Dr. Mark Ponzo holds the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music with the Performer's Certificate. He received his Master of Music in Performance from Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Music in Education from the Crane School of Music. Dr. Ponzo is Faculty Emeritus at Northern Illinois University, where he was on faculty for over 30 years. His principal teachers include John Hagstrom, Barbara Butler, Charles Schlueter, George Coble, and Richard Jones. Mark is Solo Cornet with The New Sousa Band and Illinois Brass Band as well as Principal Trumpet of the Fox Valley Orchestra and Antiqua Baroque Consort. He has been a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Mexico City Philharmonic, and Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. Mark has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Music of the Baroque, Elgin Symphony, Chicago Brass Quintet, Illinois Chamber Symphony, Chicago Sinfonietta, Northwest Indiana Philharmonic, New Philharmonic, Illinois Philharmonic, Millar Brass and Light Opera Works.

He has been a featured soloist with The Music of the Baroque, Elgin Symphony, The New Sousa Band, Southern Tier Symphony, Fox Valley Orchestra, Kishwaukee Symphony, Illinois Brass Band as well as the NIU Philharmonic, Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony.

He is a busy recitalist, doing an average of forty full recitals each year, performing at most of the nation's finest music schools. He presents recitals on the Cornet, Baroque Trumpet and modern valved instruments.