James Whitbourn, 1963-2024

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our Director of Music, James Whitbourn. 

James was a superb Director of Music here at Harris Manchester College, working closely with our choir, our organ scholar and our Chaplain to make music joyfully and also to make chapel services open and welcoming to all. All who sang under his direction and worked with him found him extraordinarily inspiring. 

James was also a composer of considerable renown, and he worked as a producer at the BBC for many years. His work received four Grammy nominations, a Royal Television Society Award and many other international accolades. He produced the BBC’s Carols from Kings, and BBC Radio 3’s Choral Evensong for a number of years and was responsible for the global music coverage by the BBC of many royal events, including the funerals of Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother, and the Duke of Edinburgh.

A memorial service will be held in due course, following a private family funeral. Our Chaplain, Claire MacDonald, and our Assistant Director of Music, Stephen Taylor, will also be working on ways that we as a college can mark his remarkable musical legacy. 

James will be much missed.