Jim Cooke is a composer, arranger and conductor.

Jim began conducting in 1978 while at college in Liverpool, rehearsing the wind band and later forming a student orchestra to perform concerts of light music, thus developing a very broad ranging interest in repertory.

He gained a diploma in composition from the Guildhall School of Music in 1979, studied for his PGCE at Didsbury College of Education and an MA at Liverpool Hope University.  He conducts the Orchestra of Ormskirk Music Society (since 1992), and Manchester Bach Choir (since 2009); he is also an honorary member of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society, having sung bass in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir since 1988.