Mark started playing the cornet aged 6 with his local band Ellenbrook
and Boothstown before moving to the Walkden Band and then Besses Boys
aged 13 where he stayed for 5 years on Principal Cornet. During this
time he was also appointed Principal Cornet with the ‘National Youth
Brass Band of Great Britain.’ When he was 18 Mark joined the Wingates
Band on Principal Cornet for 2 years before accepting Howard Snells
offer to join the Britannia Building Society Band (now Foden’s) on
Principal Cornet in 1992. During this time he has been privileged to
have won every major contest with Foden’s.

As well as performing in France, America, Holland, Belgium, Norway,
Australia, Switzerland, Italy and Ireland as a soloist, Mark is heavily
involved in Youth education being a cornet tutor with the ‘National
Children’s Brass Band of Great Britain’ for three years as well as a
entrance examiner and cornet tutor with the ‘National Youth Brass Band
of Great Britain’ since 2000. Mark has also appeared as a cornet tutor
with the ‘National Youth Brass Band of Wales’ ‘National Youth Band of
Switzerland’ as well as a guest soloist with the ‘National Youth Brass
Band of Denmark.’

As well as being a founder member of the ‘Northern Ireland Armagh
Summer School’ Mark is in demand on various summer schools in this
country and abroad. In 2010 he was appointed as ‘Visiting Cornet Tutor’
at the Royal Northern College of Music, Cornet Tutor at the University
of Salford and Cornet/Trumpet Tutor at Manchester Metropolitan
University. Mark is also a Cornet tutor at Durham University, an
external examining specialist at the RNCM and a cornet consultant to the
Associated Board of the Royal School of Music.’

Mark has been responsible for commissioning a large number of Cornet
solos as well as a Concerto entitled ‘ Milestone’ which is the title of
his highly acclaimed solo cd. He also acts as an endorsee for a large
number of products, has been the receipiant of numerous solo awards and
is regarded as one of the leading cornet players of his generation.

In 2022 Mark was awarded the ‘Iles Medal’ by the Worshipful Company
of Musicians in recognition of his outstanding commitment to the brass
band movement.

Mark is working with the team to develop his signature mouthpiece MB4.5MW