Mark Nelson was appointed principal trumpet of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra in 2013.  He is a native of East Grand Forks, MN.  He began taking trumpet lessons while in the fourth grade.  As a high school senior, he began studying with UND professor Einar Einarson and continued studying with him for the next seven years.  Nelson was featured as trumpet soloist with the UND Wind Ensemble on their 2001 Tour of England, Ireland and Scotland.  After graduating from UND, Nelson spent four years as principal trumpet with the Greater Grand Forks Symphony.  He then went on the DePaul University in Chicago to pursue his master's degree in trumpet performance.  While there, he had the great opportunity to study with John Hagstrom of the renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra brass section.  Nelson has also performed with the Detroit Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Bemidji Symphony, the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony and the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra.