Dr. Mark Sullivan
Dr. Mark Sullivan earned his D.M.A. from the USC Thornton School of Music, where he
served as teaching assistant to the entire piano performance faculty. Upon graduation
from USC, Sullivan was honored with the Keyboard Studies Department Award, the Pi
Kappa Lambda Award, for having achieved the highest academic standing in his class,
and was recognized with the Thornton School’s Outstanding Graduate award. He earned
his M.M. degree from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. His principal teacher
was Menahem Pressler. Other influential teachers were Stewart Gordon, John Perry,
Rosalyn Tureck and Stephen Kovacevich.
As a young pianist, Sullivan won concerto competitions at USC and Indiana University.
He also won top awards at the 1982 MTNA Collegiate Artist Competition’s national
finals, and the Palm Springs International Piano Competition. He has performed widely
throughout California and has twice performed at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall.
A dedicated adjudicator for music competitions, Sullivan regularly serves as a judge for
the Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition in New York City.
Over the past 40 years, he has judged hundreds of local, state and regional competitions for the Southern California Junior Bach Festival, MTAC, CAPMT and SYMF, as well as piano competitions for USC, UCLA, Cal. State Fullerton, Cal. State Long Beach and many other colleges and universities. During the early 2000s, the distinguished pianist, Menahem Pressler, invited Mark Sullivan to substitute teach for him at Indiana University during Pressler’s extended tours. He has traveled to Tokyo many times to conduct master classes, lecture demonstrations, private coachings and student evaluations. From 2006 to 2018, Dr. Sullivan served as General Chair of the Southern California Junior Bach Festival. He continues to perform as recitalist and chamber musician and teaches from his home studio in the Bluff Heights neighborhood of Long Beach.
served as teaching assistant to the entire piano performance faculty. Upon graduation
from USC, Sullivan was honored with the Keyboard Studies Department Award, the Pi
Kappa Lambda Award, for having achieved the highest academic standing in his class,
and was recognized with the Thornton School’s Outstanding Graduate award. He earned
his M.M. degree from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. His principal teacher
was Menahem Pressler. Other influential teachers were Stewart Gordon, John Perry,
Rosalyn Tureck and Stephen Kovacevich.
As a young pianist, Sullivan won concerto competitions at USC and Indiana University.
He also won top awards at the 1982 MTNA Collegiate Artist Competition’s national
finals, and the Palm Springs International Piano Competition. He has performed widely
throughout California and has twice performed at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall.
A dedicated adjudicator for music competitions, Sullivan regularly serves as a judge for
the Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition in New York City.
Over the past 40 years, he has judged hundreds of local, state and regional competitions for the Southern California Junior Bach Festival, MTAC, CAPMT and SYMF, as well as piano competitions for USC, UCLA, Cal. State Fullerton, Cal. State Long Beach and many other colleges and universities. During the early 2000s, the distinguished pianist, Menahem Pressler, invited Mark Sullivan to substitute teach for him at Indiana University during Pressler’s extended tours. He has traveled to Tokyo many times to conduct master classes, lecture demonstrations, private coachings and student evaluations. From 2006 to 2018, Dr. Sullivan served as General Chair of the Southern California Junior Bach Festival. He continues to perform as recitalist and chamber musician and teaches from his home studio in the Bluff Heights neighborhood of Long Beach.