James Koo is an award-winning percussionist who has dedicated much of his artistry to the study of ritualistic practices, pulling from his roots in traditional Chinese percussion and engagement with the contemporary repertoire of the 20th-21st century.

Recent appearances include the Monday Evening Concerts (Los Angeles, CA), 2024 Tromp Concours (Eindhoven, Netherlands), soundON Festival (San Diego, CA), performances with San Diego New Music (NOISE Ensemble), Percussion group Red Fish Blue Fish, Sandbox Percussion and Project Blank San Diego. The 2025 season saw to multiple interdisciplinary collaborations: The first was No Other, created with Chinese dance theorist and choreographer Dr. Fang Fei Miao with premiers performed at theaters in Ann Arbor Michigan and Lyon France. The same year also saw to a collaboration with composer Jarosław Kapuscinski , choreographer Young Doo Jung, and Percussionist Steve Schick for the premiere of the percussion sextet Archipelago (2025).

He is the 2023 concerto competition winner at the University of Michigan and won the Eugene Bossart Prize performing the Chen Yi Percussion Concerto with the University Symphony Orchestra. In the same year, he presented elements of his clinic 鼓樂 | Gǔ Yùe at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention as part of their World Artist lineup. In 2022 his recording of Trans - Lei Liang (2013) was featured and awarded in the Black Swamp Multi Percussion Showcase. Similarly in 2021 his recording of Dialectal Percussions - Lei Liang (1994) was also awarded at the Chicago International Music Festival for Best Work by an Asian Composer.

In 2022 he performed All Rise with Wynton Marsalis and The Jazz At Lincoln Centre Orchestra. In 2021 he appeared with Ensemble Intercontemporain performing Le Espaces Acoustiques - Gerard Grisey. Additionally, he has performed and worked with Silk Road Ensemble member and Grammy award-winning artist, Kaoru Watanabe.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, James began his percussion studies at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts studying Traditional Chinese percussion, he holds degrees from The Boston Conservatory (financially supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music & Dance Fund) and The University of Michigan. He is currently pursuing a Doctor in Musical Arts at the University of California, San Diego, studying with Distinguished Professor Steven Schick and is a member of the percussion ensemble Red Fish Blue Fish.