James Lancelot
| James Lancelot | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1952 |
| Genres | Choral music |
| Occupation(s) | Organist, Choral Conductor |
| Instruments | Organ |
James Bennett Lancelot (born 2 December 1952) was Master of the Choristers, and Cathedral Organist at Durham Cathedral from 1985 until 2017.[1]
Lancelot was educated at St Paul's Cathedral School and Ardingly College. At 16 he was the youngest of his generation to attain the Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists. He went up to King's College, Cambridge, where he was Organ Scholar from 1971-74.[2] Prior to moving to Durham Cathedral, Lancelot spent ten years as Sub-Organist of Winchester Cathedral
Lancelot's time at Durham Cathedral was a period of expansion: in 1997 he founded Durham Cathedral Consort of Singers, a Cathedral voluntary choir made up of singers from the town and the University. The Consort quickly gained a reputation as one of the leading chamber choirs in the region. The Cathedral Choir itself was expanded with the introduction of girl choristers, in addition to the boys. The girl and boy choristers usually sing separately, but have an equal workload and parity of status.
The commissioning of new music was a feature of James Lancelot's tenure. Notable works include John Tavener's Ikon of St Cuthbert, James MacMillan's Missa Dunelmi and several important pieces by John Casken.
He has been a member of the Royal College of Organists Council since 1988, and most recently of its Executive and Library Committees. He also conducted for the Durham University Choral Society.
In 2008 he was appointed a Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music[3]
In 2013 he was appointed President of the Incorporated Association of Organists [4]
In the summer of 2017, after 32 years in post, he retired from his position as Master of the Choristers and Organist of Durham Cathedral.
He has released several acclaimed recordings, including a DVD of Elgar's Organ Sonata and a CD of J.S. Bach's Orgelbuechlein.
In his spare time, James Lancelot is a steam railway enthusiast.
Honours
In 2014 James Lancelot was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from the University of Durham.[5]
In 2016, the Archbishop of Canterbury awarded him the Cranmer Award for Worship "for his contribution to cathedral worship through excellence in the practice of music within the liturgy".[6]
In 2017, upon his retirement, he was appointed Canon Organist Emeritus by the Bishop of Durham.
References
- ↑ "James Lancelot". Retrieved 2009-04-10.
- ↑ Gibbs, David (2008). A School with a View: A History of Ardingly College 1858-2008. James & James Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-1-903942-83-3.
- ↑ http://www.rscm.com/info_resources/news/HonAwards08_14122007.php
- ↑ http://www.iao.org.uk
- ↑ 'Durham University to honour leading international figures' , Durham University News (16 April 2014), online resource accessed 1 July 2017.
- ↑ "The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Awards: Lambeth Palace" (pdf). Archbishop of Canterbury. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2017.