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We offer daily services and a cultural programme of talks, events and concerts. We seek to be a welcoming space for people to reflect, create and debate
Saturday 5 July, from 11am
Pride Party in the courtyard, garden and church. Street food, bar, drag DJ sets, face-painting and craft stall. And quiet space for contemplation in the church.
Sunday 13 July at 3pm in the Southwood Garden
Join St James’s Piccadilly Music Scholars for a summer afternoon of music and refreshment as they raise essential funds for their annual summer tour.
St James’s hosts inclusive services and a cultural programme. We seek to be a welcoming space for people to reflect, create and debate.
St James’s is a place to explore, reflect, pray, and support all who are in need. We are a Church of England parish in the Anglican Communion.
We host a year-round creative programme encompassing music, visual art and spoken word.
We offer hospitality to people going through homelessness and speak out on issues of injustice, especially concerning refugees, asylum, racial justice, and LGBTQ+ issues.
St James’s strives to advocate for earth justice and to develop deeper connections with nature.
We aspire to be a home where everyone can belong. We’re known locally and globally for our unique history and beauty, as well as faith in action, creativity and the arts, and a commitment to social and environmental justice.
We strive to be a Eucharist-centred, diverse and inclusive Christian community promoting life in abundance, wellbeing and dignity for all.
St James’s Piccadilly has been at the heart of its community since 1684. We invite you to play your part in securing this historic place for generations to come.
The work of St James’s, it costs us £5,000 per day to enable us to keep our doors open to all who need us.
A reimagined St James’s realised. A redesigned garden, courtyard and new building capacity—all fully accessible— will provide beautiful spaces for all as well as improving our environmental performance.
Whether shooting a blockbuster TV series or creating a unique corporate event, every hire at St James’s helps our works within the community.
St James's Church 197 Piccadilly London W1J 9LL
Directions on Google Maps
St James’s Music Scholars programme that awards scholarships to support young musicians is a unique grassroots initiative.
Applications are now open for Music Scholarships for St James’s and the inaugural Music Scholarships at our partner church St Pancras Euston. The Scholarships will run from Oct 2025 to July 2026.
Applicants are free to apply for both. But, you do not need to fill in two applications, nor attend two auditions. But, please indicate in the “Supporting Information” section your application form that you wish to be considered for both.
Please note: ALL auditions will take place at St Pancras Church, Euston.
St James’s Music Scholars Programme was launched in 2021.
For singers and instrumentalists, the programme is there to support emerging talent in keeping with St James’s long music tradition, but which also reflects the culture of music in today’s church. Rooted in the choral tradition, St James’s also includes world music and jazz in its regular and special services and events.
The Scholars scheme is essentially a “grassroots” programme that grew out of the efforts of the clergy, congregation and musicians at the church following the turmoil of the pandemic, conscious of how music is an important part of what brings communities together.
It relies entirely upon donations —donors from or with direct connections to the congregation were vital in establishing the programme —and the decision was to support Singing and Instrumental Scholars (not calling them ‘choral scholars’ as in other historically endowed foundations, to indicate that the classical repertoire is part of, but not all of, the Scholars’ musical life here).
St James’s Music Scholars programme is inclusive and seeks to support musical talent beyond the parameters of traditional church music. Nonetheless, in keeping with St James’s musical heritage, those awarded scholarships commit to enriching St James’s liturgical year and sing or play at all the major festivals, alongside the weekly commitment. An annual tour has become a tradition, with alumni from previous years joining current scholars in what has proved to be not only a musically excellent, but fun trip away.
The Scholarships
There are four Singing Scholarships (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), one or two instrumental scholarships (we currently have a viola scholar) and one Organ and Piano Scholarship, all awarded to musicians at an early stage in their careers. Scholars work with the clergy and under St James’s Director of Music.
In 2025, we will be growing the programme in collaboration with our partner church St Pancras Euston.
If you love music and want to help us nurture young musicians to take their place in our long tradition of musical excellence, there are various ways you can help.
You can play a more in-depth role in supporting a particular scholarship, such as those listed below. Please contact Anna Auchter to discuss how you could support a particular scholarship.
Or, you can make a donation. Whatever you can give helps St James’s nurture the inspiring musicians of tomorrow, not only in terms of the scholarships, but also to provide that important career opportunity of the annual summer tour.
“In a few short years, St James’s Music Scholars have become an essential part of the musical life of this historic church. Centred around a Sunday morning commitment, and including weekday informal services, the concerts, carol singing, tour and alumni of this scheme have brought life and musical excellence to our worship and other events. From Duruflé’s Requiem to new music by Jonathan Dove, from innovative instrumental improvisation on Good Friday, to Choral Evensong focussing on the music of Black composers to a mashup of Mariah Carey and The Pogues at Christmas, we have gained so much from our scholars, and support them wholeheartedly in their music making, now and into the future.” -The Rev Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James’s Piccadilly
“In a few short years, St James’s Music Scholars have become an essential part of the musical life of this historic church. Centred around a Sunday morning commitment, and including weekday informal services, the concerts, carol singing, tour and alumni of this scheme have brought life and musical excellence to our worship and other events. From Duruflé’s Requiem to new music by Jonathan Dove, from innovative instrumental improvisation on Good Friday, to Choral Evensong focussing on the music of Black composers to a mashup of Mariah Carey and The Pogues at Christmas, we have gained so much from our scholars, and support them wholeheartedly in their music making, now and into the future.”
-The Rev Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James’s Piccadilly
The current Music Scholars
We are incredibly grateful to all who support the music scholarship programme at St James’s.
Our scholars sing on Sundays, perform three concerts a year, perform additional recitals and undertake a summer tour. For further information about supporting a scholar, please contact Anna Auchter.
Singing Scholars
Burt Family Scholarship – Talia Lieberman (soprano)
Burt Family Scholarship – Martha Campbell (alto)
Quito Clothier (tenor)
Robert Nicholas (bass)
Instrumental Scholars
St James’s Piccadilly Charity Scholar – Dominic Stokes (viola)
Fleur De Lys Organ Scholar – Ashley Chow (organ)
Conducting Scholar and Choral Associate
Harrison Knights
Music Scholars are part of our music heritage
St James’s has a long tradition of music, both religious and secular, and the support of benefactors has made our scholarship programme possible. We are delighted to offer musicians at an early stage in their careers an opportunity to train and perform together in the marvellous acoustic of the church while in receipt of scholarships worth £2,750 (singing) and £1,375 (instrumental) for the academic year.
The Instrumental Scholars play in church once or twice a month to enhance the music at our Sunday morning services. The Singing Scholars sing every week on Sunday morning and sing at all the church festivals and at a monthly Choral Evensong on Sunday afternoon. They also take it in turns to act as Cantor on Sunday mornings and to be the solo singer for our contemplative Tuesday evening Sanctuary services.
We aim for our Scholars to reflect a wide range of musical backgrounds and encourage them to present two or three concerts a year in the church. We also work towards ensuring a Scholars’ summer tour.
Tour of the South of England
Sunday 17th August 5:30pm – Eucharist & Evensong – Portsmouth Cathedral
Monday 18th August 7pm – Concert – St Mary’s, Portchester
Wednesday 20th August 5:30pm – Evensong – Chichester Cathedral
Thursday 21st August 5:30pm – Evensong – Winchester Cathedral
We encourage Scholars to take the opportunity to give a recital as part of our Lunchtime Recitals, and Singing Scholars are invited to sing at special events organised by our Development Team.
It is important to St James’s that we are representative of people and communities across society. We actively welcome applications from people who are currently underrepresented in our community, including people with global majority heritage, people with lived experience of poverty and people who identify as LGBTQ+.
