Our Scholars
In September 2013, a new Scholarship scheme began at St John's under the leadership of our Director of Music. Four Choral Scholars (SATB) and an Organ Scholar now take part in most of the Sunday services, and at Choral Evensong, usually on the first Sunday of each month.
Visit Our Services page for more details.
Vacancies
Gilbert Jackson BASS
Gilbert is currently a 4th year Chemist at Imperial College London. Gilbert started his singing career at the age of 11 by first joining the choir of St Mary’s, Bury St Edmunds. Gilbert played the organ at St John’s Notting Hill as its organ scholar for a year under Tom Primrose. Gilbert is currently chair of the Imperial College Chamber Choir and still occasionally plays the organ for services both in London and in his home county of Suffolk. Gilbert was also a member of the winning team (Imperial) of University Challenge Series 51 and in his spare time he has made it his mission to visit every church within The City of London and every English cathedral.
JJ Lam SOPRANO
Soprano JJ Lam read Computer Science at Trinity College, Cambridge, where she sang in the chapel choir under Stephen Layton. After a brief career in finance, she retrained as a performer, graduating in 2024 from the MA Musical Theatre course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
JJ is an experienced recitalist and choral soloist. Prior to joining St John’s Notting Hill, she was the Soprano Choral Scholar at St George’s Beckenham and West London Chorus.
JJ was selected as a 2025 Serena Fenwick artist with British Youth Opera. She appeared as Pitti-Sing in The Mikado at Tabard Theatre, Chiswick. During Summer 2025, she sang in the Chorus of the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company at Buxton Opera House.
Beth Yates SOPRANO
Beth has recently completed her MA in Solo Voice Ensemble Signing at the University of York, under Robert Hollingworth and Susan Young. Prior to this, she pursued a degree in Modern Languages (German and Italian) at Durham University. Whilst there she partook in many musical offerings, including Durham University Chamber Choir, choral scholarships at several chapel choirs, a choral scholarship at St Oswald’s church and an early music group (Dunelm Consort and Players), all whilst studying voice under Miranda Wright. Beth also attended the Samling Academy in 2023. Aside from university groups, Beth co-founded The Phoenix Consort, a successful new vocal consort with recent and future CD releases. Beth is a VOCES8 Scholar for 2025/26 and has recently recorded two projects with the VOCES8 Foundation as well as having other performance opportunities. She is also a member of the Genesis Sixteen cohort for 2025/26 and is soon to join the members of Siglo de Oro, directed by Patrick Allies. In addition, Beth regularly performs as a soloist.
Catherine James MEZZO SOPRANO
Catherine is currently reading Medicine at Imperial College with a Harmsworth and Laidlaw scholarship. She holds an FRSM voice qualification and is an Ash Music Scholar at the Royal College of Music, under Jonathan Lemalu. Having trained at Guildford Cathedral and the Royal Academy ofMusic she has held choral scholarships at St Peter’s Church, Petersham and St John’s Church, Wimbledon. As a soloist, Catherine has performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, and has recorded with Convivium Records, BBC Radio 2 and Scala FM. Her ensemble work includes performances with the Rodolfus Choir, the Royal Academy of Music Chamber Choir, Imperial College Chamber Choir and National Youth Voices. Her most recent choral highlights include the premières of Sir Karl Jenkins’ ‘One World’, and Sir James MacMillan’s ‘Ordo Virtutum’, singing ‘Avatar’ at the Royal Albert Hall, recording with the BBC Singers for Radio 3 at the Barbican, and singing with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall.
James Todd ORGAN SCHOLAR
James Todd is currently studying for an MMus at the Royal College of Music, with Professors David Graham, Charles Andrews, Martin Ford, and Martin Schmeding, having graduated from the RCM in 2024 with a BMus. He is generously supported by the Richard Newton Scarth Award from the Royal College of Music, as well as several awards from the Royal College of Organists. James has previously also been the Organ Scholar at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool, and at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street. At the end of his third and fourth year of his studies, he was awarded the Harold Darke Prize for Organ and was a semi-finalist in the IAO-RCO International Organ Competition 2024. Additionally, James has previously given recitals at Liverpool Cathedral; Brentwood Cathedral; St. Michael’s Church, Cornhill; and The Guards’ Chapel.
Josh Clough TENOR
A former Tiffin student, Josh’s choral journey started as a treble under the direction of Simon Toyne at the Tiffin Boys’ Choir. Highlights of Josh’s early singing career included performing in the chorus of Tannhäuser and La Bohème at the Royal Opera House, touring to Russia, and performing in Bernard Haitink’s 50th Anniversary BBC Prom. After Tiffin, Josh held two choral scholarships whilst studying at Oxford (2021 -2024), at Keble College and Pusey House respectively, and also continues to be a member of the Oxford-based early polyphony group Antiquum Documentum, performing regularly in both Oxford and London. Since leaving university he has undertaken more freelance work: recent highlights include playing Uriel in Haydn’s Creation in Bergerac, South France, and a recent tour to Italy in July 2025 in which he performed with the Addamus choir at St Peter’s Basilica, the Duomo Cathedral in Milan, and the Duomo Cathedral in Florence.