Featured in the Creative Classical Concert Managements "Rising Artist" Series." and described by Pianist Ieva Jokubaviciute as “an excellent Clarinetist”, Mark Allen Jr has been a prize winner in the American Prize, American Protégé and Paris Music competitions. He gave his Carnegie Hall debut recital in March of 2020.
Mark Allen Jr. holds a bachelor’s degree in music performance from Roosevelt University and a master’s degree in music performance at New York University.
Mark can be heard on the soundtracks to the Uber documentary “Uber Presents” and the Amazon film “Passover”. Both directed by Spike Lee. He has performed alongside members of the New York Philharmonic, Phoenix Symphony, United States Army Band, Iris Orchestra among others. As a chamber musician, he has performed internationally alongside his trio the Bowery Trio and recorded with the Talea Ensemble.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, clarinetist Mark Allen Jr. began his clarinet studies in 2011 with Trayon Hall. Later that same year he was accepted into the Atlanta Symphony’s Talent Development Program. While in the program, he studied with Bass clarinetist of the Atlanta Symphony, Alcides Rodriguez.
Mark has performed in numerous venues, such as the Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, Sydney Harman Hall, Symphony Center in Chicago, Harris Theater, the Auditorium Theatre, Boutell Memorial Concert Hall, Ganz Hall, Symphony Hall in Atlanta and the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts.
Mark regularly performs with the Colour of Music Orchestra, Soulful Symphony, and has been seen in concert alongside artist such as Lucky Daye, Earth Wind and Fire, Billy Porter and Twinkie Clark. In 2020 Mark was scheduled to go on tour throughout London, Canada and the US with the Chineke! Orchestra (Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
Mark was accepted as the first Clarinet Fellow with the Chicago Sinfonietta, where he studied with Leslie Grimm. He has performed in masterclasses with Franklin Cohen, Michele Zukovsky, Mark Dover, Tod Palmer, Charlene Zimmerman and has studied with Alcides Rodriguez, John Bruce Yeh, Trayon Hall, Pavel Vinnitsky, Pascual Martinez-Forteza and Dr. Robyn Jones.
Currently, Mark is a Clarinetist with the United States Air Force Band of the West.
EDUCATION:
2018: Roosevelt University
2020: New York University
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Jan 2023 - Mar 2023, Student, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. March 2023 – Present, Band of the West, JBSA-Lackland, Texas