MARK GESLISON
Mark Geslison, the author and coordinator of this series, is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the mandolin, guitar, bass, percussion, banjo, and dulcimer. He has performed traditional music for most of his life and has been an instrumental champion several times since the mid-1980s including Western Regional Guitar Champion 1988, 1989; Western Regional Mandolin Champion 1988, 1989; Utah State Guitar Champion 1988, 1989, 1992; Utah State Mandolin Champion 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994 and 2002; and Utah State Banjo Champion 2001 (4-string). Mark has been the director of the Folk Music Ensemble program at Brigham Young University since 1992. The Folk Music Ensemble program includes performing groups that focus on Bluegrass, Appalachian, Early American, and Celtic music styles. His students perform approximately one hundred times per year in all parts of the world including the South Pacific, Asia, Europe, and North and South America. Mark is also the founder and director of the Institute of American Music (IAM). IAM is a non-profit, private school of music designed to teach traditional music in an ensemble setting to young people and families. This series originated within IAM where Mark noticed a need for ensemble arrangements.