PVYO welcomes Dr. Mark Schuppener as Preparatory Orchestra Conductor for the 2020-2021 season.  Mark Schuppener served on the music faculties of the University of Texas, El Paso; the University of Michigan; and Spring Arbor University. Dr. Schuppener has garnered acclaim as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, concertmaster, and devoted music educator and conductor. He was honored as a semi-finalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and served as concertmaster of the Michigan Philharmonic, Dearborn Symphony, Orchestra Miami, Las Cruces Symphony, El Paso Opera Orchestra, and Associate Concertmaster of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra. He is also a founding member of the Ann Arbor Camerata, a professional chamber ensemble. As a recording artist, Dr. Schuppener released a CD under contract with Centaur Records along with International Steinway Artist, Dr. Oscar Macchioni.  As a conductor, he has been on the conducting staff of youth symphonies, university and professional ensembles throughout Texas, Florida, Michigan, Vermont, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Kansas, and New Mexico. Currently, he is the Director of Fine and Performing Arts at The Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Maryland and also serves as their Director of Strings.  Dr. Schuppener was awarded a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan where he earned a Master of Music. He has a Bachelor of Music from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.