James Vivian FRCO (born 1974) is Organist & Director of Music at

St George's Chapel, Windsor St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England is a castle chapel built in the late-medieval Perpendicular Gothic style. It is both a Royal Peculiar (a church under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch) and the Chapel of the Order of the Gart ...

. In this role, he has been responsible for providing music at many Royal occasions including three Royal Weddings (such as The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank) and the funerals of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and Queen Elizabeth II. In 2022, he directed the music for King Charles III's first Christmas King's Speech. He was educated as a Music Scholar at Malvern College. He was acting-Assistant Organist of Lincoln Cathedral (1992-3) and was Organ Scholar of

King's College, Cambridge King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, the college lies beside the River Cam and faces out onto King's Parade in the centre of the cit ...

(1993-7). He studied the organ with Dr John Bishop, David Sanger, Philip Marshall, Colin Walsh and was awarded a scholarship to study with Marie-Louise Langlais in Paris. He was a prizewinner in the FRCO diploma. In 2013, he became an Honorary Master of the Bench of Middle Temple in recognition of his contribution to the Temple. From 2006 until 2013, he was Director of Music of the historic

Temple Church The Temple Church is a Royal peculiar church in the City of London located between Fleet Street and the River Thames, built by the Knights Templar as their English headquarters. It was consecrated on 10 February 1185 by Patriarch Heraclius of J ...

in London, where he presided over the choir of men and boys. In 2012, he oversaw the complete renovation of the 1924 Harrison & Harrison organ with the organ builders. This work included complete tonal rebalancing, adding six new stops to the Great Organ in the 1920s style, and reverting some of the previous decades' changes back to the original specification. He has recorded on many labels (including Decca, EMI, Universal, SonyBMG, Hyperion Records, Signum and Priory) and has broadcast and performed concerts worldwide. He has been an examiner for both The Royal College of Organists and The Royal Academy of Music. He is married to the concert organist, Ann Elise Smoot.

References

External links

The Temple Church, London

Temple Music

Official website of James Vivian
1974 births Living people Alumni of King's College, Cambridge English organists British male organists Fellows of the Royal College of Organists People educated at Malvern College 21st-century organists 21st-century British male musicians Organ Scholars of King's College, Cambridge Male classical organists {{UK-musician-stub