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Music

James Drinkwater graduated in 2007 from Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he read the English Tripos, holding Academic Foundation and Organ Scholarships. In 2008, he won several top prizes on his way to gaining the award of Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists, in the same season also gaining a Licentiateship of the Royal Schools of Music in piano performance. In his student days he performed concertos by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Shostakovich. A keen operetta fan, he variously musically directed, played violin for, and sang both chorus and principal roles in several productions with the Cambridge University Gilbert and Sullivan Society. His composition 'Unprepared Suspensions' received an award from James MacMillan at its premiere at St John's, Smith Square.

Upon graduating, he served as Assistant Director of Music (Academic) and Chapel Organist at Repton School from 2007 to 2010, and on top of teaching he enjoyed conducting the Chamber Choir as well as the Musical Society orchestra in Brahms, and was privileged to assist in house cabarets and the keenly-contested house singing competitions. He now works full time at Clifton College, Bristol, where his responsibilities include teaching academic music at GCSE and A-level, taking instrumental lessons, accompanying, providing theory and aural classes, coaching chamber ensembles and serving as the chapel organist on the magnificent 4-manual Harrison and Harrison.

Outside of teaching, James performs regularly. Recent engagements including a programme of sonatas with violinist Helen Roche at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, and an organ recital including the Whitlock Sonata (first movement) and Guilmant’s ‘Marche funèbre et chant séraphique’. Outside of music, he enjoys reading and mountain-walking, recently completing a trip across the Alps through Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.

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