James Dion Blanchard is Principal Flutist of the Opera San Jose orchestra, and Music Director Designate of La Frontera Philharmonic. He held the position of Principal Flute with the Des Moines Symphony from 2019 to 2022, and has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, Symphony San Jose, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, Des Moines Metro Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, and Memphis Symphony Orchestra.

As a conductor, James has been a frequent guest of the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia, and was recently named Music Director Designate of La Frontera Philharmonic, a new ensemble within the heart of the Mesilla Valley. James has appeared as assistant conductor with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, California Symphony, Symphony San Jose, and Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra. He has participated in conducting masterclasses led by Matthew Lynch and Neil Thomson, and has received private instruction from Michael Mapp, the Associate Professor of Music at New Mexico State University.

A founding member of two award-winning woodwind quintets, James received Bronze Medals at the 2016 and 2018 Fischoff International Chamber Music Competitions. As a soloist, James has won prizes in the New York Flute Club’s young artist competition, the Texas Music Festival young artist competition, and was a prize winner in the 2019 Keston MAX competition.

James studied flute at the Juilliard School as a student of Robert Langevin, and at Rice University as a student of Leone Buyse. James is a Haynes Artist and plays a 5% Gold Custom Haynes. He is a native of Las Cruces, New Mexico.