James Vivian


James Vivian FRCO is Organist & Director of Music at St George's Chapel, Windsor. In this role, he has been responsible for providing music at Royal occasions including the marriage of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the marriage of Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank.
He was educated as a Music Scholar at Malvern College. He was acting-Assistant Organist of Lincoln Cathedral and was Organ Scholar of King's College, Cambridge. 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.
From 2006 until 2013, he was Director of Music of the historic Temple Church 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 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.