About

James Clark Jr. is an active music director, accompanist, vocal coach, and freelance musician in southeastern North Carolina.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.  
 

James has been music directing and performing in pit orchestras for over 23 years.  He originally began as a woodwind doubler and has gone through many roles in pit orchestras, including reeds (woodwinds), brass, bass guitar, keyboard, associate music director and music director.
Music directing regional theatre productions is James’ theatrical passion.  He has more than eight years’ experience, starting with the Temple Theatre in Sanford, NC.  He music directed many mainstage shows for Temple, some favorites being Grease, Church Basement Ladies, Oliver!, and My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra. Along with the mainstage, he served as music director with the children and teen conservatory program for four summers.  He also taught a vocal studio of twelve for four years. 
 

James is currently music director at Cape Fear Regional Theatre in his home city of Fayetteville, NC.  Some of his favorite mainstage shows are Matilda the Musical, The Addams Family Musical, Sister Act: A Divine Musical Comedy, and Footloose: The Musical.  He has also been associate music director on several shows including serving as associate music director, conductor, and keyboardist with one of his favorite musicals, The Color Purple.
 

James won the Raleigh Broadway World’s Best Musical Director (Professional) in 2019 for Oliver! (The Temple Theatre) and in 2023 for Matilda the Musical (Cape Fear Regional Theatre). 
In addition to theatre, James has a long career working in church music.  His love of the piano and accompanying began with his roots in gospel/southern gospel music.  James is currently the music director at CrossPointe Church in Hope Mills, NC, having held this position for over 14 years. 
Outside of music direction, James is a proficient multi-instrumentalist.  His instrumental concentration at UNCP was oboe, yet James has performed professionally on flute/piccolo, English horn, bassoon, clarinets, saxophones, trumpet, horn in f, piano, bass guitar, organ, acoustic guitar, and bagpipes.  He also plays and learns various other instruments, his newest being the pedal harp.  James feels everyone in the world should learn an instrument!