Jim Gardner

James Gardner is currently pianist/keyboardist with the Polk St. Jazz Group, Music Director of the Amarillo Little Theatre, and for twenty-five years Director of Music Ministries at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Amarillo where he resides with his wife Carol, daughter Cassi, and sons Matthew and Christopher.  

A member of ASCAP, Gardner's compositions have enjoyed premiers in Boston, NY City, Prague, Amarillo, and other cities.  His works are published by E.C. Schirmer-Galaxy Music Publishers of Boston.  He's appeared on stage at the Amarillo Little Theatre in several roles, most recently as Emile de Beque in South Pacific.  James was also featured in a recent KACV documentary on jazz with the group Polk St. Jazz entitled One Night Only.

Mr. Gardner's first major award was in 1988 when he was selected as the winner of the National American Guild of Organists Award for Choral Composition.  In 1999, he was invited to compose a major work for Soprano and Orchestra, which was premiered by Mary Jane Johnson and the Czech National Symphony, Paul Freeman, conductor, in Prague, Czech Republic.  Scene for a Diva was recorded and released internationally by Atlantic Records after this performance.  It's American premier was in 2003 by the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra, James Setapen. Most recently, Gardner was commissioned to write and arrange original music to the multimedia showcase Odyssey, which opened the new Globe News Performing Arts Center of Amarillo, TX in January of 2006.

He holds degrees from the University of North Texas and West Texas A&M University.  Professional positions ranging from Instructor of Jazz to Music Director of Opera have been held at Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX; New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, Mass; the Julliard School of Music, New York City and West Texas A&M University.