James Campbell has been Artistic Director of the Festival of the Sound since 1985 and has programmed approximately 1100 festival concerts, many heard nationally on CBC radio. He has taken the Festival to London, the USA, Japan, and Holland. Under his direction features on the festival have appeared on BBC Radio and Television, CBC Radio and Television, and TVOntario.

During the winter months Jim concertizes throughout the world and teaches an international class of young clarinetists at the world famous Jacob School of Music at Indiana University, where he is Professor of Music. Much of his part of the planning needed to mount the festival takes place aboard airplanes and in airports.

He has appeared in over 25 countries and has performed with over 60 orchestras, including the Boston Pops, the London Symphony, the Russian Philharmonic and most of the major orchestras in Canada. This year his concerts take him to Spain, Holland, Wales, England, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Thailand, the US, and throughout Canada.

His recording of the Brahms Clarinet Quintet with the Allegri String Quartet was chosen by the London Times as the best available.