Mark Lopez is an accompanist and instructor of dance at Hope College. He is a native of Novi, Michigan.

Mark has accompanied the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, the Joffrey Ballet School Contemporary Program, the Wayne State University Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance, the Hope College Dance Department and the Oakland University Dance Department. He has performed with the Longmont, Aurora and Holland symphony orchestras, the Muskegon Civic and Mason Street theatres, and bands The Rhythm Kings Detroit and Zanderdanz in New York City. His arrangements and compositions have been performed by the Legends Drum and Bugle Corps, The Reeths-Puffer Schools Instrumental and Vocal music departments, The University of Colorado and Western Michigan University Marching Bands and the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University.

Mark has studied with Douglas Walter, Judy Moonert, She-e Wu, Gordon Stout, Leigh Howard Stevens and Thomas Starr. Currently, he is active as a performer, arranger and educator in the West Michigan area, and as the Frontline Coordinator for the Legends Drum and Bugle Corps from Kalamazoo, Michigan.

EDUCATION

• Master of Music – performance, University of Colorado Boulder
• Bachelor of Music, Western Michigan University

HONORS, GRANTS and AWARDS

Mark received the Kalamazoo Arts Council’s Emerging Artist Grant and was selected to attend the 20th annual Leigh Howard Stevens International Marimba Seminar in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Mark was the runner-up in the Bruce Eckstrand Memorial Graduate Performance Competition at the University of Colorado, and in 2003 studied in France with marimbist Eric Sammut of the Conservatoire de Paris.