Mark John McEncroe was born in 1947 in Sydney, Australia. He came to music later in life and began studying piano seriously at the age of 37. Not having studied at a formal musical establishment, he studied composition privately with Margaret Brandman in Sydney from 2003 to 2012. He also studied orchestration with Mark J Saliba and continues to work with Saliba on many projects.

Having come from a restaurant family background, McEncroe was a professional chef for most of his working life until age 50. However in his 20s and early 30s, having always possessed a strong and varied interest in many different styles of music, McEncroe worked in the music business as a label manager, first with EMI Australia and later with EMI Sweden.

McEncroe now records with PARMA Recordings in the United States and has released two volumes of piano pieces as a double album, MUSICAL IMAGES FOR PIANO (NV6144), with pianist Yoko Hagino. He has also released multiple orchestral works with PARMA: DARK CLOUDS IN LIFE (NV6082), SYMPHONIC SUITES 1 & 2: A MEDIEVAL SAGA (NV6116), MY SYMPHONIC POEMS (NV6189), and LIVE IN OSTRAVA (NV6215), which have been recorded and performed in the Czech Republic by the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra. Some of McEncroe’s orchestral repertoire has also been performed by the Ruse Philharmonic in Bulgaria and the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra in Croatia.

photo: Trackdown Studios in Sydney, Australia

www.markjohnmcencroecomposer.com

ANTHONY ARMORÉ Born into an Italian-American family near New York City, Anthony Armoré studied piano, horn, violin, and music theory before turning to instrumental and later operatic conducting. His conducting teachers include Jorma Panula, Charles Bruck, Robert Olsen, and Allan McMurray. Prior to taking up residence in Europe, he was music director of the Newport Symphony Orchestra and Portland Chamber Orchestra, associate conductor of the Columbia Symphony Orchestra, and co-founder and music director of the Ernest Bloch Music Festival (all in Oregon). Since his arrival in Europe, he has conducted orchestras and opera companies in numerous countries and made studio and live recordings for VDE-Gallo, Navona, and Affetto Records.

A special interest of his has been the music of contemporary composers (including film music) with such orchestras as the Janáček Philharmonic, the Brno Philharmonic, and the Sofia Philharmonic. During late December and early January of 2018/2019, he shared conducting duties during an 11-city tour of China (12 performances) with the Sofia Philharmonic.