Dawn-Marie James

 

As one of Jamaica's premier classical performers, Dawn-Marie proudly represented Jamaica at singing competitions in Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Leipzig, Germany and Brazil, and enjoyed engagements in Jamaica with the National Chorale and Orchestra of Jamaica, Jamaica School of Music, Jamaica Musical Theatre Company and the Virtue-James Studio. As a now-native Atlantan, she has performed extensively with The Atlanta Opera for 13 years, singing more than ten roles, under the baton of former Artistic Director William Fred Scott. Also in Atlanta, she has performed solo engagements with the Grammy Award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra during their acclaimed summer series at Chastain Park, the Atlanta Bach Choir, the Cobb Symphony Orchestra and at Georgia State University. She is the former president and co-founder of The Carilanta Players, a theatre group that performs pieces by Caribbean and American writers. Additionally, Dawn-Marie has performed in various special events throughout the Western hemisphere, including Jamaica, the United States and Canada. Currently she tours with Sam Hagan and Mac Framton in "An American Portrait".

 

A high honors graduate in music from the University of Windsor (Ontario, Canada), Dawn-Marie boasts many awards, including Jamaica's 2002 Edna Manley Award for Excellence in Classical Performance, a JAMI (Jamaican Music Industry Award) for Best Vocal Performer in Classical Music, prize winner in the prestigious Johann Sebastian Bach competition in Leipzig, Germany, a scholarship in Spanish music to Santiago de Compostela in Spain and was a finalist in the International Song Competition in Brazil.

 

When not performing, Dawn-Marie shares her craft and passion by teaching at Agnes Scott College and in private instruction. She also directed the choir at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church. Dawn-Marie has released her first cd, Simply Dawn-Marie, a diverse and enthralling collection of arias, art songs and traditional Jamaican melodies.