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Mark Lauer

Bachelors of Music – 2015 Performer’s Certificate – 2017

Mark Lauer is an active freelance bassoonist and music educator in the southeast United States. He is the Principal bassoonist of the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and second bassoon in the Columbus (GA) Symphony Orchestra. In addition to these positions he has performed with the Pensacola Symphony, Tallahassee Symphony, Ocala Symphony, and Valdosta Symphony. Mark has taught as a graduate teaching assistant at the Florida State University College of Music and Brevard Music Center. He has been a bassoon faculty member with FSU Summer Music Camps and with the Bocal Majority bassoon camps. Mark is currently working on a Doctor of Music degree at Florida State University College of Music where he also received his Masters of Music in 2019.

Prior to his time at Florida State, Mark earned a Performer’s Certificate and Bachelors of Music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music. At UMKC Mark was a finalist for the 2015 Concerto/Aria competition and winner of the 2015 Kansas City Musical Club Scholarship competition. He also maintained an active performance schedule performing with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra, Missouri Symphony Orchestra, Midwest Chamber Ensemble, Kansas City Civic Orchestra, Philharmonic of Greater Kansas City, Jefferson City Symphony Orchestra, and the Heritage Symphony Orchestra. 

As an advocate and passionate performer of new music, Mark has collaborated with Kansas City Composers and appears on the albums “Kamikaze” (Claire and the Crowded Stage), “In the Blue” (Claire and the Classical revolution) and “Moons and Meltdowns” (Teri Quinn). Mark has also premiered works with The Black House Collective and has recently recorded an album of new music by Kansas City Composers which is in post-production. 

Mark has participated in the Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival where he was a finalist for the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist Competition, National Music Festival, Taneycomo Festival Orchestra, and Brevard Music Center Institute and Festival. 

Mark is grateful to his teachers, Jeff Keesecker, Marita Abner, and Steven Houser.

You can visit his website at www.marklauerbassoon.com