MARK SUMNER (bass) has served as the Director of UC Choral Ensembles, Berkeley, for the past eight years. There he conducts the UC Alumni Chorus, Men's and Women's Chorales and Perfect Fifth, a select madrigal ensemble. His previous teaching experience includes choral music conducting positions at UC Santa Barbara and at the University of Southern California in addition to eight years in his hometown, Sapulpa, Oklahoma. He has an extensive background as a professional performer, having also sung with the San Francisco Chamber Singers (Volti), the Los Angeles Chamber Singers and Cappella, the St. Marks School Schola Cantorum, Zephyr, the Los Angeles Master Chorale and Music Center Opera, Tulsa Opera and Dallas Civic Opera. He has also served as musical and stage director for various theater companies and presently serves as Director of Music at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Francisco. A native of Oklahoma, Mark received his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Music from The University of Southern California, his Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas and his Bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University. He was the recipient of several music scholarships including the Gordon Getty Music scholarship at USC. He was also the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the Sapulpa Board of Education in 1989.