Mark Christopher Brandt Categorized Works
SACRED MUSIC
As a contemplative catholic Christian Mark believes that all of his music is "sacred" in the sense that the sole purpose of composing music is to glorify God and to give back to the Creator what He has given to artists. Mark believes that all artistic inspiration comes from God and that artists are conduits of God's love.
Chamber MUSIC
Mark Christopher Brandt has composed many chamber music works but to date he has only recorded two. The Butterfly, for string quartet and piano, and The Nightingale, a programatic work for flute, piano and cello feature Mark's unique and creative approach to composing for strings. The scores for all of Mark's music, including music for works not yet recorded, are available at this website for FREE.
PIANO AND WOODWIND DUOS
Mark Christopher Brandt's earliest collaborations involved woodwinds and in particular the flute. HIs first encounter with the soaring capability of this instrument was with Geoff Thaler. The two of them performed together from 1977 until 2000 and they recorded 3 albums together which featured prominently Geoffs flute playing abilities. After the untimely death of Geoff Thaler it was another 16 years before Mark composed for flute. In 2015 Mark discovered an incredible simpatico with the master flutist, Yana Nikol Hristova when they were introduced to each other by a mutual friend.
Like her predecessor, Yana was capable of creating music on the fly with no preconceived idea or written music. This gave birth to two duo projects and one chamber music project titled The Nightingale. Sunflowers and Roses features the musical tracks that occurred during the making of Mark's DVD titled Structure and Freedom. In that DVD you can actually watch the two artists create music from start to finish on the spot! Those who do not know this have been amazed to discover that all of the music on the Sunflowers and Roses CD is completely spontaneous in origin.
SOLO PIANO IMPROVISATIONS
Mark Christopher Brandt has been seeking the music within him since he was very young. Always interested in compositions from every genre and style, Mark has honed his ability to compose on the fly through intense listening and multiple performance opportunities. In 2015 after 38 years of performing predominantly composed musical works Mark set out to produce a series of improvised projects and to film them as the works occurred. The result was Seven Moons, Seven gifts and Structure and Freedom (See Piano and Woodwind Duos).
Prior to this Mark released many solo piano works with elements of spontaneity and some pieces composed on the spot. These works can be heard on all of his projects but until Seven Moons no one recording of Mark’s featured tracks of music that were all created from scratch in the studio. Seven Moons inspired Mark to continue on this path for several years. In producing his DVD's Mark hoped to inspire other artists to discover their musical abilities and to embrace their uniqueness among artists rather than simply attempt the stab at fame and fortune that comes to a few for a precious moment but does not withstand the ages.
The measure of a great musician has always been found in the ability to improvise music in all settings, styles and tonal centers while conveying an innate organizational process. This God-given "process" makes the resulting music sound "composed" and practiced rather than spontaneous. If this ancient axiom is still true then the solo piano works of Mark Christopher Brandt will remain viable and valuable beyond his own earthly existence.
NO EXPLANATIONS 1997 - 2016
Between 2013 and 2016, Mark Christopher Brandt collaborated with the multi-talented guitarist Dan Leonard in a group they called No Explanations. Together, they produced three CD’s and a documentary DVD: Round Trip, The Making of an Artist. The duo performed in clubs and house concerts throughout Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C. with an eclectic lineup of musicians ranging from vibes, violin, bass and drums.
The Mark Christopher Brandt Jazz Trio
While composing and developing his personal style of artistry Mark was playing jazz standards as a solo pianist, in a trio setting and as a sideman with the top musicians in the Washington D.C./Northern Virginia/Maryland area. Between 1986 to 2021 Mark performed in every major hotel and jazz club throughout that region. His trio was nicknamed the "workinest" jazz trio on the east coast.
Syncron Fusion and jazz-rock
From the late 1970's until the mid-1980's Mark Christopher Brandt was performing in a variety of groups ranging from jazz-funk to jazz-rock and everything in between. With saxophonist and flutist Geoff Thaler he performed regularly throughout the Washington D.C. area. After a brief separation Mark and Geoff reunited with a powerful group called Syncron which made its debut at Blues Alley in Washington D.C. in March of 1987. Mark continued to perform with Geoff until the winter of 1999.
