Professor
D.M.A., Eastman School of Music
Office: 815-753-7957
E-mail: markponzo@niu.edu
Web Site:
Mark Ponzo, Professor of Trumpet, joined the NIU faculty in 1990. He holds the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music with the Performer's Certificate. His principle teachers include John Hagstrom, Barbara Butler, Charles Schlueter, George Coble, and Richard Jones. He has been a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Mexico City Philharmonic, and Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. He is a regular substitute with the Elgin Symphony and Chicago Brass Quintet, and has performed with the Music of the Baroque, Illinois Chamber Symphony, Chicago Sinfonietta, Illinois Philharmonic, Millar Brass, Light Opera Works, as well as numerous local orchestras.
Dr. Ponzo's first solo recording, Music for Trumpets by Dexter Morrill (CPS-6857), was released by Capstone in 1998. In 2002, Centaur released his second solo recording Dexter Morrill: Three Concertos (CRC 2604). His third solo recording The Trumpet Music of Verne Reynolds (4843-MCD) is now available, distributed by Mark Masters Custom Recordings. He was a member of the Eastman Wind Ensemble for the CBS/Sony Masterworks recording Live from Osaka (SK 47198).
In addition to his performance activities, he publishes through Balquhidder/Carl Fisher (The Complete Sight Reading Collection for Trumpet) and Charles Colin (Daily Warm-ups and Routines for Trumpet, Pitch Tendency Exercises for Trumpet, Lyrical Solos for Trumpet and Piano, Low Tone Exercises and Patterns for Trumpet (volumes 1 and 2), 10 Realizations for Solo Trumpet, and Four Baroque Pairs for Trumpet and Piano).
Dr. Ponzo has commissioned new works for trumpet by Verne Reynolds, Dexter Morrill, James Phelps, Betsy Schramm, Michael Ruszczynski, Robert Fleisher, and Rufus Brown. He is a busy recitalist, doing an average of ten full recitals each year, performing at most of the nation's finest music schools.