James R. Barry has been the accompanist for the Hartford Chorale since 1995, serving under three conductors and numerous guest conductors, and accompanying the Chorale on five international tours. He is Minister of Music at St. James’ Episcopal Church, Glastonbury, and staff accompanist for several area school systems and Westminster School. In addition to earning degrees from the Rhode Island School of Design, The Hartt School, and Yale University, Mr. Barry studied organ with Edward Clark and Thomas Murray, conducting with Marguerite Brooks, and organ improvisation at Salisbury Cathedral. He is a 2013 graduate of the UConn Nonprofit Leadership Program, Encore!Hartford.

He was Director of Artistic Operations at the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, and Coordinator of the Jackie McLean International Festival of the Arts. For fourteen years, he was Canon Precentor at Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford, overseeing an active music program of choirs and concert events.

Mr. Barry was organ soloist for the Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s Aaron Copland Classical Conversations concert, and has played organ recitals at St. Thomas Church and Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City, as well as Washington National Cathedral. Choirs and soloists under his direction have collaborated on programs with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Connecticut Opera, Hartford Chorale, Hartford Stage Company, South Church Music Series, Trinity College Concert Choir, and Manchester Chorale. He served as American Guild of Organists Region I Councillor and three terms as Dean of the Greater Hartford Chapter. He was chair of the CONCORA Friends of Bach Committee, Director-at-Large of the Association of Anglican Musicians, and Trustee of The Julius Hartt Musical Foundation.