My musical Odyssey continues to grow, with 6 CD's of 2012 Stories on transformation, sound healing and meditation practice and improvisation performance and facilitation. At the center of my journey is music for the higher purpose of peace and healing between people and Mother Earth. I am grateful to have received so much recognition for this music including Rome Prize (2010), Guggenheim (2008), Fulbright (1997), and Wurlitzer Foundation (2007 and 2009) Fellowships; 2 Global Music Awards (Innovation in Sound and Mixing and Editing); Sounds Electric ’07 Competition (Dublin), EMS Prize (Sweden), Citta di Udine (Prize ex aequo, Italy) international prizes, and performances all over the world. I perform internationally and am available for booking small and large groups and venues.  I teach at the University of Missouri at Kansas City where I received the 2008 Kauffman Award for Artistic Excellence. In 1994 I completed the Colorado Grand Slam after climbing all 54 of Colorado's 14,000 ft peaks. I now enjoy surfing the unknown and catching all the things I missed getting to all those summits…

James was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana.  From an early age, he was drawn to his native blues and jazz as well as classical and film music, playing everything he heard by ear on the piano. His composition career officially began when Dr. Timothy Seelig appointed him as the first composer-in-residence for the renowned Turtle Creek Chorale.

Eakin's music catalog is prolific and spans genres from Concert Hall to Pop/Rock. He has composed works for Maya Angelou’s 80th Birthday celebration, the President’s Christmas Gala at the White House, and the Aspen Music Festival to name a few. James’ music is regularly performed at Carnegie Hall including his hour-long “Flowers over the Graves of War” for Chorus, Soloists, and Orchestra which premiered to a sold-out audience. Most recently, his “#twitterlieder: 15 tweets in 3 acts,” premiered by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus at Davies Symphony Hall, was the subject of a nationally aired PBS documentary and was awarded the American Prize in Composition.

He holds a Bachelor of Music from Centenary College (2000), a Master of Music from Southern Methodist University (2003), and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Composition from the Conservatory of Music, University of Missouri-Kansas City (2007).  James has had the privilege of studying with some of music’s most prominent composers: John Corigliano, Chen Yi, Zhou Long, Jack Smalley, George Tsontakis, and Bruce Broughton.

“I am grateful... grateful that every day I am surrounded by music, grateful for my loving and supportive family, and I am grateful to all of you who have taken an interest in my work. I hope my music touches your lives as much as your performances have touched mine.” - James Eakin III

Followers of Eakin