Mark Manduca, trombone
Where did you grow up? Navy: Hawaii, Virginia, Washington DC, Old Orchard
Where do you currently live? Portland, Maine
What instruments do you play? Trombone, tuba, trumpet and piano.
Educational background: BS Music Education University of Maine Orono; BM in Performance Boston University.
Family, Pets, Kids: Wife-pianist and teacher Elizabeth Manduca. Maria and Diana, daughters.
How did you get started in music? My father is a trombonist and he started me on that instrument. I also took seven years of piano lessons.
What non-PSO musical activities do you participate in? Portland Brass Quintet, Five Cylinder Jazz, Duo with Elizabeth Manduca and Portland Jazz Orchestra. Also, My wife and I own and run Manduca Music Publications, a music publications company producing works for brass solo, ensemble and educational materials; materials for piano, woodwinds and strings. We represent over 100 composers worldwide including Arthur Frackenpohl, William Vacchiano, Mel Broiles, Seymour Bernstein and many others.
What’s your favorite PSO memory to date? My group Five Cylinder Jazz’s performances with the orchestra.
Describe a typical day: Up at 6:00 a.m. to get to my job as musical director at Old Orchard Beach High School.Return home to teach private students or my trombone majors from USM. In the fall-directing a marching band and preparing them for field shows.
What is the question you’re asked most often when you tell people you play with the PSO? No questions-just praise for the orchestra and how much they enjoy it.
If you couldn’t be a musician, what would be your dream job? To be a basketball player in the NBA and if not that to be an NBA coach.
Any non-musical hobbies? black belt in karate, I like building things, playing basketball with my daughters.
What is your favorite music? What are you currently listening to? Everything and everything.
Who or what has been your greatest influence, musical or otherwise? Ron Barron, former principal trombone of the Boston Symphony and my teacher in graduate school.
Favorite eats in Portland: Grill Room, Front Room, DiMillos, Jay’s.
Contact Info for potential students: (h) 207-773-7012 (c) 207-233-7012 (e) mark@manducamusic.com