James Heathcote is a versatile musician based in Manchester. He has played with leading UK orchestras including Opera North, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the Hallé, and the Buxton International Festival Orchestra, as well as frequently appearing with Manchester Baroque. He is really interested in historical performance, particularly the changing nature of audience behaviour over the past century. James also is Director of Music at the Manchester Oratory, and is the accompanist for the Macclesfield Singers. James has performed regularly with English Touring Opera since 2023.