"Called “stark, haunting elegance” with “intimate focus” by The Washington Post, the music of Colombian-born composer/sound-maker James Díaz strives to create unique sonic textures, sound masses, and interactive environments. Deeply influenced by the concept of psychedelia, his music also draws from elements of graphic design, Latin American landscapes, and photography.
James has won multiple international and national awards, such as the 2015 National Prize of Music in Composition from the Colombian Ministry of Culture for "Saturn Lights", his concerto for percussion trio and orchestra. His orchestral piece "Frack[in]g" was awarded the 2018 Bogotá Philharmonic Prize in Composition. Similarly, James has been a fellow at the Orchestra of St. Luke’s DeGaetano Institute, the American Composers Orchestra's Underwood Readings, the Nashville Symphony Composers Lab, the Loretto Project, the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music, and the International Winter Festival of Campos do Jordao.
His music has been performed by orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Basel Sinfonietta, Cologne Radio Orchestra (WDR Sinfonieorchester), National Symphony of Colombia, Nueva Filarmonía, American Composers Orchestra, Juilliard MAP Orchestra, Medellin Philharmonic, Xalapa Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, Bogotá Philharmonic, Orchestra of St. Luke's, and EAFIT Symphony, and by ensembles such as Longleash, Sō Percussion, Yarn/Wire, Unheard-of//ensemble, HUB New Music, Quartet121, Camará Ensemble, ZOFO, and National Sawdust Ensemble.
James' music is published by Schott New York (PSNY)."