James McVinnie

James McVinnie is an organist and keyboard player whose boundless approach to music making has seen him carve out a unique career.

McVinnie’s career began at the organs of some of the UK’s most revered places of worship, including time spent as Sub-Organist at St Paul’s Cathedral and Assistant Organist of Westminster Abbey. In the years since he has gone on to become one of classical music’s most captivating and innovative performers. 

McVinnie has collaborated with a great number of artists from different musical fields and genres. They include the composer and sound artist Tristan Perich, electronics duo Darkstar, singer-songwriters Sufjan Stevens, Sam Amidon and Beth Orton, and Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry. He has also had major concerto solo works written for him by, among others, Nico Muhly, Gabriella Smith, Martin Creed, David Chalmin, David Lang, Bryce Dessner and Hildur Guðnadóttir

Since 2017 he has directed the James McVinnie Ensemble, a collective of virtuoso keyboardists dedicated to exploring work often preoccupied with political themes by contemporary and emerging composers. The ensemble’s debut performance was of Philip Glass’ Music in Twelve Parts – the only performance in the piece’s history given by anyone other than the Philip Glass Ensemble. 

As a member of Icelandic collective and record label Bedroom Community, McVinnie has released three albums: Cycles (2013, works by Nico Muhly), Cycles_1 (2016, a remix album) and Counterpoint (2021) which pairs music of J S Bach & Philip Glass. Among his other recordings is All Night Chroma featuring music by Tom Jenkinson/Squarepusher, which was recorded on our Royal Festival Hall organ, and released on Warp Records in 2019.

McVinnie became a Southbank Centre Resident Artist in 2024. His residency began in March that year with two performances on our Royal Festival Hall organ as part of the instrument’s 70th anniversary celebrations.