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Mark began formal music tuition at the age of seven. Classical study of the piano led on to the clarinet, the saxophone and the organ, alongside which he received extensive choral training. A music scholarship and both ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels in music progressed to Mark reading Music at Exeter University, from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts honours degree, and where he was University Chapel Organist. His musical education covered all aspects and styles of music from small to large ensembles, such as solo piano performing, piano accompanying to singers and instrumentalists, choral singing and organ playing for services and concerts, orchestral playing and conducting, musical theatre performing, musical theatre directing and conducting, military and wind bands, jazz and big bands, and pop and rock groups. Composition and improvisation formed an integral part of this musical education.
After graduating, Mark spent a year working at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter where, amongst other things, he composed the music for the song STREETS OF BERLIN for Declan Donellan’s acclaimed production of Martin Sherman’s BENT, and where he played keyboards for George Stiles’ and Anthony Drewe’s first production of TUTANKHAMUN.
Realising his desire to be closer to London, he spent the next two years as Assistant Director of Music at Bishop’s Stortford College in Hertfordshire, following which, he moved in to London to begin his career as a freelance professional musician.
One of Mark’s first jobs was the role of actor/pianist for Keith Strachan’s poignant production of TONIGHT: LOLA BLAU followed by on-stage pianist for the Orange Tree Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of THE LADY OR THE TIGER, and then assistant musical director and keyboard player for the Watermill Theatre’s production of MOLL FLANDERS.
Mark has since been very active on the London music scene, principally as a pianist and keyboard player, both for live work and for studio recordings. He has played with many different singers and instrumentalists (from jazz to rock and pop) and formed his own bands, most notably THIS SIDE UP with Luiz de Almeida on guitar and Dylan Howe on drums, and CYAN - now ELECTRIC BLUE LEMON - with Giles Andrews as vocalist and lyricist. Mark also discovered a hidden passion for all things Brazilian, and co-founded Brazilian bands SARABANDA and AUWÊ, the former playing much of the repertoire from the Brazilian genre known as Musica Popular Brasileira (MPB) such as Antonio Carlos (Tom) Jobim and Caetano Veloso, and the latter playing original songs written by the band much in the style of the progressive rock of the 1970s, in particular the two CLUBE DA ESQUINA albums of Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges. As well as playing numerous times at the Jazz Café in London (including performing as the band for Clara Moreno - daughter of famous Brazilian singer Joyce), AUWÊ also opened shows for Caetano Veloso at the Barbican and for Marisa Monte at the Royal Festival Hall, and in 2001 were invited to Rio de Janeiro to play in the HUMAITÁ PRA PEIXE festival, Rio’s foremost festival for new music and new bands.
As a session player, Mark has played on many film and television drama soundtracks, and has appeared on various live television shows with the likes of Bette Middler, Barry Manilow and Placido Domingo. His studio work has included keyboards for Kirsty MacColl on her album TROPICAL BRAINSTORM, and piano and keyboards for French singer Arielle’s album IMBECILE HEUREUSE produced by David Corcos and mixed by Mario Caldatto jr. Mark was also orchestral arranger and conductor (recorded in Prague) for Arielle’s album, as well as string arranger and conductor for Jools Holland’s album SUNSET OVER LONDON and choir arranger and conductor for Adam F’s album KAOS: THE ANTI-ACOUSTIC WARFARE.
Having harboured a long-term wish to write music for picture, Mark’s opportunity came with the Sky Pictures feature, TUBE TALES, which led on to, amongst others, the Film Four/Tiger Aspect feature DOG EAT DOG starring Gary Kemp, Alan Davies and Melanie Blatt, and the Spice Factory/Phantom Pictures feature BABY JUICE EXPRESS starring Nick Moran, Phil Davis, Lisa Faulkner and Samantha Janus. Composing for television drama came next with Mark scoring all four series of the highly successful BBC1 drama, CUTTING IT, starring Amanda Holden, Sarah Parish and Jason Merrells, followed by more dramas, including BBC1’s FINAL DEMAND starring Tamzin Outhwaite, Liam Cunningham and Simon Pegg, BBC1’s 55 DEGREES NORTH starring Don Gilet and Dervla Kirwan, BBC1’s WATERLOO ROAD starring Jason Merrells and Angela Griffin, and ITV1’s SWEET MEDICINE starring Patricia Hodge, Jason Merrells and Gillian Kearney.
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