Mark Tipton is a jazz trumpeter, composer, educator, and producer for whom music is a means of honest expression and vital connection. A doctoral candidate at the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC), Mark also holds degrees from Mannes College of Music, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and Interlochen Arts Academy, and he attended the Henry Mancini Institute. Throughout his career Mark has focused his energies on technical mastery and spiritual growth through his craft, and he has been an active freelance musician in Boston, New York City, Los Angeles, and Maine.

Mark’s boundless musical curiosity has led him to perform and compose in myriad styles, including jazz, latin, rock, pop, folk, hip-hop, global styles, avant-garde, free improvisation, and classical music ranging from the Renaissance Era to 21st century New Music. He has collaborated with highly acclaimed artists such as Rafael Barata, Jerry Bergonzi, Eguie Castrillo, Allan Chase, Diego Figueiredo, Edsel Gomez, Dave Holland, Joe Hunt, Brian Lynch, Nilson Matta, Jason Moran, Chico Pinheiro, Ada Rovatti, Tom Varner, and Anna Webber. He has also recently toured Turkey, Cypress, and the Northeastern US with Mehmet Ali Sanlikol.

Mark’s studies have been guided by renowned jazz musicians such as John McNeil, Jason Palmer, Jerry Bergonzi, Billy Hart, Joe Morris, and Ken Schaphorst. In his earlier career, Mark was a serious classical trumpeter, playing scores of solo recitals, orchestral and chamber concerts, and Baroque trumpet and organ duos. His early teachers included Vincent Penzarella of the New York Philharmonic, Ryan Anthony of the Canadian Brass, Jack Sutte of the Cleveland Orchestra, Roy Poper of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (and Oberlin), and Charley Davis of the Buddy Rich Big Band, as well as Betty Rines, Mark Fenderson, and John Schnell of the Portland [Maine] Symphony Orchestra. 

Mark’s composition studies include mentorship from Ken Schaphorst, Richard Hoffman (a student of Arnold Schoenberg’s), and David Loeb. Mark serves as a Teaching Fellow at NEC, assisting esteemed musicians like John McNeil, Jerry Bergonzi, Frank Carlberg, Felicia Sandler, and Brian Levy, and teaching Improvisation for Non-Majors and coaching the Non-Majors Jazz Ensemble for three years.

As an educator, Mark is passionate about mentoring the next generation of musicians. At the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA, he serves as the Lead Instructor for Jazz and Contemporary Musical Arts. Mark has taught at a number of institutions, including Bowdoin College, Colby College, University of Maine at Augusta and Orono, University of Southern Maine, and the Portland Conservatory of Music, where he formerly served as Executive Director.

In the realm of performance, Mark leads ensembles embodying his versatile musical vision. His Boston-based Jazz Octet will release its debut album Vernacular Stretch on December 21, 2025 at Soapbox Gallery in Brooklyn, NY. He also leads NONDUALISM, a progressive jazz trio with James Heazlewood Dale (bass) and Paul July Joseph (drums). Since 2008 Mark has led Les Sorciers Perdus, a genre-defying ensemble specializing in performing Mark’s more than 30 silent film scores. Les Sorciers Perdus has captivated audiences across the Northeastern US, earning recognition for Mark’s creative postmodern scores, and the ensemble’s innovative live performances.

Mark's journey continues through live collaborations and recordings, integrating artistic aspiration with important cultural narratives. His ongoing commitment to learning and engagement shapes both his music and his personal evolution.

In every note he plays and every ensemble he directs, Mark Tipton embodies music not just as an art form but as a conduit for growth, connection, and the pursuit of new horizons.