gold keys, and a grenadilla wood flute with gold keys.

When not pursuing his musical activities, James is an American Kennel Club dog show judge, and travels the world judging and showing dogs.

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