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Mark to present faculty trombone recital

Dr. Douglas Mark, associate professor of trombone/low brass, presents a faculty recital Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the Bologna Performing Arts Center.

The Delta State University Department of Music will present Dr. Douglas Mark, associate professor of trombone/low brass, in a faculty recital Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the Bologna Performing Arts Center. Mark will be assisted by Dr. Jung-Won Shin, associate professor of piano.

The recital will include both popular classics of the trombone repertoire, as well as lesser known works. The first selection on the program is “Largo & Scherzo” written by Swiss composer Jean Daetwyler. Composed for solo alto trombone, this work casts the instrument in some unexpected “bluesy” and upbeat shadings.

This will be followed by Alec Wilder’s “Three Vignettes for Trombone and Piano,” which blends jazz harmonies with traditional forms. The first half of the recital concludes with a composition by American composer John LaMontaine entitled “Conversations for Trombone and Piano.”  The piece takes the listener on a roller coaster of human emotions, with each of the four movements representing a different stage of a couple’s relationship.

The second half of the performance opens with a French twist. Mark will perform Claude Debussy’s “Beau Soir,” followed by a composition written by Jean-Michel Defaye called “Á La Manière de Debussy” (In the Style of Debussy). The next piece pushes the audience eastward to Germany with a performance of Bernhard Krol’s “Capriccio da camera.” Originally composed for trombone and a seven instrument wind ensemble, Krol’s composition is a complex theme and variation filled with electric exchanges between the trombone and piano. The recital closes with a return ticket to the U.S. and a performance of Arthur Pryor’s “Annie Laurie.”

Mark provides instruction in applied low brass, and directs the DSU brass ensemble. He has held similar positions at the Hochstein School of Music, Hamilton College, Nazareth College and Colgate University, all located in New York.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mark has performed with several orchestras, including the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. Locally, he has performed with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Tupelo Symphony and the Delta Symphony. He has been an artist-in-residence at the Banff Centre for the Arts. An advocate of community music projects, Mark has participated in the NEA Chamber Music Rural Residency in Liberal, Kans. He has performed internationally in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Russia and Taiwan.

He is also an artist/clinician for Antoine Courtois Paris trombones.

The recital is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Department of Music at 662-846-4615.