Mark Watkins received his degrees from Brigham Young University and Indiana University and has studied with Eugene Rousseau, Daniel Deffayet, Ray Smith, and Yushi Ishiwata and jazz with David Baker. Watkins has performed in more than 20 countries and with artists ranging from Bob Mintzer (jazz saxophone) to Marlene Pauley (classical clarinet). In 1994 he was offered aposition in the premier Washington DC Army Field Band but was unable to enlist due to visual disability. Dr. Watkins has lectured at conferences world wide including the 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th World Saxophone Congresses and published in periodicals including The Saxophone Symposium and JAZZed Magazine. He has several book projects nearing completion with titles: Studies with the Bird: Foundational Jazz Articulation and Saxophone Sound: A View from the Inside, culminating over 15 year's of research and pedagogical application, as well as his ebook, Fundamental Jazz Improvisation: What Everybody Thinks You AlreadyKnow. Many positive reviews regarding Dr. Watkins' performance and composition are extant from Jazz Times, Saxophone Journal, Cadence Magazine, and other sources. Ed Calle comments about the CD, FOUR: On Warm Summer's Evenin' (2010 Jazz Hang), "Two of the most appealing dimensions of FOUR's offering are Watkins' pen and the virtuosity of each individual. Watkins' diversified, fresh, and engaging writing results in new discoveries with every listen." Noah Peterson, KPSU Radio, states, "...You never know what's coming next and, like Beethoven, it's always the perfect thing that follows." Dr. Watkins has over 100 compositions and arrangements, 38 are available from Walrus Music, Roncorp, and Dorn and he has produced six CDs with a seventh scheduled for June 2013. He has been Director of Woodwind Studies at North Dakota State University and is currently Director of Jazz Studies at Brigham Young University-Idaho.
Personal website for Dr. Mark Watkins: http://emp.byui.edu/watkinsm