Tyler Michael James, born in Chesapeake, Virginia, got his musical start attending the Virginia Governor's School for the Arts while working on his teacher’s farm to pay for lessons. He is currently a guest artist with the Hornby Music Festival and will be making his soloist debut this fall, performing Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in a concert sponsored by the United Nations.

Tyler has performed chamber music in major venues across the United States and Europe including Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, 92nd Street Y, Mirabell Palace, and Cagnes Sur Mer. He has performed chamber music with the Horzowski Trio, Peter Zazofsky, Andres Cardenes, and Doris Stevenson. He has held residencies with both the Zodiac Trio and the Ēnso String Quartet and performs regularly with Lyrica Boston and the Fermata Chamber Soloists.

Tyler was awarded a full scholarship to NYU where he studied cello with esteemed pedagogue Marion Feldman and Political Science. His major chamber music influences have included members of the Juilliard String Quartet, the Tokyo String Quartet, the Cassat String Quartet, the Muir Quartet, the Emerson String Quartet, and the Mirecourt Trio. Currently, Tyler is pursuing his Master’s Degree and Artist Diploma with Terry King, protégé of the legendary cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, on a full scholarship at the Longy School of Music. Additionally, Tyler is a fully-funded M.B.A. Candidate at the College of William &. Mary and spends most of his free time enjoying America’s State and National Parks.