Originally from Honolulu, Hawai’i, saxophonist James Lawhn holds both a Bachelor of Music with distinction and a Master of Music with honors from the University of Kansas (KU), where he studied with Vince Gnojek and Geoffrey Landman. During his time at Kansas, he served as graduate teaching assistant for the saxophone studio, providing instruction in applied saxophone and woodwind methods, coaching saxophone quartets, and conducting the KU Saxophone Ensemble. Currently, Lawhn is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in saxophone performance at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln under the mentorship of Paul Haar, where he is also the graduate teaching assistant for the saxophone studio.
A dedicated performer, Lawhn has performed in numerous large ensembles and chamber groups both during his university studies and professionally. He performed as a soloist with the University of Kansas Wind Ensemble; as a chamber musician, he is currently soprano saxophonist of the Westbrook Saxophone Quartet.
Lawhn teaches applied saxophone at Concordia University, Nebraska, and has been a faculty member of the Midwestern Music Camp and a saxophone clinician at Union Adventist University.