Renowned baritone and proud Leicester native James Newby has added another prestigious accolade to his growing list of honours—this time from his hometown.
The 32-year-old singer was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music by the University of Leicester at its summer graduation ceremony, held at De Montfort Hall on Friday, 18 July.
Picture credit: University of Leicester
James, a former BBC New Generation Artist and rising star of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, described the award as the highlight of his career.
“This is, without doubt, the greatest honour of my career to date,” he said. “To be recognised in this way by an institution as prestigious as the University of Leicester is incredibly special. But for me, it feels even more extraordinary given that Leicester is my hometown.
“I’m so grateful to Leicester for all the opportunities it gave me—from Welford Road to Grace Road, the Blaby Chippy to the Wigston and District Male Voice Choir. Leicester shaped who I am today, and that makes receiving this recognition all the more meaningful.
“When you’re locked in a practice room for hours, or bouncing from flight to flight, rehearsal to rehearsal, it’s easy to feel a little detached. This honour, which has come so completely out of the blue, is a moving reminder that our work is seen, valued, and appreciated – and that is something I will truly cherish.”
James has enjoyed widespread acclaim for both his live performances and recorded work. He received the 2022 Borletti-Buitoni Trust (BBT) Award and was named an ECHO Rising Star for the 2022/23 season, performing at major concert venues across Europe.
He first gained significant recognition after winning the Richard Tauber Prize for best interpretation of a Schubert Lied at the 2015 Wigmore Hall/Kohn International Song Competition, and he has since maintained a close relationship with Wigmore Hall. Notable appearances there include Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder in 2023 with Mitsuko Uchida, Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin with Simon Lepper, and a recital with Joseph Middleton featuring works by Dowland, Schubert, Wolf, and Liszt.
As a member of the Ensemble at Staatsoper Hannover from 2019 to 2022, James earned critical praise for his debut as Eddy in Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Greek. He has also appeared with Opéra national du Rhin, Theater an der Wien, and made his Garsington Opera debut in 2024 as Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He later returned to Hannover as a guest in Eugene Onegin.
In the 2024/25 season, James will reprise his role as Demetrius with Opera North and Opéra de Lausanne in a production by Laurent Pelly. He will also perform Guglielmo in Così fan tutte at the Norwegian National Opera—marking house debuts in all three venues.
Other upcoming highlights include a major new commission for baritone by Michael Zev Gordon with Britten Sinfonia, The Poet in Otto Ketting’s Ithaka Symphony with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, and recitals at the Oxford Song Festival, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, and Dublin’s National Concert Hall.
James’ concert appearances have spanned major works such as Haydn’s The Creation with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah with The Sixteen under Harry Christophers, Berlioz with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and Mozart with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
His 2020 debut solo album I Wonder as I Wander, recorded with pianist Joseph Middleton, received global acclaim and was awarded the Diapason d’Or Découverte.
Professor Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester, praised James’ connection to his roots:
“It was a delight to see James’ reaction to receiving this well-earned honorary award. For someone with such an esteemed international profile to remain so connected to his Leicester roots is truly admirable. He may travel the world performing, but Leicester is clearly still home, and we are proud to count him among our alumni.
“I hope James’ story inspires young people in our city to dream big and pursue their passions.”
