Biography.guide
Home › People › Cellist › Ivor James
Portrait of Ivor James

Ivor James

1882 – 1963

British cellist

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Ivor James

Lived 1882 – 1963 (aged 80–81). Ivor James was a cellist.

Ivor James CBE (1882–1963) was a British cellist. He taught for many years at the Royal College of Music; among his pupils were those who became notable cellists.

Life James studied under William Whitehouse at the Royal College of Music. After graduating he joined the English String Quartet, at a time when its viola player was Frank Bridge.

In 1919 he became William Whitehouse's assistant at the Royal College of Music, and he subsequently taught at the college for 34 years. In his teaching, he was concerned that there should be a strong technical base; also that, in achieving a good interpretation, the line of the music should be considered. His pupils included Hugo Cole, Amaryllis Fleming, Martin Lovett, Thelma Reiss and James Whitehead. In 1928 James was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Music (FRCM).

In 1929 he founded a summer school at Westminster College, Cambridge, sponsored by the British Federation of Music Festivals; it is regarded as the first of its kind. In the 1930s he was a member of the Menges Quartet.

James was appointed CBE in 1953.

In an obituary in 1963 in the Royal College of Music Union Magazine was written: "He truly felt music to its very depth and centre. He communicated his musical intention to his pupils in some remarkable way which seems impossible to put into words."

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Born
1882
Birth century
Died
1963
Occupation
Education
Royal College of Music
Employers
Royal College of Music
Awards
Commander of the Order of the British Empire

People in Ivor James's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Ivor James's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Ivor James?

British cellist

When was Ivor James born?

Ivor James was born in 1882.

When did Ivor James die?

Ivor James died in 1963.

What was Ivor James's occupation?

Ivor James was a cellist.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Ivor James

· Wikidata: Q57005359

· DBpedia: Ivor James

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ivor James. https://biography.guide/ivor-james/

MLA: "Ivor James." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ivor-james/.

Chicago: "Ivor James." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ivor-james/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:30 UTC