Mark Ford

University of North Texas
Coordinator of Percussion Activities
http://www.innovativepercussion.com/pages/ford.asp

Mark Ford is the coordinator of percussion activities at The University of North Texas in Denton, Texas and a Past-President of the Percussive Arts Society. He is a marimba specialist and the coordinator of one of the largest percussion programs in the United States at UNT. Ford is an active performer on the marimba and he has been featured throughout the United States at universities and music conferences. He also regularly performs at International Music Festivals in South America, Asia, Australia and Europe.

With several marimba and percussion CDs to his credit, Mark’s recordings have further established his dedication to excellence in music. Ford’s solo marimba CDs, Motion Beyond and Polaris, have received outstanding reviews including The Instrumentalist which stated Ford's performance is "superb and his compositional style is equally outstanding." Mark has also recorded two DVDs and a CD with Japanese virtuoso marimbist Keiko Abe and the UNT Wind Symphony.

As a composer Mark Ford has written several popular works for solo marimba and percussion ensemble including Head Talk, Polaris, Kingdom Lore Fanfare, Stubernic, Afta-Stuba!, Heads Up! and The Surface of Life. His compositions have been performed at universities and concert halls throughout the world and also featured on National Public Radio. Ford is also the author of Marimba: Technique Through Music, a four-mallet marimba method book published by Innovative Percussion, Inc. Mark’s latest composition, Marimba Heritage is a mallet ensemble showcase. The work is built on motives of numerous marimba solos and is designed to honor the tradition of solo marimba performance.

Ford has been recognized as a leading percussion educator and his UNT Percussion Ensemble was selected as a winner in the 2009 PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competition. Mark Ford proudly represents Dynasty Percussion, The Zildjian Company, Evans Drum Heads, Latin Percussion and Innovative Percussion Inc. as performing artist and clinician.

For more information on Mark Ford and the UNT Percussion Area, please go to www.music.unt.edu/percussion.

Related Products

Mark Ford Series

Marimba: Technique Through Music

Afta-Stuba!

Head Talk

Heads Up!

Invention

Standup Shadow

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Marimba: An Interpretation
11/14/2012

Developing your interpretation of the music you play is one of the most important and satisfying aspects of music making. Your interpretation reflects your ideas and feelings about the music. Unfortunately, younger musicians usually concentrate only on understanding the notes and rhythms of a marimba solo. Obviously, this is important, but it’s only fifty percent of the job. Communicating your emotional connection with the music through your interpretation is essential to the “magic” of music. Think about how a certain performance or piece of music has touched you in the past. When you perform you want to connect with an audience in the same way that music connected with you.

Mallet Suggestions for Standard Marimba and Vibraphone Pieces
11/14/2012

This list of standard marimba and vibraphone pieces has been complied by Mark Ford, William Moersch, Janis Potter and Ney Rosauro. Mallet suggestions are listed left hand to right hand 1-2-3-4.

Marimba Technique
11/14/2012

The first time you hold four mallets in an attempt to make music at the marimba can be pretty frustrating. The beginning four-mallet player has a lot to think about: moving intervals, proper grip, different strokes, and, of course, playing the notes! This beginning process can be overwhelming. Here are some marimba floor exercises that I have developed for beginners. The idea is to practice the technique of four mallets to gain confidence before playing the instrument. More information on marimba technique is covered in my method book, Marimba: Technique Through Music (Innovative Percussion Publications).

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