Before joining the faculty at Yale in 2023, James O’Donnell spent forty years as a cathedral musician in the UK, first at Westminster (Roman Catholic) Cathedral, and then, for twenty-three years, as Organist and Master of the Choristers (director of music) at Westminster Abbey. He has been fortunate to perform in many countries as an organ recitalist and conductor, and broadcast and recorded widely. At Westminster Abbey he was responsible for the music at many major occasions, including the Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011, and, most recently, the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, which was watched by an estimated worldwide audience of nearly 4 billion. At Yale he teaches graduate organ students at the Yale ISM and School of Music, directs a professional choir, Yale Consort, that sings weekly in and around campus, and continues a busy concert career both in the US and abroad. He will be delighted to discuss music and the arts, and the challenges and rewards of pursuing professional careers in these fields.