As an Asian American and Southern California native, the pursuit of a musical career, especially that of music education was not always exactly at the forefront for violinist/violist Mr. Jim Wang. However, as a result of strict traditional Chinese upbringing, Mr. Wang often found himself immersed in music in everything he was involved with. Soon, after many different positive musical experiences as well as countless interactions with influential music educators, music and education soon became a passion for Mr. Wang.

Currently, Mr. Wang is the Director of Orchestras at Lincoln Middle School for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. He teaches all levels of string instruments to students in the sixth through eight grades. Before that, he was the strings teacher for the Rowland Unified School District where he traveled around various schools in the district to teach orchestra classes, and also had the privilege to direct the Rowland District Honor Orchestra. Mr. Wang completed his Masters of Arts in Teaching along with a teaching credential at the University of Southern California with an emphasis on music education. He also maintained a violin/viola studio where he taught young musicians in and around the local community where he grew up. Mr. Wang's first and foremost goal is to give back to the public communities that impacted him in his youth by sharing his love and knowledge of music to students young and old.

Mr. Wang grew up in the public school system and has had the privilege of participating in a strong and well-received public school music program. His positive experience with music education began at Chaparral Middle School with Mr. Greg Rochford and from there on blossomed to later become the concertmaster of the Diamond Bar High School orchestra for his final two years of high school under the direction of Mr. Rick Lorenzen. During this time, Mr. Wang was also actively involved with a prestigious local community orchestra, the Claremont Young Musicians Orchestra for many years under the direction of Mr. Roger Samuel. Mr. Wang was also an active chamber musician—playing with fellow musicians in and around his community and winning many different competitions and awards including the John Child Walker Competition for chamber music.

After graduating from Diamond Bar High School in 2005, Mr. Wang attended Biola University to further his music education where he earned a BM in violin performance in the spring of 2009. There, he studied with prominent contemporary artists and professors such as Mr.  Sam Formicola, Mr. Marlin Owen, Dr. Kangwon Kim, and Mr. Ji Young Um. At Biola, Mr. Wang participated in all different spectrums of musical performances and activities, including a solo appearance for Biola’s annual Prism Concert in fall of 2006. Mr. Wang was also featured in different master classes for his chamber work on both the violin and viola, playing for artists like Peter Slowik (Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Credo), Joel Smirnoff (Juilliard String Quartet), and Menahem Pressler (Beaux Arts Trio). In the fall of 2008, Mr. Wang participated in a study abroad program with Azusa Pacific University and studied music in Heidelberg, Germany. There he studied with the concertmaster of the Heidelberg Philharmonic Orchestra, Mr. Thierry Stöckel and played and performed with the Heidelberg Stat Baroque Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Wang also had the privilege to travel all around Europe during his semester abroad as he visited many musical sites and cities such as Vienna, Salzburg, Berlin, Leipzig, Weimar, London, and Paris.

In the summer of 2006, Mr. Wang traveled to Xi’an, China to teach the under-privileged Chinese students the English language, which began his love for education. Mr. Wang loves to teach all students—young and old—just about anything he has knowledge of and has a passion for. He believes that learning is a lifelong experience and that all students are entitled to the gift of learning and will succeed and have an enriched life as a result of life-long learning.