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, LondonTemple MusicOfficial 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
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