Mark Summer
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Mark Summer is the Turtle Island String Quartet's cellist as of 2008; he is an original member.
[edit] Biography
Mark Summer grew up in Los Angeles, California playing piano, guitar, and, starting at the age of nine, cello. From the beginning he was very interested in alternative genres, playing in a rock band called The Purple Testament as a teenager as well as arranging tunes for his high school jazz band. Mark studied cello with Edwin Geber of the Los Angeles Philharmonic as a child and eventually, after nearly-dropping out, graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music continuing his studies with the Geber family with Stephen Geber with a cello performance major. After conservatory, Mark went on to secure a spot in the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra for three years, still unhappy. Looking for alternative genres, he left the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra playing in an assortment of alternative ensembles until joining up with other Turtle Island Quartet members in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1986. He has played with that ensemble ever since.
[edit] Music
Besides the thriving Turtle Island String Quartet, which has now has eight records to its credit, Mark is playing with many other crossover artists. He is a member of the Jazz Chamber Trio with pianist Alon Yavnai and Grammy-winning clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera which plays primarily Latin jazz. He also composed two solo cello pieces, Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming and Julie-O, the latter of which has become very widespread and popular among many cellists.
