Biography
Serving as organist and director of music at St. George's Chapel in Windsor places England's James Vivian in a prominent role. Among the high-profile events at which he has played is the 2018 wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Born in 1974, Vivian attended Malvern College on a music scholarship. While still a teenager he spent a year as acting assistant organist at Lincoln Cathedral. He next went to King's College, Cambridge, where an Organ Scholarship covered his studies in exchange for providing music at services. His teachers included John Bishop and David Sanger; he also went to Paris for lessons with Marie-Louise Langlais. After receiving his degree in 1997 he earned a prize in the examination for Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists.
From 2006 to 2013 Vivian served as director of music at London’s Temple Church, where he both played the organ and led the historic all-male choir. During those years he supervised a complete restoration of the church’s 1924 Harrison & Harrison instrument, which received its rededication in 2013 in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II. He also established three new groups—the Temple Players, Temple Singers, and Temple Brass.
Vivian then moved to St. George's Chapel, Windsor, taking charge of a choir whose history reaches back to 1348. In that post he has performed regularly for the Queen and has appeared at two royal weddings: those of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank. As a recitalist he has performed across the United States, Japan, and Brazil. His recordings include the 2010 Signum release English Organ Music from the Temple Church and the 2019 Hyperion album Christmas at St. George's Windsor.
Born in 1974, Vivian attended Malvern College on a music scholarship. While still a teenager he spent a year as acting assistant organist at Lincoln Cathedral. He next went to King's College, Cambridge, where an Organ Scholarship covered his studies in exchange for providing music at services. His teachers included John Bishop and David Sanger; he also went to Paris for lessons with Marie-Louise Langlais. After receiving his degree in 1997 he earned a prize in the examination for Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists.
From 2006 to 2013 Vivian served as director of music at London’s Temple Church, where he both played the organ and led the historic all-male choir. During those years he supervised a complete restoration of the church’s 1924 Harrison & Harrison instrument, which received its rededication in 2013 in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II. He also established three new groups—the Temple Players, Temple Singers, and Temple Brass.
Vivian then moved to St. George's Chapel, Windsor, taking charge of a choir whose history reaches back to 1348. In that post he has performed regularly for the Queen and has appeared at two royal weddings: those of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank. As a recitalist he has performed across the United States, Japan, and Brazil. His recordings include the 2010 Signum release English Organ Music from the Temple Church and the 2019 Hyperion album Christmas at St. George's Windsor.
Albums
