Born in Sydney, Australia, Mark John McEncroe commenced music studies in his adulthood. He had a varied interest in many kinds of music, not just classical ,which led him to working in the music/ record business for EMI Records in his early 20s and 30s. For much of that time he was a Label Manager, first with EMI Australia and then with EMI Sweden.

 

At age 37 McEncroe commenced piano lessons in earnest studying first with Will Scarlett in Sydney. Later he continued with Valerie Fawcett and then Helen Kennedy, after Will Scarlett’s death. During this time he developed an interest in composition which eventually became his all consuming passion and main focus. To this end, in 2003 he began music theory and composition study with Margaret Brandman in Sydney, which continued on & off until 2012.

 

Not considering myself as a strictly classical music composer I feel no compulsion to slavishly follow the current narrow minded trends that classical composers feel they have to conform to. I deliberately write my music for the general music public only. If the classical music fraternity want to listen also, then they are most welcome, but they are not my target audience. My music is not written for the followers & slaves of “classical academia”.

 

In 2006 he collaborated with Mark J Saliba, who orchestrated a piano work from McEncroe’s Symphonic Poem, The Passing. This work was eventually recorded and performed by The Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra in The Czech Republic. Since then Saliba has orchestrated much of McEncroe’s material from his piano works and piano reductions.

 

To date McEncroe has recorded and released two piano albums, Reflections & Recollections, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 with pianist, Helen Kennedy.  Reflections & Recollections Vol.1 was also recorded in Sydney by Australian Pianist John Martin & released on the Wirripang label titled “Reflections.”

 

He has also released his Fanfare Suite for orchestra; two Symphonic Poems: The Passing and A Celebration of The Natural World on the album Affirmations & Aspirations recorded in The Czech Republic with The Janacek Philharmonic conducted by Anthony Armore.

 

Over the last few years McEncroe has recorded many works with The Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Anthony Armore.

 

In 2016 McEncroe signed with PARMA Recordings in the USA. In March 2017 PARMA released his album DARK CLOUDS IN LIFE which features his work for piano and orchestra Natalie’s Suite - Three Faces of Addiction; Symphonic Poem Echoes from A Haunted Past, together with pieces from his piano volumes.

 

In August 2017 Navona Records released his SYMPHONIC SUITES NO. 1 AND 2 on a double CD.

 

In September 2017 all the pieces from both volumes of REFLECTIONS & RECOLLECTIONS- MUSICAL IMAGES FOR PIANO were recorded again in Rockport MA in the USA at the Shalin Liu Performance Centre with Japanese /American pianist Yoko Hagino. The album was produced by Brad Michel.

 

This double CD, MUSICAL IMAGES FOR PIANO was released in 2018 by PARMA Recordings on the Navona Label. The single Daybreak was picked up on the Spotify Classical Picks list.

 

Symphonic Suites No. 1 and The Passing have now been performed in The Czech Republic. Symphonic Suites No. 1 and No. 2 were performed in Ruse Bulgaria in October 2016 with the Ruse Philharmonic conducted by Nayden Todorov.

 

Symphonic Poem - The Passing was performed by The Janacek Philharmonic in January 2016 in Ostrava The Czech Republic, conducted by Anthony Armore. The same orchestra also performed McEncroe’s Symphonic Suite No. 1 in October 2016, conducted by German conductor Heiko Mathias Forster.

 

Mark is currently working on a ballet project based on the music themes & story told in McEncroes Medieval Saga Symphonic Suites No1 & 2. This, the ballet, is to be a Co written project from both McEncroe & Mark J Saliba.

 

McEncroe is currently working on his Symphonic Suites No.3 & 4 along with a new collection of piano pieces about 22 in all. All these to be recorded in 2020 & 2021. All of McEncroe’s compositions to date have been published by Wirripang-home of Australian Composers.