About James Mark

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Born and raised in Nanaimo British Columbia, I started studying violin at age four. I joined the Central Vancouver Island Music School which was based out of the music department at Malaspina College (now Vancouver Island University). I studied violin with Heilwig von Koenigsloew and later with Marlin Wolfe. I also studied piano with Sharon Wishart. In 1994, I began performing with the newly formed Vancouver Island Symphony. Playing with the VIS at such a young age was truly formative in my music education at the time.

Malaspina University-College had a world renowned jazz program that was really appealing to me. I always loved improvising and the jazz program offered a formal methodology to learn improvisation. In 2000, I transferred to York University. York had classical and jazz programs as well as world music and other contemporary styles. It was the perfect school for a young violinist looking to cross-over into other genres. It was at York where I got into composition. I was working as a dance accompanist and improvising music for dance classes (often with pianists and percussionist) and learning a lot about supporting movement with music. Dancers were asking for compositions for their choreography and I started to formally compose. After graduation, I enrolled in a Masters degree at the California Institute of the Arts. It was recommended to me by one of my professors but also had a unique Performer/Composer program. The Performer/Composer program allowed me to continue studies on violin while also formally studying composition. I continued composing for dance but worked with animators from CalArts' world class animation program. Most of my composition up to this time was for dance and film; projects completed using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). I was using software instruments and recording out of a home studio, but later fell in love with more traditional composition and writing for large ensembles like orchestra. My composition classes taught me how to arrange, compose, orchestrate and engrave. It was a most wonderful and experimental time where I learned the foundational skills I use on a daily basis.