James Lowe assumed his role as the Music Director of the Spokane Symphony in 2019. His work as a conductor has ranged over five continents including collaboration with orchestras in the UK and Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA.

Born in Nottingham, England and currently residing in both Spokane and Scotland, he previously held the positions of Chief Conductor of the Vaasa City Orchestra in Finland, Associate Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Chief Conductor of the Prussian Chamber Orchestra in Germany, and worked as Orchestras Advisor to the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland.

Lowe began playing the viola as a child, and went on to graduate from the University of Edinburgh with First Class Honours in music. He was subsequently invited by Benjamin Zander to be the Zander Conducting Fellow with the Boston Philharmonic, and was a recipient of the Bernard Haitink Fund for Young Talent, working as Assistant Conductor to Bernard Haitink with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam.

Lowe has conducted orchestras all over the world, including engagements with the Osaka and Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestras, the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Hallé Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic, Scottish Ballet, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, plus numerous other ensembles in Europe, South Africa and the United States.

In addition to his conducting work, Lowe is active as an educator, teacher of conducting, and is researching ways in which orchestras can meaningfully engage with a wider public.