Dr. J. Mark Thompson joined the Northwestern State University (Natchitoches, Louisiana) faculty in fall 2000 and currently serves as Professor of Music. He teaches applied trombone, bass trombone, and tuba, along with related courses such as performance literature, pedagogy, recitals, and trombone choir. In addition, he serves the School of Creative and Performing Arts as Coordinator of Statistics and Acquisitions.

In a career spanning two decades, he has taught at Coe College and Kirkwood Community College (both in Cedar Rapids, Iowa), and at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He became a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music with a College Faculty Certificate in Brass awarded by the Music Teachers National Association in 1997, and in 2012 he was recognized with the awarding of the Permanent Professional Certificate. In April 2011, Dr. Thompson was honored as the first recipient of the Dr. Jean D’Amato Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award at Northwestern State University “in recognition of a career of outstanding scholarship and exceptional professional contributions.”

A charter life member of the International Trombone Association, Dr. Thompson chairs its Advisory Council on Literature, and has served on its board of advisors. Editor and co-author of French Music for Low Brass Instruments, he also produced Solos for the Student Trombonist, second edition.

Dr. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Music, summa cum laude, from Murray State University, an M.S. in Systems Management from the University of Southern California, and M.A., M.F.A. and D.M.A. degrees from the University of Iowa. Formerly principal bass trombone of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, he performs with the Shreveport Symphony (Louisiana), South Arkansas Symphony, Lancaster Festival (Ohio), and Des Moines Metro Opera Orchestras (Iowa).