Bio
COMPOSER | MUSIC DIRECTOR | ARRANGER
James Dobinson is an Australian-American music director, conductor, orchestrator, and record producer. With a particular eye for the development of new musicals, his work has been seen on stages in New York, across the United States, in London, and throughout Australia.
As music supervisor / conductor, his work includes the original New York and London companies of The View UpStairs, Tim Finn’s Twelfth Night for Queensland Theatre, and the original New York companies of Clinton, which led to a long-standing collaboration with composer Paul Hodge in both the US and Australia. He has also led productions for Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre New York, Cape Fear Repertory Theatre North Carolina, the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, The Crown Uptown in Wichita, Kansas, La Boite Brisbane, as well as developmental work at Goodspeed Musicals Connecticut, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Opera Queensland, QT and QPAC, among many others. He is currently developing Paul Hodge’s Round The Twist, and recently was the Musical Director & Orchestrator for the world premiere of First Casualty at Queensland Theatre.
As arranger and orchestrator, his work includes The View UpStairs (for which he also co-produced the original cast recording), Clinton, the 2015 US national tour of Guys and Dolls, Twelfth Night, Joh For PM!, as well as several years of contributing orchestrations to Queensland’s Carols In The City spectaculars. His concert and recording work includes arrangements and orchestrations for Caroline O’Connor, Alexis Fishman, Tyce Green, Naomi Price, and Max Vernon, among many others. In recent years, he has been arranging and orchestrating for Midtown Man and original Jersey Boy Michael Longoria, including on the single Like They Do In The Movies, and his forthcoming Motown-influenced solo album to be released on Broadway Records.
In 2023 he was the Music Supervisior, Arranger & Orchestrator for Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall’s Bananaland for QPAC / Brisbane Festival. He is currently involved with the development of Peter and the Starcatcher (Dead Puppet’s Society). James has played keyboards for first national tours in the US and Australia, major stage and television productions and studio albums on both continents, as well as for jazz singer (and father of Amy) Mitch Winehouse. He is a sought-after accompanist for cabaret, musical theatre and concert work.
In 2024 James was the Associate Musical Director for Prospero Arts / QPAC’s production of Jersey Boys.