Born in Cupertino, California in 1978, Mark began pursuing music in high school, picking up his mother’s acoustic guitar, singing in choir, and even trying his hand at songwriting. Gaining valuable experience in high school garage bands and acoustic groups, he set his sights on Los Angeles and a career in music. In the fall of 1996, Mark entered UCLA as a freshman, and also began his career as a solo artist. He performed his intensely personal songs in local coffee shops and clubs, accompanied only by his acoustic guitar. Mark also entered the UCLA talent show four times, winning the solo category in 1997, 1998, and 1999, and performing as an exhibition act in 2000. Also, in the winter of 2000, Mark released his first solo album, an independent and self-financed effort entitled Jump Without Falling (the album has sold out since, but copies can still be downloaded digitally on sites like iTunes). When the record labels did not come calling (and the bill collectors did), Mark began a career in teaching, eventually obtaining his Master’s in education and working at Lawndale High School teaching social studies. Over the next few years Mark continued to write, rehearse, and plan a new album while also teaching full time. Now, in 2006, Mark is back with his sophomore effort, A Social Study, a blend of folk, pop, and rock with Mark’s signature acoustic sound and songwriting style. Mark recorded and produced every track on the album himself, in a spare bedroom in his apartment. Happily married since 2004, Mark had to turn elsewhere for inspiration for the social angst in his songs. This search (along with his job as a social studies teacher, naturally) is where the title of the new album derives from- looking into the lives of his friends, students, and even strangers for material. Mark will be promoting A Social Study locally, with gigs soon to be announced. Please check out his website, and myspace page, to sign up for his mailing list, purchase the new album, and stay on top of the latest news.