Collection: Thome, Mark

1962 -

Mark Thome, staff composer for Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia (SOGO), is a graduate of Olympia High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree with an emphasis in composition at Evergreen State College. An accomplished clarinet and saxophone player, Mr. Thome’s interests are in composition and arranging. He has been commissioned by numerous ensembles, including the Governor's Trombone Quartet, the Evergreen Brass Quintet, MusicWorks Saxophone Ensembles, Union Avenue Dance Band, Olympia Jazz Initiative, vocalist May Palmer, and the rock group, Simple Ritual.

As a performer, he has played with the Tacoma Symphony, the Jazz Senators, the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Tony Bennett, and the Barnum and Bailey Circus, among many others. Mark is currently completing a 2 ½ hour opera. His compositional debut with SOGO two years ago was a fanfare for the Conservatory Brass Choir and a clarinet quartet performed at the Sample of SOGO. His dry sense of humor and skill as a composer came to the forefront at last year’s Renaissance in Blue SOGO HO HO performance where he wrote for the brass choir and a jazz ensemble. This year he is again working on the SOGO HO HO and arranging a work for the Conservatory Orchestra. Mr. Thome resides in Olympia with his wife, Cathy, and two lovely daughters.