Abigail James is one of the most dynamic and exciting guitarists of her generation. Between 1990 and 1995 she studied at the Royal College of Music, where she was awarded a Foundation Scholarship to study with Carlos Bonell. She gained an MMus in Advanced Performance (RCM) and was a major prizewinner. In 1993 she was awarded the RCM prize for the performance of a work by a student composer. In 1995 she won the Madeline Walton Guitar Prize and was nominated by the College to take part in the Young Musicians Recording Trust Scheme.
Abigail has taken part in solo masterclasses with Hubert Käppel, Alirio Diaz, Julian Byzantine, Berta Rojas and in ensemble workshops with John Williams. She has been a finalist in the South East Music Schemes' Musicians' Platform and String Semi-Finalist in the Royal Overseas League Music Competition. Abigail was also chosen for the prestigious Park Lane Group Young Concert Artists Series at The Purcell Room.
Abigail has performed as a soloist in a wide variety of venues up and down the country including The Purcell Room, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, St. James's Church Piccadilly, Barbican foyer, Brighton Chapel Royal, Conway Hall, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Bristol and in music clubs, festivals and guitar societies. In recent years she has performed Rodrigo's 'Concierto de Aranjuez' with orchestras in London and has also toured with two opera groups.
As a chamber musician Abigail plays regularly as part of Ceciliana flute and guitar duo and the London Guitar Trio. She has also performed with twentieth-century ensembles Reservoir, The Modern Consort, The Opera Group and Hartland Chamber Opera.