James O'Donnell is Organist and Master of the Choristers of Westminster Abbey and is today one of the leading British musicians of his generation. He was a junior exhibitioner at the Royal College of Music and then organ scholar of Jesus College, Cambridge, where he read music and studied the organ with Peter Hurford, Nicolas Kynaston and David Sanger. Having served for five years as Assistant Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral, he was appointed Master of Music at the age of 26. Under his twelve-year leadership the Choir of Westminster Cathedral consolidated its reputation as one of the finest choirs of its type in the world, and won much praise and several awards for its many recordings, notably the Gramophone 'Record of the Year' and 'Best Choral recording' awards (1998) for a Hyperion recording of Masses by Frank Martin and Ildebrando Pizzetti.

In January 2000, James O'Donnell was appointed to Westminster Abbey, where he is responsible for the direction of the music at the daily choral services and state occasions for which the Abbey is renowned, as well as directing the Abbey Choir in its extensive programme of concerts, tours, broadcasts and recordings. Recently the choir has toured to the Far East, and future plans include visits to Denmark, Spain, Germany and the United States.

James O'Donnell is internationally known as an organist, having appeared in concert all over the world. He has played many times in the United States and throughout Europe. He has appeared at the Proms and in many other festivals both at home and abroad and has worked with some of the country's leading orchestras and ensembles. Since 1997 he has been professor of organ at the Royal Academy of Music.