Jim was born in Taiwan, graduated from Peabody Conservatory, a student of Stanley Cornett. At Peabody, he has performed Don Basilio in The Marriage of Figaro, the Evangelist in The Christmas Story by Heinrich Schütz, soloist in Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, Monostatos in Magic Flute and as a Sailor in Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell.
His recent opera activities include as a doctor in Augusta Read Thomas’ Ligeia, which took place in Evian, France, commissioned by Mstislav Rostropovich; as well as Ferrando in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte at Seagle Colony, up-state New York; Emperor in Charles Strous’ Nightingale with Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia; Lindoro in Rossini’s An Italian Girl in Algiers with Mount Vernon Place Music Theater in Washington, DC; and as Tinca in Giacomo Puccini’s Il Tabarro, as Don Basilio in The Marriage of Figaro, as Cassio in Verdi’s Otello with Opera International in Washington, DC.
He was soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with Mt. Vernon Place Methodist Church choir and orchestra, and also frequently performs in oratorios like Messiah with Harford Choral Society, Frederick Arts Council, the soloist in Sergei Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil with Baltimore Choral Arts Society, as well as a frequent guest soloist with The Christian Oratorio Society of Greater Washington, DC. Jim has sung with the St. Ignatius choir for 21 years.