About Mark I have played music ever since my father introduced me to the accordion at age five. I won several awards for my accordion performances in Oregon before going to Europe during my college years to study German, where in the late 1960’s I met my future wife Helena. We were both foreign students at the University of Hamburg in Germany. The attraction was mutual, and when Helena discovered I could learn anything she could sing, I added my unique accompaniment to her music. As students in Germany we performed several months together in an international folklore cafe in Hamburg. In 1970 we were married in the historic Prague Old Town Hall, and later that year we came to the United States, where we have lived ever since. We frequently travel back to Europe to visit family and friends and perform our music. My professional career was first spent teaching German and Russian for several years. I later worked for the Federal Government, Bonneville Power Administration (an agency of the Dept. of Energy) from which I retired. I enjoy playing Czech, German, Russian and American folk songs. My repertoire includes music from several European countries, especially Spain and Italy. I also play traditional American songs and musical standards, and I particularly enjoy classical and popular solos arranged for the accordion. Music composition on the piano has always been a strong interest for me, but only in recent years after I retired did I begin to compose many piano pieces. I began writing my first compositions in 2008 and continue to compose for the piano. Helena and I have now published two dance books, Dancing for Fun, Book 1 and Book 2, which consist of group dances for all ages. The dance melodies in these books were some of my first compositions. Later my compositions, some of them also arranged for other instruments, were recorded on several CDs played by Czech concert pianist Daniel Wiesner and other Czech professional musicians. I really enjoy creating new melodies. About Helena From age seven throughout my childhood I sang on Czechoslovak National Radio and performed in musicals, both in principal and leading roles, on both Czechoslovak National TV and live theater in my native Czechoslovakia. My dance teacher was a direct pupil of Isadora Duncan. Later I took private singing lessons from professors of Prague Conservatory of Music and continue to do so now whenever I am in Prague. I also study with a professional voice instructor when in the United States. As a teenager I turned to competitive sports, competing in Rhythmic Gymnastics for 12 years in Europe on the advanced level. That led to pursuing an international judging career later in my life (including three World Championships, Pan Am, Goodwill Games, and two Olympics). During my competitive years in sports I continued to sing as a soloist with a Czech folklore group. In my adult life, after receiving a Master of Science degree in Statistics / Economics from the University of Prague, School of Economics, I had a “normal” job – first as a statistician with the State of Oregon, later as a mathematician with Bonneville Power Administration (a Federal Agency). Then my husband Mark and I took early retirement when it was offered, and decided to do what we were doing as children – focusing on the arts. After judging internationally for the U.S., I brought my dance experience from Rhythmic Gymnastics to the arts, performing again on stage and in films. Since 2005 I sang, acted and danced in performances with various Portland, Oregon theatres. About us In 2001 we formed a duo, ‘The GREAT HOUSE of Music’ www.greathouseofmusic.com, and returned to an active musical career. In 2008 we represented the modern dance company tEEth in the Ten Tiny Dances event. In 2010 we made it to the Judges’ Round of America’s Got Talent (as one of the 400 acts which advanced from the 70,000 initial entries nationwide). As a duo, we also appeared repeatedly as guest performers on several variety shows (Miz Kitty’s Parlour Vaudeville Novelty Show, ScratchPDX, Performance Works NorthWest and Shadow Vaudeville Variety Show). We have recently developed our own one-hour show which was first introduced at the 2014 Portland Fertile Ground of New Works Festival. Our show features humorous stories of our early life history together, beginning in Hamburg, Germany, where we met as foreign students from our respective countries (Helena from the former Czechoslovakia and Mark from the U.S.) The show, aptly titled “You Do Speak English, Don’t You?”, highlights some of Mark’s original compositions which he plays on the accordion while Helena sings. We have been performing this show around Oregon and most recently in 2017 in several locations in Texas. Why Texas? Because there has been a large influx of Czechs and other European immigrants into this state over the past centuries. Music Travels Abroad During the last three years we were invited to be guest performers with the Prague Salon Orchestra. This orchestra is conducted by a very accomplished musician who for years played cello for the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. During the past two years, besides our own segment on the program, the orchestra played three of Mark’s compositions before our duo segment began: Riverflow, Sunrise, and Just Gettin’ By (which Helena sang with them). Another event was the Catalina Women’s Choir of Prague concert, which included Mark’s composition “Our Thanks”, an anthem. This concert took place in an historic concert hall in Prague. That turned out to be a big deal since it was sponsored by the city hall of one of the districts of Prague. Outside Prague in the Czech Republic and in Germany we have also been invited to perform in various churches and community centers. One of our major musical activities in the Czech Republic over the years has been to record Mark’s original compositions in Prague. We know an excellent sound engineer in Prague who has connections with many of the top musicians. Therefore, most of the several CDs we have done have been recorded there. Nearly all of Mark’s compositions have been written for piano and were played by concert pianist Daniel Wiesner. There are, however, other musicians and choral groups who are featured on the CDs, especially on the last one, number 5, which was released in August, 2017. Helena also sings on some tracks of each CD. We always say that if you like melody, you will like what I write, especially since the pieces are played by expert musicians.