James Southall

James Southall is a conductor and pianist who currently serves as Music Director of the David Seligman Opera School at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He spent nearly 15 years with Welsh National Opera, conducting a wide range of productions including Madama Butterfly, La Traviata, Carmen, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute, Così fan tutte, Die Fledermaus, and The Barber of Seville.

In addition to his work with WNO, James has conducted for companies and orchestras such as English Touring Opera, Sinfonia Cymru, L’Orchestra Haydn di Bolzano e Trento, and Camerata Nordica. He has also worked with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Teatro Real Madrid, and La Monnaie in Brussels.

As a pianist, James has performed at venues including Wigmore Hall and Cadogan Hall. He has received recognition as a former winner of the Accompanist’s Prize at the Kathleen Ferrier Awards and the Maggie Teyte Competition. He has collaborated with artists such as Sir Bryn Terfel, Elizabeth Watts, Ailish Tynan, Elizabeth Atherton, and Jessica Robinson.

James studied at Queens’ College, Cambridge, where he was an Organ Scholar, and at the Royal College of Music, London. He combines his performing career with a commitment to education and mentoring young musicians.