Mark Christopher Brandt has operated a successful private instruction studio, built solely on word-of-mouth advertising, since 1991.
In 2011, Mark received the Virginia Governor's School Award for exemplary service and dedication to education. Many of Mark's students have achieved high honors and scholarships at both the high school and the collegiate level. Many have successful careers in the music industry as performers, educators, producers, and engineers.
After his 1999/2000 New Year’s performance at the Cosmos Club in Washington D.C., Mark decided to step away from performing so that he could be close to his wife and to his children during their young years. During this break, he built one of the most reputable teaching studios on the East Coast, regularly placing students with scholarships into the top music colleges and universities in America.
Mark's students have entered and excelled in such schools as the Juilliard School, Berklee College of Music, North Texas, Shenandoah Music Conservatory, Christopher Newport, James Madison, UVA, and for many years Mark was contacted regularly by these institutions asking him if he could send his graduating students their way.
From 2008 until 2014, Mark was a sponsor for the annual Chantilly High School Invitational Jazz Festival. The festival, which for over 35 years took place at Chantilly High School in Virginia, was, at the time of Mark’s arrival and his departure as sponsor, the largest of its kind on the East Coast. Mark remains at the top of the list as the “go to” instructor for piano, composition and improvisation lessons for all instruments. His students include many of the Washington, D.C. area's professional musicians, seeking him out for polish and refinement of their improvisational skills.
To this day Mark teaches students from all over the country via zoom, FaceTime and even email. His private instruction studio has remained active and busy since he first opened his doors. Often passed over at first glance when people are searching the internet for qualified music teachers, Mark boasts an annual contingent of families who come to him from all over Manassas and Northern Virginia after the high cost of cookie cutter/meat-market lessons offered by most music studios prove to leave both children and adults empty of long lasting musical skills.
Mark has not raised his lesson tuition rate in 36 years of operation and many of his very first students have remained in contact with him over the years. Some of them began with him as children and they now have children of their own.
Former students local to Virginia and Washington D.C. include:
Pianist Jessica Cernoch Owner Jessica's Music Studio Manassas, VA
Studied Jazz Piano and music theory with Mark.
Saxophonist Jacob McCray Former Member United States Air Force Band
Studied composition, theory and improvisation with Mark.
Bassist Shaun Jurek Owner Shaun's String Studio, LLC, Vienna, Virginia
Studied composition, theory and improvisation with Mark.
Guitarist Dan Leonard Guitarist with Deanna Bogart, No Explanations, leader of multiple successful jazz and rock groups
Studied composition, theory and improvisation with Mark
Irish Dancer Allanah Boyle Sweeney Owner Boyle School of Irish Dance
Studied Irish rhythms and Irish music terminology with Mark
Irish Dancer Ellen Boyle Gibbons Owner Boyle School of Irish Dance
Studied Irish rhythms and Irish music terminology with Mark
Harpist, Pianist and composer Emily Mason Former Director of Music at Saint Veronica's Catholic Church Winner of several composition awards working full time as a composer.
Studied composition and theory with Mark
Organist and Pianist R. Carter Stevens: Former Director of Music & Organist at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church - Now private instructor and performer
Studied composition, theory and improvisation with Mark
Flutist Yana Nikol Founder of Project LOCREA
Studied composition, theory and improvisation with Mark
Guitarist Cristian Perez Founder of Project LOCREA Studied composition, theory and improvisation with Mark
