About Mark

Mark now uses the new Roland AT350combo organ with 25 note pedals for his concerts along with SR Speakers.

Mark's organ concert programmes contain a variety of music played in a multitude of entertaining styles on either Roland Atelier, Classical Pipe or Theatre Organ consoles. He has a natural gift for music and loves to share it.  Over some 20 years of concerts Mark has played at many venues and now has a range of the very latest equipment to provide any audience with a memorable evening of music.

The portable organ is no new idea, it can go anywhere, and it does not get limited by the size of venue! Mark uses his new Roland Atelier AT350combo organ at club concerts, outdoor events and twin organ concerts (where part of the concert is played on the venues' own organ.) The quality audio is provided by powerful SR Stage Line speakers.

As a demonstrator for Swift Music in Bristol since 2007, Mark works in retail, selling and supporting customers as they buy their new instruments. Nick and Margaret Swift have one of the largest specialist keyboard, organ and piano shops in the country. Much of the store is devoted to Roland and the Atelier range of organs but the shop also deals in Yamaha Kawai, Korg, Hammond, Casio and Orla. 

Mark has been playing the organ since he was 14, having started at the age of three on the piano.  Entirely self-taught, he has been a church organist for over 20 years, playing regularly for church services on a small pipe organ near Newton Abbot in Devon from the age of 16. Like many of the famous organists on the circuit today, the wonderful sound of the theatre organ was experienced on a visit to Blackpool, that famous seaside town!

Back at home in Devon one of the most famous local organists was Dudley Savage who used to broadcast a programme called 'As Prescribed'.  His organ in Plymouth was still in situ and Mark made a few visits with some enthusiasts to play it of a Sunday. With the future of this last remaining local Compton Organ uncertain there was little option but to buy one. With a great deal of support from his wife Michelle, the four manual Allen George Wright series digital theatre organ they own was installed in Keyberry Park Methodist Church, Newton Abbot, Devon in August 1999.  Mark concentrated all his concert activity at the new organ and still performs at least five concerts a year there. Visiting artists are booked once or twice a year. There are two recordings of this instrument. The most recent ('First and GW4 Most ') has been featured on The Organist Entertains by Nigel Ogden. Nigel has appeared in concert twelve times at Keyberry Park since August 1999.

Keyberry Park Church has a regular Sunday morning service of worship at 10:30am. Mark plays for these services frequently. Please contact for details of dates.

They say organs and trains go together! Look no further for evidence; Mark was employed for 12 years by the South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh, Devon, from 1994. He restored, maintained and drove ex Great Western Steam Locomotives.  Much of his spare time was also spent coordinating volunteers to help run the station.  The railway has a fleet of five working steam engines with many others under restoration. Mark sets aside a few days a month to return as a steam locomotive driver and fireman. The trains run through unspoilt Devon countryside following the River Dart, this makes it an ideal location to film. The BBC FlogIt programme recorded a feature for their episode in Exmouth broadcast in October 2011. The railway has been awarded Best Preserved Railway of the Year, no wonder visitors are impressed! 

With the change in vocation of Michelle into the Methodist Ministry, Mark and Michelle moved to the Peasedown St John in 2007. Mark left the railway to join Swift Music and needed some more organs for home! The Atelier seemed like the best option so a top of the range AT900c was bought for home preparation use and an AT100 for the concert work.  The shop gets all the best new equipment, which usually means an upgrade is always likely. A new model was launched in May; the AT350combo.

Mark has upgraded to the latest Atelier Combo Organ the AT350C   (using a 25 note pedalboard)

Mark's concert programmes contain a variety of music shown off to the best by the most recent equipment available. He also uses his own projector and screen to display visual images to accompany some of the medleys! New works include a presentation of the Railroad Songs of Johnny Cash.... complete with live steam DVD!

If you would like to join the list of venues that Mark has played at please get in touch!

Mark's Photo Gallery

Mark's Concert Diary