Dr. James Brinkmann leads a diverse career as a teacher, performer, and researcher to foster people’s curiosity, creativity, and sense of belonging in music. He is a Flute Instructor for the McKinney School District (TX) where he teaches 6th-12th grade private lessons, masterclasses, flute choirs, and summer flute camp. Prior, he was the Adjunct Instructor of Flute at the University of Texas at Tyler, taught undergraduate lessons and flute methods at Michigan State University, and was on faculty and the woodwind department chair at the Merit School of Music in Chicago. As a clinician, he regularly presents at national and regional flute festivals on effective practice methods, creative flute pedagogy, and community building.

A versatile performer, James creates interactive concerts that encourage listeners to be aware of their reactions with music and share them in fun and meaningful ways. From playing in concert halls to jamming in the subways, he has performed throughout North America and presented at National Flute Conventions, College Music Society Conferences, and gave a TEDx Talk. As an orchestral musician, he played Principal Flute on the national tour of the Netflix Our Planet Live in Concert, previously held positions in the Utah Festival Opera, Northbrook Symphony, Lakeview Orchestra, and has subbed with the New World Symphony among others. He is a two-time prize winner in the National Flute Association Orchestral Excerpts Competition and Donald Peck International Flute Competition. He has a DMA and MM from Michigan State University and BM from DePaul University. He studied with Lisa Byrnes, Mary Stolper, Christina Smith, and Richard Sherman.