ABOUT

Mark began playing the trumpet at the age of ten. By the time he was fifteen, he was playing professionally in the greater Pittsburgh area with the Wally Gingers Orchestra. During high school and his first year of college, he studied privately with Anthony Pasquarelli (formerly of the Pittsburgh Symphony).

As the recipient of a performance scholarship to Carnegie-Mellon University, Mark attended there as a freshman and continued his technical studies with Mr. Pasquarelli. The following year Mark moved to Denton, Texas to enroll in the music school at the University of North Texas where he was the first recipient of the Stan Kenton Jazz Studies Scholarship. As a member of the One O’Clock Lab Band, Mark performed on the ‘Lab ’74’ Album, a PBS television special with Tony Bennett and, under the auspices of the United States Department of State, toured the Soviet Union and Portugal. Throughout his college years, Mark was very busy as a professional trumpet player in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He played in a varied forum with local and national artists including the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Bob Crosby, Tex Beneke, Les Elgart, Johnny Taylor, Johnny Ray, Brenda Lee and Bob Hope. He also played in the Southern Palace Orchestra at Six Flags Over Texas. In 1977, Mark graduated from UNT with a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Education.

In pursuit of furthering his professional career, Mark moved to New York. He performed with Larry Elgart and Ray Anderson, and was hired to tour as lead trumpet in the Broadway show ‘A Tribute to Elvis’. Subsequently, Mark was hired to tour as lead trumpet for Ray Charles. He toured nationally and internationally with Ray and his orchestra, and recorded with Ray on his ‘Love and Peace’ album.

Upon moving to Los Angeles in 1979, Mark performed and recorded as lead trumpet for Gil Askey (Oscar-nominated orchestrator, Motown arranger and producer) and producer Lonnie Simmons. He also played with The Gap Band, James Ingram, Ernie Andrews, Cab Calloway, Dionne Warwick, The Four Tops and Louis Bellson in addition to playing on numerous recording sessions. In order to perform and record his original compositions, Mark formed a jazz group and performed at local jazz venues and festivals.

Mark currently resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth area where he is in demand as a jazz and commercial trumpet player, producer and contractor. He has performed with numerous local artists, as well as on television shows and recording sessions. He has also performed with the Dallas Jazz Orchestra, Henry Mancini Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Texas Schola Cantorum, Daystar Television Network, TBN Television Network, YMC Productions, YMC Records, Chris Christian, Celena Rae, Kristi Lee Cook, Calvacade of Stars, Gladys Knight, The Pointer Sisters, Davis Gaines, Daniel Rodriguez, Tom Scott, and Three Dog Night.