James Heathcote is a cellist based in Manchester. He plays regularly with a number of professional orchestras in the UK, including the Orchestra of Opera North, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and English Touring Opera. With ETO in Autumn 2023 he played continuo in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea. In 2020 he completed his master’s degree in Historically Informed Performance Practice at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, studying with David Watkin and John Butt, when he explored how audience behaviour has changed over the past century, as well as the performance practice of early 20th century music.  

James also works as an accompanist around the north west, including for the Macclesfield Singers and Preston Opera. Additionally, he is the music director at Manchester Oratory.