Mark Tse is pursuing his doctoral studies in conducting with Timothy Salzman at the University of Washington in Seattle where he regularly co-conducts the UW Concert Band and is an assistant conductor to the UW Wind Ensemble. While there, Tse adjudicates regional festivals, conducts masterclass workshops for visiting schools and coordinates both the Pacific Northwest Band Festival and the 2016 Wind Ensemble trip to Beijing and Shanghai. He recently won 3rd place and an Honourable Mention with the American Prize competition, for the categories of wind ensemble conducting at the community band and college/university level, respectively; last year he won 2nd place in the area of college/university wind band with footage from his masters program.

Tse holds a Bachelor of Music (music education) and Bachelor of Education (instrumental music) from the University of Toronto, a Masters of Music (music education) and two years of a Doctorate of Philosophy (music education) from the University of Western Ontario. While at UWO, he conducted the El Sistema Aeolian Orchestras and the UWO Chamber Orchestra, writing arrangements when necessary. He left his studies to start his Masters of Music (wind ensemble conducting) at the New England Conservatory under Charles Peltz. While there, he has premiered new works of professional and student composers and conducted with NEC’s Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Winds. Tse also helped organize the College Band Directors National Association's regional conference “Crossing Over” which NEC hosted.

Prior to his graduate studies, Tse was an accomplished high school music teacher in the Toronto area of award-winning ensembles, teaching band, jazz bands and guitar. He has conducted and played in many community musical theatre productions, as well as played saxophone and trumpet in many community bands over the years.

He has been invited to participate as a conducting fellow with scholarship at many symposiums including the Wintergreen Conductors' Summit, the Bard Conductors' Institute, and the Hartt Instrumental Conducting Clinic.