Born in Nashua, New Hampshire, on February 6, 1980, Mark Lomanno was instilled with a love of music at a very early age. He grew up listening to Frank Sinatra, Chicago, Benny Goodman, Luciano Pavarotti, and many others. His piano studies started at age 7 and, by age 13, Mark was studying ragtime piano and performing publicly. Mark began his formal jazz training the next year - 1994 - with Berklee faculty member and renowned vibraphonist Ed Saindon. Mark's high school years were highlighted by selection to the New Hampshire Jazz All State Choir in 1995 and 1998, performances with the New Hampshire Jazz All State Big Band (as the state's top ranked high school jazz pianist) from 1996 to 1998, a nomination to the 1997 All Eastern Jazz Band, and a performance with the great Clark Terry. Upon graduating, Mark was offered the Cole Scholarship for Piano Studies by the University of Richmond in Virginia, where he enrolled in August 1998.

While at the University of Richmond, Mark studied piano with Russell Wilson, Richard Becker, and Joanne Kong; jazz arranging with Mike Davison; improvisation with James Gates; and composition with Fred Cohen. In 2000, he formed "Groove Sophisticate," a quintet with some of his college friends, and recorded his first album, entitled "All's Well that Swings Well." While at the University of Richmond, Mark had the pleasure of performing and studying with many jazz greats, including Curtis Fuller, the late Joe Kennedy, Jr., Johnny Griffin, Frank Foster, David Baker, Christian McBride and Dick Hyman.

In early 2001, Mark suffered a major setback in his playing career, developing severe tendonitis in both arms. During a period of six months off from playing, Mark focused on listening to new sounds and musics, and adopted a regiment of meditation, in the Rinzai Zen tradition, as a means of relaxation and gaining awareness of his body and environment. In his later stages of recovery, Mark began studying with pianist Joanne Kong, who instructed him on relaxation techniques, as well as the diagnostic and release of tension.

Fully recovered, Mark spent the summer of 2001 studying at Berklee College of Music. While there he learned under the guidance of Frank Carlberg and Eduardo Tancredi, among others. His hard work paid off - he returned to Richmond that Fall and began playing with some of the best jazz musicians in the Richmond area.

Mark had a break-through year in 2002: in March, he received a grant from the University of Richmond to travel to Cuba and study the Cuban Son music; in May, Richmond's Style Magazine named him list of "Local Artists to Watch"; he also received his B.A. degree (in Piano Performance and Latin literature; magna cum laude) from the University of Richmond; in June, he was awarded the Richmond Jazz Society's First Annual Joe Kennedy, Jr., Award; in October, he returned to Cuba to perform in the Second Annual Santiago Jazz Fest; and in November, at the Second Annual Third Practice Electro-Acoustic Musical Festival, he performed the world premiere of "Lullaby," a piece for piano and computer, written by composer Matthew McCabe.

Mark focused on composition in 2003: his writing earned him an invitation from the University of Richmond's Dance Department to appear as composer-in-residence. Along with his Quintet, Mark served as artist-in-residence for "Dancelebration," the University's Annual Dance Recital; the performance featured Mark's compositions choreographed by the students and faculty of the Dance Department. Mark's tenure there was so well received that he was invited back for the next year's performance and given his first commission; he wrote "Por la Gente de Tivoli," (a tribute to the French-Haitian neighborhood of Tivoli, in Santiago de Cuba) for jazz quartet and voice for the 2004 University of Richmond Dancers. The same quintet performed in May 2003 at the Wintergreen Music Festival, in Wintergreen, VA, garnering rave reviews.

In October 2003, Mark returned to Cuba to play in the Santiago Jazz Festival and spent time working with Joaquin Pozo, a prominent Cuban conquero and bandleader, and the great-nephew of the late Chano Pozo. Upon returning to the country, Mark found himself in great demand as a solo artist and began a rigorous performance schedule. Since late 2003, Mark and his groups have been featured at many Richmond area establishments.

The beginning of 2004 was a time of new growth for Mark: two new projects have premiered so far - The Mark Lomanno Afro-Cuban Project in March and the Mark Lomanno Vocal Trio in April. Backed by Mike Hawkins on bass with Jason Gay on tenor saxophone, the Mark Lomanno Vocal Trio performed regularly at Maggiano's Little Italy in Richmond's Short Pump Town Center, where Mark sang the great American songbook every Saturday night. Friday nights at Maggiano's featured "Mark Lomanno Presents!", where Mark welcomed a different guest artist to the stage every week to perform with him. Mark performed solo piano during an extended engagement at the Tides Inn, a prestigious resort and yacht club, in Irvington, Virginia.

Indulging in his academic interests, Mark traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June, to deliver a paper at the Seventh International Conference of the Brazilian Studies Association (BRASA). The paper, entitled "Playing Bossa Nova now: Bossa Nova and Generation X," will be presented as a lecture-demonstration and focuses on the innovations that the young jazz generation has brought to the performance of Bossa Nova.

[ © 2002-2010 mark lomanno ] [ designed by escapement arts & media ] [ site credits ]