Mark is in the second year of his DA in choral conducting and is from Rochester, IN. 

“I have been singing in choirs for as long as I can remember, and I have conducted all levels of choirs (elementary, middle school, high school, collegiate, adult/community) since I graduated from Taylor University in 2010. My past band and choir directors (Joann Rediger, Al Harrison, Hope Showley, Barry Frisinger, Betty Martens, Dave Danhauser, Lisa McMillen) have made an incredible impact on my life and career path, and I am grateful for their musical and relational influences. 

“Applying to and visiting many universities for master’s and doctoral programs, I saw a wide range of ways in which undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members interact. In the choral department at Ball State, I saw everyone – regardless of their age, amount of experience, or position – treated with respect and kindness. The choral faculty – Dr. Crow, Dr. Glann, and Dr. Alder – utilize the experiences and unique qualities of each of the graduate students and give us opportunities to use those gifts in meaningful ways while making music at a high level.  

“I am notorious for getting emotional when watching my students perform (just ask my wife), so seeing my colleagues and students perform for live audiences over these past few weeks has brought tears to my eyes. Having in-person concerts for the first time in nearly two years has been life-giving and energizing, and I am thankful for the hard work everyone has put in to keeping the health and safety of everyone at the forefront while finding ways to bring back what we as musicians love to do.”