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James Gelfand has composed music for over 75 films and 300 television episodes for networks such as NBC, ABC, HBO, Hallmark, LionsGate, and PBS. As a Canadian composer and performer, he has received numerous awards, and his music is heard worldwide. Known for his versatility across a wide range of musical styles—from classical and jazz to alternative and pop—he has created scores for animated series and features, dramatic thrillers, indie films, live-action dramas, comedies, and adventure projects.
In 1990, after establishing a successful performance career, he began composing music tailored to visual media. His early work included scoring animated series and films like HBO's "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures," PBS's acclaimed series "Sagwa the Siamese Cat," and Canada's first 3D animated feature, "Pinocchio 3000," starring Whoopi Goldberg. The soundtrack for "Pinocchio 3000," recorded with the Budapest Film Orchestra, earned a Felix nomination in 2005.
James continued to score numerous feature films, TV movies, and series, including "Les Muses Orpheline" (2001), for which he won a Jutra Award for Best Original Score, and "Silent Night," starring Elizabeth Hamilton, earning him a Gemini nomination for Best Dramatic Score. He also received a Gemini nomination for the NBC prime-time series "Crusoe." From 2006 to 2013, he won the SOCAN Award for International Film Music six times.
After earning his master's degree from the prestigious Eastman School of Music, James recorded on over 40 albums, including 10 releases under his own name. He has been nominated for six Juno Awards for both solo and collaborative projects and won a Juno for the album "The Merlin Factor," on which he performed, composed, and arranged music.
In 1992, James and his trio won the International Montreal Jazz Festival competition and placed second at the Great American Jazz Piano Competition in Jacksonville. He has performed at numerous music and jazz festivals worldwide, including events in Switzerland, France, Germany, the United States, and Canada.
