In another lifetime long ago, Mark Basinski, having taken a job as a software engineer, found he really didn't have time to play electric guitar in bands anymore, and sought out a classical guitar teacher. After three years of serious study with Enric Madriguera (while also working full-time), he quit his job and moved to Spain for the next 18 months, studying with José Tomás at the Conservatorio Superiór de Música Oscar Esplá in Alicante.

After returning from Spain to the US in 1986, Mark began formal study at the University of Arizona, where his principal teachers were Thomas Patterson (guitar) and James R. Anthony (music history). In 1990 he was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship for guitar studies in Montevideo, Uruguay with Abel Carlevaro and Eduardo Fernández. During this period, Mark presented solo guitar performances in Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, Uruguay, and the US.

He was awarded first prize in the 1991 Norman Sholin Memorial Guitar Competition, and also was first prize winner in the 1987 AGEA Guitar Competition.

Dr. Basinski holds an A.Mus.D. degree with a major in guitar performance and a minor in music history from the University of Arizona School of Music, where he also served as a member of the musicology faculty in 1994-95. His doctoral paper was “Alberto Ginastera’s Use of Argentine Folk Elements in the Sonata for Guitar, Op. 47”.

While working as a network security specialist for Cisco Systems for many years, Mark's musical focus returned to electric guitar, and his activities included various recording projects as well performing with the SFJAZZ Monday Night Band 2016-2019, arranging many charts for the band, with an emphasis on the Snarky Puppy songbook!

After the unfortunate demise of Monday Night Band due to COVID, Mark put together a couple of pandemic isolation projects with some of his MNB colleagues: The BLURSDAY NIGHT BAND!

Grown Folks by Michael League / Snarky Puppy, arranged by Mark Basinski

Angelina an original composition by Fernando Arruda

Now retired from Cisco, Mark currently resides in Sonoma, California, continuing his activities as a guitarist and arranger.

Look for me on Facebook, or send me email at mgbasinski@me.com