Mark Ford
Biographical Info
Mark Ford (http://www.music.unt.edu/bio/ford.jpg) is the coordinator of percussion activities at The University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. A marimba specialist, Ford has premiered a variety of new works for solo marimba and regularly performs concerts and clinics around the country. He has been a featured performer/clinician at music conventions such as the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, The College Band Director’s National Conference, the National MENC Convention, the Mid-West Band Directors Conference and Brazil’s International Music Festival. Mark’s latest CD, Motion Beyond, was released by AUR in November of 2001 featuring David Maslanka’s Variations on Lost Love, Daniel McCarthy’s Chamber Symphony No. 1 for Marimba and Winds, Lynn Glassock’s Off Axis, as well as his own compositions Afta-Stuba! and Motion Beyond. Percussive Notes CD review of Motion Beyond stated that “”Ford’s stylistic interpretation is unquestionably among the world’s finest solo musicians.”” His first marimba solo compact disc in 1996, Polaris, received excellent reviews from music publications including The Instrumentalist which stated Ford’s performance is “”superb and Ford’s compositional style is equally outstanding.”” Other CDs by Mark Ford include Athletic Conveyances: Music for Tuba and Percussion, with Jeff Jarvis.
As a composer Mark Ford has written several popular works for solo marimba and percussion ensemble including Head Talk, Polaris, Motion Beyond, Stubernic, Afta-Stuba!, One-Eyed Jacks, and Standup Shadow. His compositions have been performed at universities and concert halls throughout the world including the Taipei International Percussion Convention, The Eastman School of Music and PAS International Conventions.
Mark serves on the Executive Board of the Percussive Arts Society as president-elect. An author of numerous percussion pedagogy articles, Ford served ten years as associate editor for the PAS publication, Percussive Notes. Mark Ford represents the Pearl Corporation of America, The Zildjian Company and Innovative Percussion as performing artist and clinician.
(Added 1998.12.31,modified 2002.3.3)