Dr. James West is an accomplished performer, composer, and educator based in Johnson City, Tennessee. He directs the guitar program at East Tennessee State University. Dr. West earned his D.M.A. in Guitar Performance from the University of South Carolina (Spring 2026), where he served as graduate assistant to 4x Grammy-nominated Mak Grgic and received the Christopher Berg Award for excellence in performance, scholarship, and pedagogy. He holds an M.M. from Appalachian State University and a B.M. from East Tennessee State University, where he was awarded the Powell Jazz Scholarship.
A versatile musician fluent in classical and jazz styles, Dr. West performs as a soloist and in chamber ensembles including the Farzaneh West Duo (flute & guitar), the Perkins West Duo (guitars), and James West and Friends (jazz ensemble). Recent highlights include the Farzaneh West spring 2026 concert tour, premiering his Sonata for Two Guitars at the SCMEA conference (2026), and the U.S. premiere of Juan A. Pérez’s Concerto for Guitar and Band (April 2026). The Perkins West Duo is preparing an album of his compositions produced by Jeremiah Nave and Grammy-winner Martin Walters.