Mark Willey began organ studies at age 14 with organist Kimo Smith. Two years later, while still a high school student in Loma Linda, California, Mark spent a year in France studying French at the Institute Adventiste du Saléve, and organ as a student of François Delor at the Conservatoire de Musique in Geneva, Switzerland. He moved to Maryland from California in 1992 to study organ with Donald Sutherland at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University. At Peabody, Mark performed as an organist and harpsichordist for the Peabody Symphony, Concert and Opera Orchestras in performances of Bach’s Magnificat, the Fauré Requiem and Holst Planets, among other works. In his Junior year at Peabody, Mr. Willey won first prize in the Washington DC District AGO Young Artist Competition and a place as a finalist in the Regional competition in Richmond, Virginia where he took the second prize. In June of 1996, Mark received the Bachelor of Music degree and was awarded the Richard Franco Goldman Prize in Performance.

Mark’s active interest in promoting organ repertoire and a love of music led to a position as program creator, producer and host for Pull Out the Stops, and The Music Beyond the Page, two radio programs broadcast on WGTS 91.9 in Washington DC. These weekly hour-long shows developed a dedicated audience from 1995 until the summer of 1997 when the radio station changed formats.

Mark is currently serving as the Minister of Music and Organist at the Spencerville Seventh-day Adventist Church. Mark became involved at the Spencerville church during his undergraduate studies, first as a choir member, then as substitute organist and finally in 1995 he served as a volunteer assistant organist, playing for the first worship service each week. In May of 1996 he performed for his first Evensong Concert as soloist in the Organ Concerto in F Major by Handel and the Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani by Francis Poulenc. In November of 1996, Mark was appointed Minister of Music, a position he holds to this day. His duties at Spencerville include overseeing the music program, playing the organ for all services and organizing and hosting Spencerville’s Evensong Concert Series, a monthly recital series that has become a beloved tradition throughout the community.

Since moving to Maryland in 1992, Mark has performed regularly with the New England Youth Ensemble and Columbia Collegiate Chorale. With these groups Mark has toured as organ soloist and accompanist to France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Israel, Jordan, South Africa, Egypt and Australia. He has completed four compact disc recordings including three released by Ethereal Records in New York.

Mark remains active in the Baltimore/Washington area as a performer, teacher and church musician. In 2001 he played as a part of the Bach Marathon at the Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church and in 2001, 2002 and 2004 for the French Romantic Marathon at Grace United Methodist Church in Baltimore, Maryland. In March of 2001, he was chosen to compete as a finalist in the Arthur Poister Organ Competition in Syracuse, New York.

In 2002, Mark began Masters degree studies at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York as a student of Hans Davidsson. He divides his time between New York and Maryland, flying to Rochester every Monday for school and returning to Maryland on Friday. At Eastman, he is a TA for Technology and Ducumentation, a position that includes videography, audio recording and authoring the organ department website.

In addition to his musical interests, Mark enjoys woodworking, cycling and mountaineering. He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland.