James Gillett
Conductor – Vocal Coach – Repetiteur
About
James Gillett is a conductor, répétiteur and vocal coach based in Manchester.With a Master’s degree in repetiteur studies from the Royal Northern College of Music, James has cultivated a deep passion for performance and music education, particularly within opera and vocal arts. He is musical director of Opera Vera, a group dedicated to presenting emotionally profound and visually striking theatre with a focus on 20th-century and contemporary operas.As a conductor and musical director, James has led performances with Flat Pack Music and Random Opera, along with roles of Young Artist Conductor for Waterperry Opera Festival and as producer for recordings with The City of Stoke Symphony Orchestra. Since 2021, he has held the position of Musical Director with Oldham Symphony Orchestra, leading the orchestra’s development and expanding their reputation as a high-quality orchestra. Each year, James enjoys conducting performances with PB Theatricals, a youth-focussed theatre group.Away from the podium, James enjoys working closely with singers in operatic repertoire and song from the piano. His main focuses are on helping singers harness their technique to delve deeper in to musical style, language, and story-telling. James' dedication to vocal coaching has become a vital part of his musicianship and he is committed to supporting singers at every stage of their professional journey. Through his relationship with the RNCM, James plays regularly for singing lessons and further supports students with recordings, coaching, and audition preparation.Throughout James’ career, he has developed an affinity with contemporary music and its ability to comment on today’s world. James has previously collaborated with Manchester Contemporary Youth Opera as musical director and ‘curator’, using live and recorded media to thread a number of new short operas together for performance. Notably, he has served as a repetiteur for the world premiere of Anna Appleby's opera Drought, performed by the BBC Philharmonic in October 2022.In addition to his vocal endeavors, James is dedicated to supporting community music-making.Since 2023, James has been repetiteur for the new RNCM Community Chorus and collaborated on their production of Silverwood, an opera written by Kate Pearson incorporating over 150 community performers on one stage. In the wider community, James has worked on sessions with Streetwise Opera, a charity that enables people who’ve experienced homelessness to find inspiration and empowerment while they rebuild their lives and identities.Outside the concert hall, James enjoys performing duo recitals with vocalists at local venues, sharing exceptional music across various settings throughout Greater Manchester.
Operatic Repertoire
| Composer | Work | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Barber | A Hand of Bridge | MD / pianist |
| Donizetti | The Elixir of Love (Eng.) | Assistant conductor |
| Dove | The Enchanted Pig | Conductor |
| Gilbert & Sullivan | Princess Ida | MD / conductor |
| Gilbert & Sullivan | H.M.S Pinafore | MD / conductor |
| Gilbert & Sullivan | The Yeomen of the Guard | pianist |
| Gilbert & Sullivan | Patience | pianist |
| Menotti | The Telephone | MD / pianist |
| Mozart | The Marriage of Figaro (Eng.) | MD / pianist |
| Le Nozze di Figaro | Fortepiano continuo | |
| Don Giovanni | MD / pianist | |
| Strauss | Ariadne auf Naxos (Prologue) | Orchestral pianist |
| Stravinsky | A Soldiers Tale | Conductor |
Symphonic Repertoire
| Composer | Work |
|---|---|
| Albinoni | Adagio in G minor |
| Bartok | Viola Concerto (Peter Bartók edition) |
| Beethoven | Symphonies Nos. 3, 4, 6 |
| Coriolan Overture | |
| Egmont Overture | |
| Romance for Violin & Orchestra | |
| Violin Concerto | |
| Bizet | Carmen Suites No. 1 and No. 2 |
| Symphony in C | |
| Borodin | Overture and Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor |
| Boulanger | D'un Matin de Printemps |
| Britten | Simple Symphony |
| Bruch | Violin Concerto No. 1 |
| Romance for Viola and Orchestra | |
| Dvorak | Symphony No. 9 |
| Elgar | Enigma Variations |
| Imperial March | |
| German, Edward | Selections from Nell Gwyn |
| Grieg | Norwegian Folk Dances |
| Glazunov | Autumn and Winter |
| Haydn | Symphony No. 28 |
| Liszt | Les Preludes |
| Mendelssohn | Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Symphony No. 3 (Scottish) | |
| Mozart | Overtures |
| Symphony No. 40 | |
| Piano Concerto No. 25 | |
| Saint-Saëns | The Carnival of the Animals |
| Smetana | Vltava (Die Moldau) |
| Tchaikovsky | Sleeping Beauty Suite, Nutcracker Suite |
| Serenade for Strings | |
| Rococo Variations, for Cello and Orchestra | |
| Symphony No. 5 | |
| Walton | Crown Imperial |
Prices
Regular recordings package — £120
Designed to give confidence to conservatoire students making self-recordings through regular time with an experienced repetiteur.Choose up to three arias/songs. You'll get an initial coaching and recording session, followed by three 30-minute recording slots, at 2- to 4-week intervals.Includes:
– 90 minute initial coaching and recording time
– Three further 30-minute recordings of up to three arias
– Additional sessions can be added at £20/half hour
Get In Touch
I offer vocal coaching and accompaniment sessions at my home in Bolton, or at the C. Bechstein Centre, Manchester.
Manchester, UK
07514 289908
james.gillett@icloud.com