Just two days after graduation, John Langley started working at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, as Librarian/Personnel and Events Manager for their Pops/Concert orchestra and as Assistant Personnel Manager/Librarian to the main orchestra. During six years at the RPO, he established many of the professional relationships that would have significance and longevity–most notably with tenor Jose Carreras, for whom John became orchestra librarian for all his gala concerts worldwide (1989-present). At this time, John also worked closely with dozens of other global artists, such as: Henry Mancini, Kiri Te Kanawa, Placido Domingo, Itzahk Perlman, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Ron Goodwin, Sarah Brightman, Michael Ball, Maurice Jarre, George Benson, Stevie Wonder, Carl Davis, George Fenton and Sir Yehudi Menhuin.

John left the RPO to become events manager for classical concert impresario Raymond Gubbay, remaining there for 18 months, before spring-boarding into a freelance career for over 25 years now as a singer, arranger, orchestrator and music-copyist.

John's solo singing and acting have taken him from film session to touring show, from Hong Kong City Hall to the Gulf Hotel Bahrain, from Birmingham Symphony Hall to the Royal Albert Hall and West End principal credits in Mamma Mia, Phantom of the Opera and Whistle Down the Wind. His own review show Movies and Musicals (www.moviesandmusicals.com) has featured at venues throughout the UK since 2009 and with orchestras in Hong Kong, Guiyang (China) and Jakobstad (Finland).

As an arranger and orchestrator, John’s music has been performed and broadcast live all over the world, most notably by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia, Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, RTÉ Concert Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra, Welsh National Opera, Ulster Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Trondheim Symphony, Vantaa Pops, Helsinki Opera and Finnish National Opera. Highlights of John’s recorded work to date include artists such as: Alfie Boe, Elīna Garanča, Jonathan Antoine, Heather Nova, Marti Pellow, Opera Men, Hayley Westenra (two Top 10 albums of Japanese Pop Songs and a PBS Special), co-writing/orchestrating the first two albums for All Angels (the debut reaching platinum status). Several of John’s arrangements have been featured at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms and Proms in the Park.

John’s notoriety in the arena of music preparation has brought him into contact with a huge array of clients, projects and musical styles. In the world of musical theatre, John’s credits as copyist include: Closer to Heaven (Pet Shop Boys), Bombay Dreams (Lloyd Webber), Groundhog Day (Minchin/Rubin), Jekyll & Hyde (Wildhorn/Bricusse), Bumblescratch (Sherman) and Travels With My Aunt (Stiles & Drewe). Arena and commercial events include: Blue Planet Live! World Tour (George Fenton), Bear Grylls Endeavour (Guy Farley), Classic Brit Awards (music supervisor, Royal Albert Hall), Magic at The Musicals (Royal Albert Hall/Magic FM. 2016-), Best of the West End (Royal Albert Hall), The Greatest Show (BBC1 2021), National Lottery Big Night of Musicals (BBC1 2022), Celebrity Cruises (Stage Door and Artè shows), Christian Dior (Shanghai) and Victoria's Secret (Miami). For five years, John was copyist and editor for conductor/composer Lorin Maazel for projects including The Empty Pot (London Symphony Orchestra), Sentimento (Andrea Bocelli), and the opera 1984 (Royal Opera House). Film, TV and advertising include: Silver Skates (Farley), There’s Always Hope (Farley), That Good Night (Farley), A Good American (Farley/Slaski), Audio Network (various), McDonalds, Lloyds Bank, Coors Light and many others.

Alongside his work for Jose Carreras, John has acted as orchestral librarian for Katherine Jenkins since 2010 and has looked after a host of others in this respect: Jules Buckley, Jonathan Antoine, Alfie Boe, Kiri Te Kanawa, Montserrat Caballe, Hayley Westenra, Amore, All Angels and others.