Work samples

  • Mark Edwards Plays K.466 by Domenico Scarlatti
    Classical Guitarist Mark Edwards plays Scarlatti Sonata K.466
  • Sunburst by Mark Edwards Guitar
    Chris Kilvington wrote in a 1990 issue of Classical Guitar, “I’ve seen quite a number of York scores and he really does write expertly in his style, cool sometimes, occasionally poignant, and elsewhere creating chic flash which is irresistible to the ear. ’Sunburst’ falls into this latter category.”
  • Torroba Sonatina: Allegro by Mark Edwards Guitar
    The third movement of Federico Moreno Torroba's Sonatina for guitar.
  • Electric Counterpoint II by Mark Edwards Guitar
    The second movement of Electric Counterpoint, first recorded by Pat Metheny, but reinterpreted with 14 new tracks by Mark.

About Mark

Baltimore City
Guitarist Mark Edwards has been hailed by the Montgomery Advertiser as a player who “transfers to another zone, effortlessly strumming, plucking and picking a variety of classical masterpieces with clarity.”   Recent engagements in past seasons include Trinity Church in New York City, ArtScape in Baltimore, the Toronto Guitar Symposium, The Mississippi Guitar Festival, and the Montgomery Guitar Festival.  In 2009, Mark joined the Maryland State Arts Council Touring… more
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MARK EDWARDS, guitarist

“If you want to hear the best, you will want to catch Mark Edwards.”
 
Asian-American guitarist Mark Edwards has been hailed by the Montgomery Advertiser as a player who “transfers to another zone, effortlessly strumming, plucking and picking a variety of classical masterpieces with clarity.” Susan Brall writes, “If you want to hear the best, you will want to catch Mark Edwards performing…His talent is unbelievable.”
 
Where does Mark come from?
 
Mark’s love for the classical guitar began in a small town called Boaz, Alabama. In Boaz, Mark played in his first musical competition, under the guidance of Douglas Back. After winning his first competition in Boaz at age 12, Mark knew he has found his life’s calling.  Fast forward 20 years, 3 schools, and 4 music degrees and Mark is now a doctoral candidate researching the music of Napoleon Coste.
 
Where is Mark going?
 
Now a seasoned artist and performer, Mark has traveled the globe sharing his music with audiences from Russia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America. Even though every audience is unique, Mark is proud to have played in Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium, Saint Catherine’s Summer Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia and The Howard Theater in Washington D.C. As one of Maryland’s most gifted musicians, Mark joined the Maryland State Arts Council Touring Artist Roster. When not playing solo, Mark is making music with the Atlantic Guitar Quartet and the D.C. Guitar Trio. 
 
How did Mark getting there?
 
Since Mark partook in his first musical contest at age 12, he has gone on to win 34 competitions in Washington D.C., across North America, and around the world.  He was particularly honored to win in the 2010 Asia International Guitar Competition held in Bangkok, Thailand. Before winning in Southern Asia, Mark won first in major city centers in every corner of North America. During this time, Mark was lucky to win from Montreal to Dallas and from Portland to Connecticut. Besides competing, Mark has been featured on six recordings since 2000.
 
What else does Mark do?
 
Besides being an avid soccer and football fan, Mark makes time to teach at the Peabody Preparatory.  As a college teacher, Mark teaches guitar and music fundamentals at Frederick Community College.  Along with teaching, Mark directs the contemporary music program at Ark & Dove in Odenton, Maryland.
  • Howard County Celebration of the Arts
    Howard County Celebration of the Arts
    Mark Edwards playing at the Howard County Celebration of the Arts
  • The Howard Theatre
    The Howard Theatre
    Mark playing at the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C.
  • Carnegie Hall
    Carnegie Hall
    Mark takes a bow after a performance in Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium.
  • St. Catherine's Summer Palace
    St. Catherine's Summer Palace
    Mark performs in the Gold Room of Saint Catherine's Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia.
  • Instant Concert (just add musician)
    Instant Concert (just add musician)
    Mark's prized instrument (made in Baltimore, MD) getting acclimated to the temperature of the hall before a performance.

The Atlantic Guitar Quartet (AGQ)

Founded in 2010, the Atlantic Guitar Quartet is a contemporary music ensemble dedicated to promoting the music of living composers.  Through virtuosic performances, innovative programming and collaborations with other visual and performing artists, AGQ has broadened the repertoire for – and the definition of – the classical guitar quartet.

Each of the four members, Mark EdwardsKevin ShannonZoe Johnstone Stewart and Jonathan Zwi, have enjoyed extensive solo performing and teaching careers since receiving advanced degrees from the Peabody Conservatory.   As a group, AGQ has performed as part of the Evolution Contemporary Music series and the Spring Stage Performances series, and at Salisbury University, York College of Pennsylvania, Harford Community College and the Jordan Faye Contemporary Art Gallery.  They have been artists-in-residence at the Engineers Club of the Garret-Jacobs Mansion in Baltimore since 2010.   In addition to their performances, the quartet has also been invited to teach master classes and workshops at Salisbury University and the Mid Atlantic Guitar Ensemble Festival.

AGQ has been proactive in expanding the repertoire of the classical guitar quartet by commissioning new works.  With major institutional support by the Presser Foundation and the Peabody Conservatory, AGQ has premiered pieces by American composers David Smooke, Christopher Gainey and Ronald Pearl.  These works, along with music by composer Olivier Bensa and Arvo Pärt, are featured on the quartet’s debut CD (released in November of 2013).

The quartet’s other world premieres include performances of works by Joshua Bornfield (written for AGQ and commissioned by the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society), Lewis Krauthamer (in performance with Gene Young and the Peabody Camerata), Philip Ravita (by invitation of the Baltimore Composers Forum), Julien Xuereb, Alan Thomas, Aaron Silverstein and Jerry Tabor (in a premiere recording).

  • Per Fernando Sor - A.D. Silverstein - Atlantic Guitar Quartet
    Composer’s Notes: Unless you are a classical guitarist or musicologist, chances are you have never heard of the 19th century Spanish composer and guitarist Fernando Sor. Like many guitarists, I was introduced to Sor through his etudes for solo guitar. He was a remarkably colorful character, who, indifferent to his status as the greatest guitarist of the 19th century, yearned for success and acclaim as a composer of opera. Having grown up in a military family, Sor, after seeing an Italian opera as a child, was smitten, and made it his life’s mission to compose opera. Aware that he could not achieve celebrity as a composer of opera without noble patronage, Sor roamed Europe attempting to dazzle the nobility with his guitar playing, in the hope that they would sponsor his composition of operas. Sadly, Sor never had any success as a composer of Opera. Rather, he was considered the best guitarist in the world at a time when the guitar was considered a novelty instrument.
  • The Atlantic Guitar Quartet
    The Atlantic Guitar Quartet
    Photo by Roy Cox
  • Atlantic Guitar Quartet Concert Poster
    Atlantic Guitar Quartet Concert Poster
    Original design and artwork by quartet member, Jonathan Zwi.
  • La Grande Terre: Eclosion performed by AGQ
    La Grand Terre by French composer and guitarist Olivier Bensa.
  • "Sometimes a Thousand Twangling Instruments" performed by AGQ
    A beautiful piece by Baltimore composer, Ronald Pearl.