Mark Wood, former  and founding member of the Trans Siberian Orchestra, performed with the Western Branch Orchestra on Wednesday, December 5th. 

“The wonderful teacher here, Martin Glasco, invites me. This is my third time here,” Wood said. Each year, schools around the Wood invite Mark Wood to play with their orchestra, during a concert.

Mark Wood has been playing music his whole life. “All I do is music, twenty four seven. I have no life,” Wood said. Mark Wood is a very sarcastic, but nice man. He is very into his music, and spreading the love of music around the world.

He has traveled around the world, performing with countless schools, and playing a multitude of genres.  He has also performed with many well-known artists. “I performed with Kanye West, Billy Joel, Celine Dion,” Wood said, “ I’ve worked with Steven Tyler, Paul Mcartney,”  Wood was surprised that some did not know that Steven Tyler is the lead singer of Aerosmith, and Paul Mcarntey of The Beatles.

Growing up, Mark Wood had three siblings. His mother was a musician and his father was a painter. He begged his parents to play the tuba, but his mother made him play the Viola. 

“I trained at the Juilliard School of Music,” Wood said. “I’ve played the violin for, gosh, thirty years.”

As a musician, it is no surprise that Wood would have a surprise on fellow musician, David Cassidy, star of the musical stoom, The Partridge Family.

Mark Wood and Mr. Glasco hand-picked students who performed solos during the concert. The students had to sign a signup sheet, and where chosen off of that.

The students did very well while performing with Mark Wood during the concert. They all seemed to enjoy themselves while performing, as well.

“It was an experience, playing with Mark Wood,” Kyle Duncan, a senior, said. 

“It brought a lot of joy and excitement,” Holden McCormick, a senior, said. 

“It was fun,” Brennan Kimball, a senior, said.

“There was a lot of preparation that went into it,” Aavai Patel, a senior, said. “

There was a lot of late night practices,” Roy Butler, a senior, said.

 “There were a lot of practices,” Charlotte Goeb, a senior,  added. 

“I think it was worth it though,” Duncan said.

“It meant a lot to see all of the superintendent’s there,” Patel said.

 “That was definitely very nice,” Naomi Evans, a senior, said.