“Versatile” is the word that best describes percussionist Mark Lowry (b. 1961). From live performing to recording to teaching, he brings a wide array of interests and experience. Contemporary music has long been an area of keen interest for Mr. Lowry and in 1994 he became a founding member of the contemporary chamber ensemble newEar. The group presents regular seasons of contemporary chamber music concerts, has performed over 80 world premieres, and sponsors an annual composer competition. newEar was featured as an ensemble-in-residence at the 2011 Thailand International Composition Festival and performed at the 2012 Beijing Modern Music Festival; the group has also served performing residencies at the 20th Annual Contemporary Music Festival (James Madison University in Virginia) and the Festival of New American Music in Sacramento, California. Among several honors, newEar holds the Chamber Music America/ASCAP award for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music, and a Mastermind award from the Pitch magazine.

As an orchestral musician, Mr. Lowry has 30 years experience on timpani and percussion with the Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Ballet, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. He is also timpanist (and a founding member) of the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, specializing in music of the Baroque and early Classical periods. In musical theater, he has performed with the national touring companies of Wicked, The Producers, Little Shop of Horrors, Spamalot, A Chorus Line, Young Frankenstein, West Side Story, and several others. As a teaching artist, his trio Tri-Percussion performs educational concerts throughout the Kansas City region and was awarded the 2009 Lighton Prize for Excellence as Teaching Artists; it was the first time the Prize had been awarded to a group, rather than an individual. Mr. Lowry is active as a clinician and adjudicator. He is a native of St. Louis and holds the Master of Music degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.