Mark's profile
Mark Navarro's work as a sound artist and composer explores the confluence of cultural memory, identity, and healing through engrossing sonic experiences. Drawing from his Filipino heritage and Baltimore upbringing, he creates soundscapes that bridge diverse musical traditions while examining themes of loss, transformation, and cultural dialogue. He takes inspiration from pioneering artists like John Cage and Ryuichi Sakamoto.
As a key member of A.S.H. (Ambient Sound Healing), Navarro performs improvised compositions on the Japanese Koto alongside Daoure Diongue's Senegalese Ngoni. Their live performances accompany Ellery Bryan's digitized 16mm films, creating a multimedia meditation and intricate dialogue on grief and cultural identity. Navarro's choice of the Koto reflects on the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, creating an intentional tension that speaks to histories of colonization while transforming grief into universal human experience.
His recent film compositions demonstrate his involved understanding of narrative acuity. His composition for Kelley Settles' documentary 'Eternal Lotus,' (2024) embodies Buddhist principles by utilizing minimalist compositions centered around digitally manipulated singing bowls over bass guitar. This restraint in composition reflects the journey of the people in the film.
Navarro collaborates extensively with his sibling, visual artist Kat Navarro, composing scores that explore their shared Filipino-American identity. Their most recent installation, 'When You Arrive,' showcased at Towson University's gallery, features his original composition 'Kalapati,' (2023) which weaves pre-colonial Filipino musical elements with contemporary Manila soundscapes and family oral histories. Their animated short 'Bug Box' (2022) earned recognition at the 2022 Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Festival and screened at the 2024 Maryland Film Festival.
His theatrical sound design demonstrates versatility across genres and emotional topographies. For Truepenny Projects' 'Lyra & The Ferocious Beast' (2023) at The Voxel, Navarro crafted an original score that supported Tatiana Nya Ford's science-fiction epic of a girl marooned on a planet with a nearly extinct alien species. At The Vagabond Players, his sound design for Paula Vogel's powerful 'How I Learned to Drive' (2024) enhanced the play's exploration of trauma and resilience during the setting of 1969 rural Maryland, while his work on Meghan Tyler's 'Crocodile Fever' (2024) at The Strand Theatre created an atmospheric horror soundscape of a surreal 1989 Northern Ireland during The Troubles.
Under the alias Baatchoy, Navarro has diversified his repertoire as a producer and audio engineer. His collaboration with DMV artist DYYO led to the formation of G.O.L.D., yielding two releases: 'START AGAIN' (2021) and 'LIGHT MY FIRE' (2023). As a producer and engineer, he had contributed to Baltimore's vibrant music scene, working with distinguished local artists including Abdu Ali, Baby Kahlo, and Bobbi Rush, while providing recording and engineering expertise across various studios throughout the city.
In addition to his artistic passions, Mark is currently employed at the Baltimore School for the Arts as an Arts Technologist, an essential part of a focused, and driven effort to support student collaboration between art disciplines, and provide an interactive experiences that mimic real-world environments.
Navarro's journey is a commitment to harmonizing culture with contemporary expression. He continues to explore the metamorphic power of sound while seeking to enrich his own bonds and understanding the roots of his cultural heritage
