bio

Mark Dennis McConnell studied music at the University of Northern Colorado and the University of New Mexico. He studied composition under William Wood and Erik Ona, and double bass under James D. Vaughn and Mark Tatum. In 2005, he was a featured composer in the University of New Mexico's Composers Symposium. He has performed with Performance Riverside, COD, Redlands Bowl Summer Musical, OnStage Musicals, Slee Sinfonietta, Santa Fe Symphony, San Juan Symphony, Roswell Symphony, ACLOA, June in Buffalo, and Western New York Chamber Orchestra. McConnell has had his compositions performed throughout the US by the Society for New Music (New York), the Colorado State University Arts Symposium, the Midwest Graduate Music Conference (Madison, WI), the SUNY-Buffalo New Composers Series, and on KUNM radio (Albuquerque, NM). In 2000, McConnell received the Brian M. Israel prize in composition. McConnell is Professor of Music at Crafton HillsCollege in Southern California.

Education
University of New Mexico; Albuquerque, NM; MM-1996
University of Northern Colorado; Greeley, CO; BA Music-1994

Teaching Experience
Crafton Hills College; Professor, 2002-present; Yucaipa, California
Villa Maria College; 2000-2002; Buffalo, New York

AlbuquerqueAcademy; 1999; Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque Public Schools, 1998; Albuquerque, New Mexico
June Music Festival-1997/1998; Albuquerque, New Mexico
Manteca Public Schools-1997/1998; Manteca, California

University of New Mexico-1995/96; Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque Junior Orchestra-1996; Albuquerque, New Mexico

Professional Performance Experience

Performance Riverside, Bassist, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Redlands Bowl Summer Series Musical, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010

Peter Cetera and his Orchestra, section bass, 2007

Redlands Civic Light Opera, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, 2007

Temecula Valley Master Chorale, Double Bassist, 2006/2007
COD musicals, bassist-2004/05

Anshin Ensemble, director and member-1994-present
Slee Sinfonietta, contract double bassist-1999/2000
SUNY-Buffalo Symphony Orchestra, contract double bassist-1999/2000
“La Musica de Silvestre Revueltas” (CD), double bassist-1997
Roswell Symphony, section/principal double bassist-1997
Opera Southwest, section double bassist-1996
Santa Fe Symphony, section double bassist-1994/95
Albuquerque Civic Light Opera Association, section/principal double bassist-1995
Orquestra de las americas, section double bassist-1995
Greeley Chamber Orchestra, principal double bassist-1992-94

Conferences and Papers Presented
"Canis Lupus", lectures on Post-Literacy, and Meet the Composer, John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium, April 2005.

“Insurrection”, MGMC Conference, University of Wisconsin, April 2000.
“Five Poems for Solo Flute", John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium, University of New Mexico, April 1997
“Five Small Pieces for Double Bass", John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium, University of New Mexico, April 1996
“Forbidden", John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium, University of New Mexico, April 1995

Publications and Awards
Brian M. Israel Prize for Composition, Society for New Music, Syracuse, New York, 2001
“Classic Choices for Parents and Children”; Parenting New Mexico, 12/96, vol. II, No.12.
CSU Arts Symposium Composition Award, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 1992

Recitals and Concerts

Spring 2006-Crafton Hills College Recital, Yucaipa, CA

Spring 2005-Crafton Hills College Recital, Yucaipa, CA

Fall 2005-Crafton Hills College Recital, Yucaipa, CA

12/2/04-CraftonHillsCollege Contemporary Ensemble Recital, Yucaipa, CA

5/04-Crafton Hills College Contemporary Ensemble Recital, Yucaipa, CA

12/03-Crafton Hills College Contemporary Ensemble Recital, Yucaipa, CA

5/03-Crafton Hills College Contemporary Ensemble Recital, Yucaipa, CA

11/21/02-CraftonHillsCollege Contemporary Ensemble Recital, Yucaipa, CA

5/13/02-CraftonHillsCollege Contemporary Ensemble Recital, Yucaipa, CA

2/25/01-Society for New Music Brian M. Israel Award Concert, Syracuse, NY

12/4/01-VillaMariaCollege Contemporary Music Recital, Buffalo, NY

4/8/00-MGMC Composer’s Concert, Madison, WI

11/30/99-University at Buffalo Composer’s Concert, Buffalo, NY

12/11/97-Sierra High School Choir Concert, Manteca, CA

12/15/96-Composition Recital, Albuquerque, NM

4/10/96-Composition Recital, Albuquerque, NM

12/15/95-KUNM LIVE Radio Program, Albuquerque, NM

12/7/95-Composition Recital, Albuquerque, NM

12/2/95-Composition Recital, Albuquerque, NM

4/26/95-Composition Recital, Albuquerque, NM

11/30/94-Composition Recital, Albuquerque, NM

4/11/94-Double Bass/Composition Recital, Greeley, CO

4/14/92-CSU Arts Symposium, Fort Collins, CO

Musicals Conducted

Winter Slumber (xxxx)

Midnight Zone (xxxx)

Songs For a New World (2007)

You're A Good Man Charlie Brown (2006)

Big Band Bash (2005)

American Dreams (2006)

An Evening of Kander and Ebb (2005)

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (2003)

Installations and music for collaborations

"Flag Stop 2011: an alternative contemporary art event" - Torrance, CA Sep. 2-4, 2011

"Walls" - Yucaipa, CA (May 11, 2010)

"Shapeshifters" (sculpture installation by Snezana Petrovic) Peppers Art Gallery-University of Redlands (2010)

"Evolution Decay" - Yucaipa, CA and Riverside, CA (2009)

"Becoming-LA -Culture" Electric Lodge, Venice Beach, CA (2005)

"FIVE" - Yucaipa, CA

Book Reviews

American Popular Music: from Minstrelsy to MP3, 3/e. Starr/Waterman, Oxford University press, 2009.

Understanding Music, 6/e. Jeremy Yudkin, Prentice Hall, 2009.