James Lockhart (music director)

James Lockhart (born 16 October 1930) is a Scottish conductor, pianist and organist who served as music director for a number of organisations.

Lockhart was born on 16 October 1930 in Edinburgh and studied at the Royal College of Music. In March 1954 he gave the first UK performance of Frank Martin's Sonata da Chiesa for Viola d'Amore and Organ at All Souls Church, Langham Place with the violist Harry Danks. He worked as a répétiteur (singing coach) at the Städtische Bühnen Münster, Germany from 1955 to 1956. He was music director at Welsh National Opera from 1968 to 1972, and at the opera of the Staatstheater Kassel from 1972 to 1978 — the first British born person to hold that position with a German opera. He was the Royal College of Music's director of opera from 1986 to 1992. He appeared as a castaway on the BBC Radio programme Desert Island Discs on 18 April 1970.