James Bennett Lancelot, born on 2 December 1952, is a cathedral organist and master of the Choristers. He began his education at St Paul's Cathedral School and Ardingly College, achieving the Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO) at just 16 years old. Lancelot then studied at King's College, Cambridge, serving as an organ scholar from 1971 to 1974. He became sub-organist of Winchester Cathedral in 1974, a position he held for ten years before moving to Durham Cathedral in 1985. At Durham, Lancelot founded the Durham Cathedral Consort of Singers in 1997 and expanded the cathedral choir by introducing girl choristers. He commissioned notable works such as John Tavener's Ikon of St Cuthbert and James MacMillan's Missa Dunelmi. Lancelot retired from Durham Cathedral in 2017, after which he was appointed canon organist emeritus by the bishop of Durham.
