
JAMES WHITING
MUSIC DIRECTOR / MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST / VOCAL COACH
COMPOSER / ORCHESTRATOR / EDUCATOR
BIOGRAPHY
James is highly sought after as a percussionist, pianist, music director, composer/orchestrator, and educator. Praised as "highly accessible... with a maturity way beyond his years," (Peter Wockner, Limelight Magazine) he has performed extensively throughout Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United States.
Currently, Dr. Whiting lectures at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the Department of Theatre, and School of Music, as well as serving as the Resident Music Director of the Nevada Conservatory Theatre.
James has performed with such notable artists as: Ben Vereen, Human Nature, Faith Prince, Anthony Warlow, Paige O'Hara, Geoffrey Keezer, Eric Marienthal, Bernie Dresel, Joseph Alessi, and Bruce Broughton. He also works extensively as an arranger and orchestrator with recent credits including Top 40 EDM Duo, The Chainsmokers on their hit single "IPAD." Recent theatrical highlights include: Once; Beautiful: The Carole King Musical; Wicked; Legally Blonde; Miss Saigon; and Into The Woods.


As an educator, James is frequently engaged as a clinician across a variety of topics including: Musical Theatre, Music Direction and Conducting, Percussion, and Jazz studies. He has presented these topics at New York University, Marymount School of New York, University of Nevada, Australian Percussion Gathering, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Australian National Academy of Music, Queensland Academy of Creative Industries, and the Percussive Arts Society Days of Percussion in Australia and the United States of America. James has several article publications, and featured interviews in the Percussive Arts Society's periodical, Percussive Notes, and Australia's #1 drum and percussion trade magazine, DrumScene. Additionally, James is in high demand as an adjudicator at festivals and eisteddfods including: Australian National Marimba Competition, Australian Percussion Eisteddfod, Toowoomba Eisteddfod, and the Queensland Catholic Colleges Music Festival.
Dr. Whiting holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz, and a Master of Music in Performance from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Australia; a Graduate Diploma in Education from the Queensland University of Technology, Australia; and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Percussion from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.


