Accompanist

James Gillespie

James was born in Leeds and in 1943 he was awarded a Music Scholarship to Shrewsbury School. Four years later he was awarded a foundation Scholarship in Pianoforte at the Royal College of Music in London.

After the war he returned to the University at Leeds and studied for a B.Mus degree. Following graduation in 1953 he took up an appointment at The Junior School St. Lawrence College, Ramsgate teaching music and classics. He has lived in Thanet ever since.

During the 1960s, James's piano teacher from Shrewsbury days, Mrs Jan Senior came to live in Sandwich and she suggested that he might apply to become Conductor of the Sandwich and District Choral Society, a post he held from 1972 to 2001. He now enjoys accompanying the choir at rehearsals.