Mark Pettitt

Up and coming musical artist Mark Pettitt is aiming to make 2020 his year with his release, ‘Sing This Song’. The 20-year-old Johannesburg based musician has made a song which is sure to get people talking and to act. Having been a prolific figure in his local music scene, he is now broadening his horizons and capturing a much larger audience than ever before. Having spent most of his life composing and writing songs, he believes that he has never made a song quite as profound as this.

The song hopes to inspire the listener and make them change and take action to help their fellow men and women and the world as a whole. Mark enlisted the help of his old school choir who are heard singing the lyrics throughout the song. He has also incorporated a very large percussion section in the work which helps give it a distinctive African feel, whilst being a modern contemporary song. Mark has also made an extraordinary decision to give all the profits from the song straight back to charity. He hopes that this action he has taken will inspire others to help their local communities and give back as well.

Mark Pettitt had this to say: “I really hope it connects with people. I want to get through to people so that they make a change and decide to start treating the world around them with more respect and concern. All it takes is for people to be inspired by the song, then I will have done my job.” - “Sing This Song” by Mark Pettitt releases on April 3, 2020.

Joy. Joy, excitement, fulfilment, a sense of achievement and aesthetics. These words culminate the reasons which I pursue music and continue to write and create it. It is rewarding to listen to my own music and find it pleasing. If I cannot appreciate my own work, how I can I expect others to do the same? I find music fascinating in this regard, especially when I can see how different individuals are affected by the same kinds of music. Often, I love seeing how differently some people can react to the same piece of music, and what it means to them. It is satisfying to complete a musical idea or phrase, especially when it connects melodically in my head. It creates a certain admiration for my creation at that time and pleases me when I combine two great musical ideas and they work well together. Ultimately, I want to achieve this feeling and connect those emotions to as many individuals as I can. If I can make thousands feel a similar emotion or convince them otherwise, I have achieved greatly.

I start a piece through an emotion. I’d play the piano and let my emotions take me, and when I find something which really made me feel even more intensely, then I use that as the building blocks for creating. I am in awe of the ability to create a truly pleasing musical moment through the build-up of other ideas. I don’t like to be confined by the traditional methods of music and musical groupings. I try experimenting with different genres and seeing how they can overlap to create something new. Often, I find it easier to express an emotion through using methods which haven’t been used before, as then it creates a unique authenticity to the music, thus allowing the listener to be involved with the music like never before. I attempt to make music emotional, and I generally find you can connect more with music when it is invoking a sense of true emotions.

To see the truth in my art, is to connect with it in a way which you can understand. Art is meaningful in that way, so try and make sense of it, and you will discover your own truths through your analysis. Currently, I want to create music which I enjoy and find to be of a standard which I can truly be pleased with, thus making it true to myself. Whilst I enjoy what others feel or think regarding my music, my duty is to myself first, then others. Joy and excitement are the qualities I define with my work going well. When I can play the same piece repeatedly or if I continuously tap my foot or sing-a-long, I know that I have created something enjoyable. I also know something is good if I can always feel the same emotion that I was trying to express. When I can appreciate a final piece of music and see others appreciate my feelings as I did, it makes me feel a sense of pride as well as achievement. -

Mark Pettitt
14 Parkview Street
Fourways Fields, Johannesburg
2058
Mark.pettitt.jhb@gmail.com

Experience
Solo Music Career, 2015 – Present
Solo artist, composer and lyricist working from Home Studio
• Composed official song for Round Square youth conference in 2015
• Composed, and wrote lyrics for 5 songs totalling over 1.4 million views on Youtube, over 350 000 streams on Music Stores
• Arranged, composed songs for ensembles, some of which won awards locally
Music Ensemble Coach, 2018 – Present
Music ensemble coach at Dainfern College, Reddam House Helderfontein and Brescia House School in Johannesburg. Ensembles totalling 12
• Responsible for preparing students in music ensembles for live performances
• Assisted in upskilling children and improving their musical knowledge and ability
• Responsible for the success of 3 ensembles who won awards at various competitions, including the largest Marimba Festival in the world
• Administrated and managed 4 large music competitions and festivals totalling audiences of over 1 000 people successfully, making a profit for each
• Responsible for arranging, composing and orchestrating music for all ensembles
Education
• Bachelor of Music Composition for Film, TV and Games through Berklee Online, Boston, MA (2018 – present) To be completed in Summer 2022
Skills
• Proficient knowledge in Sibelius and Pro Tools
• Advanced knowledge in Cubase
• Good knowledge of Maschine 2
• Trinity Grade 8 Piano with distinction
• Trinity Grade 8 Theory
• Trinity Grade 7 Cello
• Compositional and arranging knowledge for large orchestra and electronic production
• Events management
• Proficient mixing. Recording and editing skills for music projects
• Advanced production skills for large scale music projects -

Career goal:
To become a composer for Film, TV and Games
Requirements:
• Bachelor’s degree in Music Composition (Specifying in film, TV and Games)
• Excellent analysis skills
• Excellent interpretation skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Excellent compositional skills
o Ability to compose themes
o Arrange music for full orchestra
o Sound design and creation
o Understanding of recording ensembles
o Communicate clearly the needs from the conductor
o Ability to adapt music for budget
• Excellent understanding of Drama and film
• Good all-round production skills
Current skills, Interests and experience:
• Produced songs for personal music career
• Orchestrated and composed several cinematic tracks
• Worked and used production gear in Home Studio
• Served as Head of Culture in High School, receiving an Honours award for services
• Received High School Honours Blazer (Highest award possible whilst in school)
• Organised and saw the competition of 3 separate successful large concert type events
• Grade 8 Trinity Piano with distinction
• Grade 8 Trinity Theory
• Grade 7 Trinity Cello
• 14 completed courses through Berklee Online averaging GPA 3.54
• Played Rugby and Cricket at High School
Plan to reach career goal:
• Complete Undergraduate Degree Program specifying in Music Composition for Film, TV and Games by 2022
• Work as a freelance Producer, Songwriter, Composer and Arranger until 2022
• Complete work as an understudy for a larger film project, 2023
• Complete an internship with a Film scoring company, 2023
• Job experience:
o Continue working as an ensemble teacher
o Continue working as a solo music artist and producing songs
o Continue running events management for music -