• Join
  • Programs
    • Weekly Orchestral Training
    • SYO Holiday Programs
    • Digital Programs
    • Conductor & Teaching PD
    • For Schools
    • Tours
      • 2025 Big Sky Tour
      • 2026 International Tour
        • SYO Friends and Family Tour Europe 26
  • Orchestras
    • Which Orchestra?
    • SYO Prep
    • Stage 1 Strings
    • Stage 2 Strings
    • Stage 3 Strings
    • Richard Gill Chamber Orchestra
    • Western Sydney Youth Orchestra
    • Symphonic Wind Orchestra
    • Peter Seymour Orchestra
    • SYO Philharmonic
    • The Sydney Youth Orchestra
  • Whats On
    • Concerts
    • 2025 Youth Orchestral Camp
    • Fundraising Events
      • 2025 Live an Ilumina
    • SYO Tempo
  • Support
    • Impact
    • How to Support
    • Make a donation to SYO
    • John Speer Circle Bequests Program
  • About
    • Why SYO?
    • What We Do
    • Who We Are
      • Artistic Principles
      • SYO Organisation
        • Annual Reports
        • COVID-19 Safe Information
        • Child Safety at SYO
      • Our People
        • Board of Directors
        • Management
        • Artistic Staff
        • Alumni
    • Work With Us
    • News
    • Connect With Us
    • FAQs
Menu
  • Join
  • Programs
    • Weekly Orchestral Training
    • SYO Holiday Programs
    • Digital Programs
    • Conductor & Teaching PD
    • For Schools
    • Tours
      • 2025 Big Sky Tour
      • 2026 International Tour
        • SYO Friends and Family Tour Europe 26
  • Orchestras
    • Which Orchestra?
    • SYO Prep
    • Stage 1 Strings
    • Stage 2 Strings
    • Stage 3 Strings
    • Richard Gill Chamber Orchestra
    • Western Sydney Youth Orchestra
    • Symphonic Wind Orchestra
    • Peter Seymour Orchestra
    • SYO Philharmonic
    • The Sydney Youth Orchestra
  • Whats On
    • Concerts
    • 2025 Youth Orchestral Camp
    • Fundraising Events
      • 2025 Live an Ilumina
    • SYO Tempo
  • Support
    • Impact
    • How to Support
    • Make a donation to SYO
    • John Speer Circle Bequests Program
  • About
    • Why SYO?
    • What We Do
    • Who We Are
      • Artistic Principles
      • SYO Organisation
        • Annual Reports
        • COVID-19 Safe Information
        • Child Safety at SYO
      • Our People
        • Board of Directors
        • Management
        • Artistic Staff
        • Alumni
    • Work With Us
    • News
    • Connect With Us
    • FAQs
SYOnline

James Pensini

James Pensini is one of the leading conductors of youth instrumental music in Australia. Alongside his work at Sydney Youth Orchestras, he is also Head of Music Performance P-12 at Santa Sabina College. 
 
James studied Trumpet and Conducting at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and has performed and toured extensively with many orchestras and ensembles. Performance highlights include: performing as Principal Trumpet with The Sydney Youth Orchestra including a tour of Spain and Portugal; performing as Principal Trumpet with the Australian Youth Orchestra including a tour of France, Germany and the Netherlands with pianist Jean Yves Thibaudet; performing as a member of the Sydney Symphony Training Orchestra and performing as Lead Trumpet with the Australian Youth All-Star Big Band including a tour to the Monterey Jazz Festival. James has also taught a significant number of trumpet students, some of whom hold down senior leadership positions in major Australian symphony orchestras.  
 
As a conductor, James has worked in and run many of the finest instrumental music programs for young people at a school and representative level in Australia and has lead numerous international tours to the United States and Europe. James is a former State and National Board member of the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association, and is regularly called upon as an adjudicator and guest conductor. 
 
In 2017, James conducted The Sydney Youth Orchestra on a European Tour including workshops with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2020, James was the conductor of “Encounter” an original site specific orchestral and dance work as part of the Sydney Festival. James is the founding conductor of the Western Sydney Youth Orchestra, conducts the Peter Seymour Orchestra, and assists Stanley Dodds with The.Sydney Youth Orchestra. James is SYO’s Head of Orchestral Training and Artistic Programming.
Category:
Conductor Professional Development Orchestral Musicianship Symphonic Orchestral Program
Tags:
Alumni Conductor Peter Seymour Youth Orchestra SYO Leadership Team

Sydney Youth Orchestras acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we work, rehearse, gather and perform; the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respect to Elders past and present, the original storytellers of these lands where we learn and create music today. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and honour the continuation of the oldest music practice in the world. 

Always Was, Always Will Be.
Digital Partners
SYO is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW