Mark Bailey has over thirty years of experience in the music industry – as a trumpet player, composer, arranger, conductor, and educator.
Mark played trumpet in the Central Band of the Canadian Forces for 22 years, performing worldwide, and was an arranger for the band for that entire time period. His duties included writing marches, overtures, big band and jazz arrangements, dance band and vocal music, solo concertos for various instruments, and arrangements for the Serenade of Strings. Mark proved that he is equally comfortable writing rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, and classical works. His compositions for the band included:
- music for the 1993 Canada Day celebration on Parliament Hill, televised nationally by the CBC
- an arrangement of “O Canada” for the 2000 Grey Cup football game in Calgary
- music for massed band, performed at the 2002 International Military Band festival in Quebec City
- a march routine performed across Canada
- a musical tribute show for the Central Band’s show band, Maximum Blue
Mark has several works published by Carl Fischer in New York and Southern Music Company in San Antonio, Texas. In addition, he has written and co-produced a popular Christmas album, “What a Miracle,” featuring Gail Gavan, selections of which have aired on CBC radio. His “Suite for Two Flutes and Piano” was commissioned by the CBC, and was performed on its radio network. More recently, Mark has been arranging for Symphonium, an electroacoustic ensemble he founded in 2006.
As a trumpet player, Mark has appeared with Gladys Knight, Del Shannon, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Petula Clark, Rosemary Clooney, Red Skelton, Cleo Laine, Frank Sinatra Jr., Michelle Wright, Luba, Dave Broadfoot, Rob McConnell, Valdi, Canadian Brass, Shrine Circus Orchestra, Holly Larocque and the Mark Ferguson Orchestra, Ice Capades, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. He has performed in such shows as Evita, A Chorus Line, Bye Bye Birdie, and Applause Applause. Currently, Mark is involved with several Ottawa-area jazz, blues, and R & B bands.
As a music educator, Mark has taught trumpet privately for 22 years, and has been an instructor at several high school brass clinics. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Carleton University, and has studied composition with Steven Gellman, Patrick Cardy, David Hildinger, and Barrie Cabena.