After a few years away from the podium in a full-time capacity, Mark Freese is looking forward to the opportunity to once again lead a concert band as the new director of the Royal Palm Beach Community Concert Band.
A former member of the band, Freese served as interim director when band founder Fred Dart retired in 2009. He also served as conductor and musical director of the Palm Beach Gardens Concert Band from 2000-09.
Freese worked as a middle school band director in Palm Beach Gardens throughout the 1990s. In 2000, he left the school system to receive band instrument repair training in Minnesota. Upon returning to South Florida, he opened a band instrument repair and supply shop, the Instrument Clinic, serving school band programs and local musicians since 2003.
“Community bands are such an important part of a town’s cultural identity,” Freese said. “We are fortunate to live in an area that has musicians, young and old, of all ability levels, who are able to come together and make music just for the joy and fun of it.”
ABOVE: Mark Freese
