It starts with his love of recycling. Finding pieces, doodads, thingamabobs and whatchamacallits in the trash then cutting it, gluing it, painting it, taping it until it turns into a collected misfit orchestra. He then becomes his own one-man band with the creative use of live recording. It’s a technique that allows a performer to play a simple tune, record it as a loop, and then continuously play it while creating more loops on top, layering until they’re satisfied. The gathered result of this cacophony of noise sounds like the jungle at night. This is where he shows the crowd how his community recycling projects have been used to help inspire young people to recycle, create music, disconnect from the social plug in, and expand their imaginations.
Children of all ages have given cans, toilet paper rolls and plastic jars a musical afterlife as drums, kazoos and maracas. He helps students to design, play and record their own instruments and, in the process, creates an unforgettable concert which both students and parents can be proud of.
More About Mark
An award-winning musician and sound sculptor, Mark has performed throughout Canada and as far as Cuba, Germany and Singapore, while his workshops have been featured throughout Ontario. The Junkestra, a sound installation made of recycled objects, integrates sport, music, and salvaging. Capable of infinite musical beauty and nuance, it casts a spell of creative exploration and play over all who enter. It has received generous media coverage and has been featured at the launch of the 2015 Pan-Am Games, Scotia Bank Nuit Blanche, Harbourfront, Live Green Toronto Festival, Symposium for Arts and Learning, and – through its hockey-inspired versions – has been awarded grants for hockey arenas in Barry’s Bay and Moose Factory, ON
Mark has worked through Arts for Children and Youth and the Ontario Arts Council to help children design and build Junkestras for their schools. In this project, both special needs and mainstream students found this to be a deeply satisfying experience.