Early in his career, Mark had the great fortune to meet and study with Leonard Bernstein, who provided a significant impetus for his professional development and confidence as a conductor. Soon after, Mark had the opportunity to interact closely with the renowned Sergiu Celibidache, who became the central influence in Mark's development as a conductor. Mark completed his Master's studies under Celibidache's tutelage from 1987 to 1992.

Mark conducts orchestras throughout Germany and internationally. He has been intendant and artistic director of the Bayerische Philharmonie (Bavarian Philharmonic) since 1994, where he has worked with such greats as Zubin Mehta, Sir Colin Davis and Esa-Pekka Salonen. As a part of his passion for encouraging and protecting high professional standards in the music world, Mark is a regular jury member at international music competitions.

From 1998 to 2009, he was musical director of the music theatre festival Orff-in-Andechs. Since 1998, he is also intendant and artistic director of the Schwarzwald Musikfestival. In May 2010, he founded Orff-Tage der Bayerischen Philharmonie in the Prinzregententheater Munich.

In 2001, he was appointed director of the Sergiu Celibidache Foundation, initiating the Sergiu Celibidache Festival in 2002. In 2008, he received the "Werner-Egk-Preis Donauwörth" for his contributions to cultural life in Bavaria.

In 2008, he received the "Werner-Egk-Preis Donauwörth" award for his contributions to cultural life in Bavaria, especially for his engagement of Bavarian composers, such as Werner Egk, Carl Orff, Karl Amadeus Hartmann and Richard Strauss. From 2011 to 2016, he was president of Jeunesses Musicales Bayern.

Mark first toured Colorado in 1993 with the Young Philharmonic Orchestra of Munich, performing in Pueblo, Boulder, Denver and at the official dedication of the then-new Denver International Airport. In 1996, he returned as orchestra-in-residence of the Colorado Music Festival with concerts in Estes Park, Breckenridge, Denver and Boulder.

This is Mark's fourth time conducting the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra as part of the international partnership between the DPO and the Bavarian Philharmonic Orchestra.