Biography

Mark Simmons joins the Residential Faculty at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Arizona as Director of Choirs in the Fall of 2022. At MCC, he teaches a variety of music courses as well as serving as conductor of the Concert Choir and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble. Prior to his move to Arizona, he served as Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Tennessee at Martin in Martin, Tennessee for 18 years. There he conducted the campus-wide ensemble, the University Singers, as well as the auditioned chamber choir, The New Pacer Singers. Reaching audiences in nearly 20 US States, Eastern Europe, Thailand, and the North and South Islands of New Zealand, Simmons has led choirs on more than a dozen concert tours, performing by invitation in notable venues such as St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York City, Christchurch Cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand and St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria. His students have gone on to study at significant graduate programs in Choral Conducting in the US and his former students lead successful and impactful choral programs across the southeast. Simmons also served as Associate Conductor of the Jackson Symphony Orchestra in Jackson, Tennessee from 2015-2022. As part of his duties, he spearheaded a community outreach program where students performed in partnership with the JSO a reduced version of Mozart’s Magic Flute for audiences in memory care facilities, retirement communities, and for children with limited access to the arts. This successful opera program was performed 54 times in the last 5 years and enthusiastically received by over 1000 listeners. Dr. Simmons was a National Finalist for Excellence in Choral Conducting in the American Prize Competition of 2022. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Ithaca College, a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the Eastman School of Music, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from Arizona State University.

Academic degrees

• D.M.A. in Choral Conducting, Arizona State University
• M.M. in Choral Conducting, Eastman School of Music
• B.M. in Music Education, Ithaca College