James Mark, PEISO Conductor

JAMES MARK, ECMA winning conductor, clarinetist, saxophonist, arranger and educator, received the Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, the Master of Music degree from the Hartt College of Music, and the Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan. He is also an Associate of the Royal College of Music in London, England, where he twice won the Arthur Somervell Prize for Winds which was presented by the Queen Mother.

His performing career has been active and varied. He has been Principal Clarinetist with several orchestras including the Royal College of Music First Orchestra, the Berkshire Symphony (Massachusetts), Symphony New Brunswick, the Charlottetown Festival Orchestra and the PEI Symphony Orchestra and has appeared as concerto soloist with all of these ensembles.

Since his conducting debut at the age of 16 with the Michigan All-State Band, he has conducted many ensembles including the University of Michigan Concert Band, the Mount Allison Symphonic Band, the Toronto Wind Orchestra and Symphony New Brunswick. He was the conductor of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra from 1994- 2010, and conducted them in Carnegie Hall, New York City, the Auditorio Paganini in Parma, Italy, and recently, on tour in China, at the Great Hall of the People and the Forbidden City Auditorium in Beijing, and the Hebei Provincial Arts Centre in Shijiazhuang.

Dr. Mark is Professor Emeritus at Mount Allison University, and is an active clinician and adjudicator. He is delighted to strengthen his ties to PEI which have been important to him since he appeared as clarinet soloist in the Charlottetown Festival production of “Swing!” in 1985.

 Dr. James Mark website:  http://jmarkmusic.com/