James studied at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and Christ’s College, Cambridge where he was the organ scholar.
James is the Associate Musical Supervisor & Conductor for Moulin Rouge at The Piccadilly Theatre in London.
Previous Musical Director credits include Funny Girl & Guys And Dolls – Théâtre Marigny, Paris. Guys and Dolls at The Royal Albert Hall, conducting The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, Kiss Me Kate – Sheffield Crucible Theatre, Miss Saigon – national tour, Les Misérables – Queen’s Theatre, The Phantom Of The Opera – Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ghost: The Musical – Manchester and Piccadilly Theatre London, Love Never Dies – Adelphi Theatre (Associate Musical Director), Annie Get Your Gun – Young Vic, Imagine This – New London Theatre & Plymouth Theatre Royal, Zorro – national tour, Evita – Adelphi Theatre, My Fair Lady – national tour, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – London Palladium, Boy George’s Taboo – The Venue, Closer to Heaven (by the Pet Shop Boys and Jonathan Harvey) – Arts Theatre, Stephen Sondheim’s Passion – Bridewell Theatre 10th Anniversary Production.
Musical Supervisor credits include: Moulin Rouge! Germany (Associate) Ghost: The Musical – Australia, China, and Asia tours, Musical Supervisor and Conductor for Irving Berlin’s White Christmas – Lowry Theatre.
Other conducting credits include The King and I – Royal Albert Hall, Spring Awakening – Lyric Hammersmith and Novello Theatre, The Sound of Music – London Palladium and Cats – national tour.
On television, James has played the piano for Pet Shop Boys: A Life in Pop, X Factor, Last Choir Standing, The Sharon Osbourne Show, This Morning, The Alan Titchmarsh Show and Hollyoaks.
He performed at the Royal Albert Hall playing keyboards for the 20th Anniversary Reunion Concert of Boy George and Culture Club and also played the Albert Hall organ for the The Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary Concert.