Mark Nelson

Mark Nelson is a native of East Grand Forks, MN. He began taking trumpet lessons from Herb Thompson while in the fourth grade. As a high school senior, he began studying with UND professor Einar Einarson and continued studying with him for the next seven years. As a student at UND, Mark was featured as trumpet soloist with the Wind Ensemble on their 2001 Tour of England, Ireland and Scotland. After graduating from UND, Mark spent four years as principal trumpet with the Greater Grand Forks Symphony. He then went on to DePaul University in Chicago to pursue his master’s degree in trumpet performance. While there, he had the great opportunity to study with John Hagstrom of the renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra brass section. Mark has also performed with the Bemidji Symphony, the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony and the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra. Most recently (2013), he was appointed as principal trumpet of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra.