Mark Thiele is the Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Tuba/Euphonium at the University of Idaho. In addition to teaching the tuba and euphonium studio, he directs the Wind Ensemble, teaches conducting, and performs with the Idaho Brass Quintet. Mark is also an active clinician throughout the Pacific Northwest region, presenting clinics and guest conducting high school bands and honor bands in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Montana. As a member of the board of directors of the Western International Band Clinic, he has conducted the WIBC-University Intercollegiate Band and presented clinics for young band directors.
Mark’s work with the Wind Ensemble at the University of Idaho has led to numerous commissions and new works by Northwest area composers like Dan Bukvich, Ruby Fulton, and Navin Chettri. The Wind Ensemble was also featured at the 2023 NAfME All-Northwest Conference in Bellevue, WA and the 2024 Idaho Music Educators Conference in Nampa, ID.
As a teacher and performer on the tuba and euphonium, Mark was recently featured at the 2024 Northwest Tuba/Euphonium Conference in Eugene, OR. He also performed at the 2023 International Tuba/Euphonium Conference in Tempe, AZ. His students have also had numerous successes, including recent winners of the UI Concerto Competition and a semi-finalist for the Falcone International Solo Competition.
Mark spent 21 years as a tuba player with “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in Washington D.C., where he performed with the concert band, chamber orchestra, brass quintet, tuba/euphonium quartet and numerous chamber ensembles. As a member of the band, Mark performed all across the country, as well as at the Mid-West Band & Orchestra Clinic, the American Bandmasters Convention, the Texas Bandmasters Convention and the Japan Band Clinic. He was also a featured soloist with the band, and served as Assistant Section Leader for the tuba section. During this time, Mark was a featured soloist and clinician at the U.S. Army Band Tuba/Euphonium Workshop, the Northeast Regional Tuba/Euphonium Conference, the Leonard Falcone International Tuba/Euphonium Festival and the International Tuba/Euphonium Conference.
In addition to maintaining a thriving teaching studio, Mark also spent five years teaching tuba, euphonium and trombone at The University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. His passion for music education led to his role as Educational Coordinator for the Marine Band Music Education Outreach program, where he led and coached numerous chamber ensembles in hundreds of school performances.
As a conductor, Mark participated in the Marine Band Conductor Training Program, where he had the opportunity to conduct the Marine Band in concert and work closely with the directors in masterclass settings. He was founder, conductor and music director of The Dominion Brass, a group of professional and amateur musicians who performed benefit concerts throughout the Washington D.C. area. Mark also conducted the Wind Symphony and Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble at George Mason University while pursuing his Doctorate of Musical Arts in conducting. He also holds degrees from James Madison University (B.M., music education) and the University of Michigan (M.M., tuba performance). His teachers include Kevin Stees (tuba), Fritz Kaenzig (tuba), Mark Jenkins (euphonium), Mark Camphouse (conducting), Dennis Layendecker (conducting) and Anthony Maiello (conducting).