Phone: (661) 269-1112
Address: 33614 White Feather Road
Studio Information
Welcome to Fiddlesticks Music Studio. I am Mark Casillas, A Master Violin Teacher and consultant, I offer violin, viola, and cello, and piano instruction. My private music studio has taught stringed instrument lessons for more than 25 years. We love all levels from womb to seniors I am a professional recording musician, and have played and contracted more than 100 Grammy award-winning albums and songs by world famous artists. Borna and raised in Santa Monica CA
EDUCATION:
1967-1980 Santa Monica Unified School District
SUMMER 1980 Northern Arizona University, Phoenix Symphony Festival Orchestra
1980-81 Santa Monica College
1981-84 String Performance Program, Peabody Conservatory of Music of the
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
TEACHERS OF VIOLIN:
Henryk Szeryng , Charles Libove, Berl Senofsky, Elizabeth Holborn, Michael Sand,
Eudice Shapiro, and Frank Figueroa
I have played the violin since I was nine years old. My love for music has taken me all over the United States in study and performance. Looking back, I was always a natural contractor. In Junior High, I put many little musical groups together for any odd school or community event. My first paid job was the Santa Monica Civic Opera in 1977-1981. I rounded up musician friends to rehearse and perform operas for very little pay, but the experience was priceless. I was also a member of the Santa Monica Youth Orchestra under the direction of Manuel Compinsky and Santa Monica Symphony under Victor Bay. Taking advantage of growing up in Santa Monica, I would get wedding jobs at various churches. While at Santa Monica College, I contracted many small sessions for music majors and songwriters.
In 1981, I went to music school in Baltimore, Maryland. While in Maryland, I contracted many church, wedding, and special events. My quartet performed at many senatorial and government parties. My first major recording session was for a fellow student who got a job arranging Christmas muzak for a publishing company.
I got married and returned to Los Angeles in 1984, and performed with the Debut Orchestra under Lalo Schrifrin and landed several church accounts, and soon found myself contracting the South Bay Ballet from 1984-1994. With bi-yearly concerts performed at El Camino College, UCLA, and Bridges Auditorium in Claremont, the organization performed the Nutcracker and other well-known ballets.
In the mid-1980’s, I became involved in the early music scene. As a supporter of the period instrument movement, I advised many choir directors and orchestra leaders on the subject. My vision has always been to help my fellow musicians get work, whether modern or period. L.A.’s vast talent pool of top musicians gave me an opportunity to thrive.
Wanting to explore different venues, I started contracting musicians for Don Ray at the UCLA’s Film School. I contracted many low budget jingles, short films, and independent movies.
I was fortunate to meet several arrangers from the R & B scene. I soon founded Casillas, Inc. I specialize in orchestral and recording personnel management. I am responsible for procuring the best musical talent to perform and record. I have performed management services for many of Hollywood's top R&B artists. Most recently Ruben Studdard, Outcast, Biance, Luther Vandross, Destiny's Child, Lucy Pearl, Earth Wind & Fire, Tony! Toni! Tone!, The Winans, Nancy Wilson, Macy Grey, as well as Whitney Houston, Lionel Ritchie, Carlos Santana, Chick Corea, Ray Charles, Patti Labelle, Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Wonder, Rosey, DJ Quick, George Duke, Chaka Khan, Mary Mary, Margi Coleman, Gospel Four, Kim Hill, Dean James, Brent Jones, Raphael Saadiq and others. I hire the talent, audition, and organize musical teams for performance and recordings, as well as process all A.F. of M. contracts and personnel records.
In 1990, I became contractor for the Antelope Valley Master Chorale, and the next year was appointed contractor of the newly combined symphony and master chorale. I held that position until 1997, and during that time I contracted for various groups, including the Mormon Choir of Southern California, Gay Men’s Choir, Santa Clarita Symphony, Torrance Symphony, New Palm Springs Pops, Santa Monica Opera, Santa Monica Chamber Orchestra, Opera a la Carte,
Los Angeles Camerata, L.A. Bach Festival, and Moorpark Symphony Orchestra. As a player, I also functioned as an unofficial advisor to the contractors of Bakersfield Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, The Indian Wells Desert Symphony, and West L.A. Symphony.
In 2005, I was asked to assemble a group of top musicians from the Los Angeles area to perform at the Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition, performed at Disney Hall. The reviewer was amazed that the orchestra had never before played together and was just a “pickup” orchestra of Los Angeles musicians. The music community said the orchestra sounded better than many international orchestras that had ever performed in Los Angeles.
My specialty is finding the right players for the right job. Knowing the temperaments of all involved and who work well with whom, but most importantly, listening to the suggestions of the conductor and leaders. I have extensive computer experience with both MAC and PC, and I have mastered the art of patience. In addition to violin, I spend time writing screenplays and children's plays, I study the history of my sephardic ancestry, and enjoy photography and video production. Unfortunately, the runaway production in the recording industry has cooled the opportunities here in L.A.
I am the inventor of Fiddlesticks and GymnaSticks, the revolutionary, patent-pending stringed instrument position trainers and correctors, designed for all ages, 2-adult. The Fiddlesticks method deconstructs the learning process of music into component elements, consisting of muscle memory and strengthening, rhythm, bowing, and note reading development, and intonation and tonalization. I also publish my series of interactive music method books, perfect for homeschooling, classroom music, Suzuki method, and private instruction. We also carry a full line of stringed instruments and accessories.
Please visit www.smartmusicproducts.com for more information.
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