Jim Sparks currently heads the Music Department at the Langley School of Fine Arts in Fort Langley, British Columbia where he teaches vocal music, composition and directs the choirs and vocal ensembles. The Vocal Program at the School of Fine Arts has been featured at many festivals and conferences as guest demonstration groups and has recorded for CBC radio broadcasts such as Almanac and North by Northwest. The most recent CD recording is New York Reflections recorded at The Cathedral of St. John the Devine in New York City. Langley Fine Arts graduates have gone on to further studies in music schools such as U.B.C, U.Vic, McGill, and Eastman. Singers from the choirs have gone on to study and perform with the Vancouver Chamber Choir, Vancouver Cantata Singers, Phoenix, Nite Cap, as well as professional singing careers in opera, church music, and jazz.
With a masters degree in choral conducting from the University of Arizona under Dr. Maurice Skones, and an undergraduate degree in vocal music and piano from the University of British Columbia, Jim has dedicated many years to the building of choral music in BC in the communities of Kamloops, Abbotsford and Langley. Jim has adjudicated in music festivals, given workshops, and been a guest conductor across Canada and the Pacific Northwest. In July 2003 he is the guest conductor of the International Summer School of Fine Arts at the International Peace Garden in North Dakota. His love of vocal and choral music stretches well beyond our borders and lies with the discovery of music from other parts of the world.
As a busy father, Jim enjoys skiing, running, kayaking and traveling with his family.