During his time in the U.S. Army, Mark served in the Special Operations Command, Airborne Infantry, Military Intelligence, and the Foreign Area Officer Corps. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal, the Ranger Tab, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and others.

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After leaving the service in the rank of Major, Mark returned to music. During the last few years, he has worked with musicians from all over the world, his compositions have been performed and recorded both in Europe and the United States, and his videos have received millions of views.

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Just like his music, Mark's poetic style ranges from classical to modern. Sometimes unabashedly simplistic,  sometimes strongly allegorical, most of his poems contain a clearly identifiable rhythmic structure which complements the meaning of the words. Mark has also translated many works from other languages into English. His translations  strive to achieve the difficult balance between remaining close to the original text and, at the same time, eloquently conveying the meaning in a different language.

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While varied structurally and stylistically, Mark Maarder's music and poetry always reflect that which is unique about him - his multicultural upbringing, his diverse education, and his profound experiences in combat.

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