Remembering James Buswell

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The violinist, conductor, and educator James Buswell passed away on Tuesday. He was 74.

At the age of seven, Buswell became the youngest soloist ever to appear with the New York Philharmonic. He went on to perform with the world’s top orchestras and as a regular member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. From 1986 to 2014 he served on the faculty of New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.

Buswell’s recording of Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto with Marin Alsop and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra was nominated for a Grammy in 2002:

A 1999 recording with Theodore Kuchar and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine features the Violin Concertos of the American composer Walter Piston. Here is the hauntingly beautiful Adagio from Piston’s Violin Concerto No. 2:

In addition to championing the music of numerous contemporary composers, James Buswell was dedicated to the music of J.S. Bach. In 1990, he served as the narrator for the documentary film The Stations of Bach, which commemorated the 325th anniversary of the composer’s birth.

Here is the Adagio ma non tanto from Bach’s Sonata No. 3 in E Major for Violin and Harpsichord, BWV 1016. Buswell is joined by harpsichordist Fernando Valenti on this 2013 album:

Recordings

  • Barber: Violin Concerto, Op. 14, James Buswell, Marin Alsop, Royal Scottish National Orchestra Amazon
  • Piston: Violin Concerto No. 2, James Buswell, Theodore Kuchar, National Symphony Orchestra Amazon
  • J.S. Bach: Sonata No. 3 in E Major for Violin and Harpsichord, BWV 1016, James Buswell, Fernando Valenti Amazon

Featured Image: violinist James Buswell

About Timothy Judd

A native of Upstate New York, Timothy Judd has been a member of the Richmond Symphony violin section since 2001. He is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music where he earned the degrees Bachelor of Music and Master of Music, studying with world renowned Ukrainian-American violinist Oleh Krysa.

The son of public school music educators, Timothy Judd began violin lessons at the age of four through Eastman’s Community Education Division. He was a student of Anastasia Jempelis, one of the earliest champions of the Suzuki method in the United States.

A passionate teacher, Mr. Judd has maintained a private violin studio in the Richmond area since 2002 and has been active coaching chamber music and numerous youth orchestra sectionals.

In his free time, Timothy Judd enjoys working out with Richmond’s popular SEAL Team Physical Training program.

View all posts by Timothy Judd | Website

1 thought on “Remembering James Buswell”

  1. I first encountered James Buswell as a student at Indiana University in the 70’s. I was a composition major with the bass as my concentration. He occasionally conducted orchestra 5, which consisted of non major instrumentalists. I remember his dry sense of humor on the podium. We all appreciated that.

    It was almost two decades later, after I had won a position in the bass section of the Boston Symphony Orchestra that we became co faculty members at New England Conservatory.

    Rest In Peace.

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