Switzerland-based Australian cellist James Morley works as soloist and chamber musician, frequently extending into experimental improvisation and electronics.

In 2023 he presented a recital at Sydney Opera House Utzon Room with guests Erin Helyard and Jane Sheldon, before touring nationally with Jean-Guihen Queyras and Satsuki Odamura for Musica Viva. James was a finalist of the prestigious 2020 Freedman Fellowship, an experience informing the creation of future collaborative works, and gave his UKARIA solo debut at Adelaide Festival in 2022 to critical acclaim. In 2024 he’ll be seen at Sydney Festival and Phoenix Central Park.

James is a contemporary music specialist, having premiered solo and ensemble works by many of the world’s most relevant composers at festivals in Berlin, Cologne, Tel Aviv, Lucerne, Basel, and Strasbourg, with groups like ensemble S C O P E, Ensemble of Nomads, Ministry of Bad Decisions, Ensemble Aventure, and zone expérimentale. Otherwise he can be seen playing with Australian Chamber Orchestra, Kammerorchester Basel, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and the Penny and Partridge Quartets. He has performed concertos with Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Apex, Sydney and Adelaide Youth Orchestras.

He studied cello in Australia with Hilary Kleinig, Janis Laurs, Rachel Johnston, Julian Smiles and Howard Penny. Now completing a Masters of Contemporary Music Performance at the Musik-Akademie Basel, he is instructed by Marcus Weiss, Yaron Deutsch, Sarah Maria Sun, and Mike Svoboda, and is additionally mentored by Séverine Ballon, Lucas Fels, Pierre Morlet, Genevieve Lacey, Jasmine Wing Yin Leung, Christoph Dangel, and Thomas Demenga.