NW Guitar Festival: Festival Guitar Ensemble (Mark Hilliard Wilson, conductor) & Ensemble Showcase
Disability Accommodations
Equal Opportunity Institution. 24+ hours advance notice is appreciated for accommodations.
- Campus Parking: Parking Services
- Off-Campus location: Contact the venue
- On-Campus ticketed events: Contact the Box Office
- On-Campus events open to all at no cost:
- Art & Art History 360-650-3660
- Design 360-650-7778
- Music 360-650-3130
- Theatre/Dance 360-650-3876
- Other: CFPA Publicity 360-650-2829, cfpa.publicity@wwu.edu
Mark Hilliard Wilson has an engaging approach to teaching and programing concerts that draws from the deep well of history and a desire to relate contemporary interests to universal themes. Born in Palo Alto, California in 1965 his childhood was spent moving every two years from Minnesota to Holland, to Washington DC to Payette, Idaho before his parents finally found their slice of heaven in Boise, Idaho. Mark continued to travel to Bellingham, Rochester and visit other countries before finding his base in Seattle in 1995. He founded the Seattle Guitar Orchestra in 2000 and became the cathedral guitarist at St. James Cathedral in Seattle 2006. He has taught at Whatcom Community College, Bellevue College, the Rosewood Guitar and is currently at the Holy Names Academy, his compositions are published by Seconda Prattica and performed widely. Recently Wilson premiered a concerto written for him by the Ukrainian composer Oleg Boyko. Wilson will be directing Guitar ensembles in the premier of a work he commissioned from Boyko at the 2023 Northwest Guitar Festival in Bellingham, Wa. 2023 will see the release of The Music of Taiwo Adegoke, Changing the canon of the classical guitar with music from Nigeria. Music for Seattle Guitar Orchestra and cello and classical guitar featuring cellist Abbie Eads. You can find these on all platforms and videos too on Mark’s Patreon site.
