Mark Bloedow is the Director of Worship & Music, principal organist, and director of Chancel Choir, Choral Bells, and the Mens Ensemble at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Madison, Wisconsin, where he manages a staff of full-time and part-time music directors in leading a variety of music programs for all ages at both of the church campuses (Central Campus, Madison; West Campus, Verona).
Mark has recently been named Music Director for Madison Area Concert Handbells, after having served previously as Guest Director and Associate Music Director since 2008. He continues leading the MACH team, a professional auditioned community handbell ensemble, in presenting high quality performances for audiences of all ages in various venues throughout the Madison area including schools, churches, retirement communities, and concert halls. This year the group is scheduled to give a guest concert in Richland Center.
In May of 2009 he served as the Handbell Festival Director /Clinician for the "Thirteenth Dekalb-Sycamore Area Handbell Festival" in Dekalb, IL. He is also the Executive Director for Handbell Week held locally in the Madison Area each Summer with David Weck as clincian.
Mark's professional involvement includes serving as the President & Executive Director of Maestro Productions, Inc., the non-profits arts organization he founded in 1989; and being active with the Madison area Association of Church Musicians (ACM), having served the organization in various leadership roles on the Executive Board including President of ACM and Dean of the American Guild of Organists Madison Chapter, Vice-President, and Past President, as well as, leading various programs. He has served as an adjunct music professor in church music graduate studies at Concordia University Wisconsin, where he has also served as Director of Kammerchor (Concordia's touring choir) and Instructor of Music.
Mark has performed as an organ recitalist in Appleton, Madison, and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and Lincoln, Nebraska. His handbell and organ works are published by Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Missouri; MorningStar Music Publishers, Fenton, Missouri; and Midwest Music, Madison, Wisconsin. He has participated in workshops with leading handbell clinicians, has lead handbell workshops for church music directors and ringers, and has taught handbell methods at the graduate level.
Mark earned his Bachelors of Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1990 where he graduated with Outstanding Senior recognition. He received his Masters of Church Music in December 1999 from Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon.
