About Me
Mark Allen Shepherd - bio:Born in Rockville Centre, New York, Mark Allen Shepherd is a graduate of Roger Williams University and spent four years studying at California Institute of the Arts.At Cal_Arts Shepherd studied Music Composition, Computer music and Individual Composition lessons with Rand Steiger. Advanced Electro-Acoustic Music , Composition and Individual Composition Lessons with Barry Schrader. Music Theory & Serial Music with Mike Fink & Todd Winkler. Music since 1945, Composition, Chance & Conceptual Music with Stephen Mosko. Advanced Music & Computer Animation with Mort Subotnic. African Drums and Drumming with Kobla & Alfred Ladzekpos, B. Lawlovi and the African Dance & Music Ensemble. World Band with Amia Dasgupta, Alfred Ladzekpos & John Bergamo. The Music of Harry Parch with Ronnie Engel.Alexander Technique with Babbet Markus. T`ai Chi Chuan with Sherry Tschernisch, Dance Improvisation and Movement with Larry Attaway. Improvisation & Comic Technique with Roger Henderson. Arts Accross the Disciplines & Structuring Stratigies with Ed Emschwiller. Advanced Experimental Motion Graphics with Jules Engel.Computer Graphics with John Mahin, Color Video Techniques with Nancy Buchannan, Advanced Video Production with Gary Kibbins. Interdisciplinary Arts Workshop with David Stout. Advanced Video Graphics & Video Studio Operations with Mike Scroggins & Scott Duncan. Performance Art with Susan Mogul. Institute Acting with Norma Bowles.In 1987 Shepherd Co-Founded the Absurdist Music and Performance Group Plural Dolt with J.C.Wegman. In 1988 Shepherd Created a Series of Plural Dolt Music Videos using Fairlight CVI. Plural Dolt has played in and around the Los Angeles area at parties, The Other 45 Minutes & clubs like The Wiskey A Go Go, The Roxy, Space Land, Als Bar & The Martini Lounge. Plural Dolt recordings include SOD(1996), Slappy Woot(1997), Griston Absurtos (1998), Mars Radio(1998) Plus an archive of recordings that have never been released that we are currently considering.Other Compositional Performances by Shepherd of interest include Surrealistic Lanscapes (1988) an Abient Interactive Environment for Dance Improvisation, Large Screen Video Projection, Live Musicians, Computer and Multiple Tape Playback.Shepherd Composed Music for INRO a Computer Animated film by Andrew Schmidt SIGGRAPH Award.Shepherd earned money at the time working as a Photographers Assistant, a Stage Manager for the Cal Arts Music School & a Production Assistant for the Cal Arts Contemporary Music Festival & World Music Festivals.In 1992 Shepherd auditioned for the part of an Alien Season Regular on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The Job Turned Serious Mid-Season when the Producers decided to develop the Character of Morn. Morn Appeared in over 90 Episodes from 1992 to 1999 and had an entire episode devoted to the Character in Who Mourns for Morn.Morn has Appeared on the Cover of Entertainment Weekly magazine, StarBurst magazine & MAD magaizine as well as the Covers of several Star Trek DS9 Comic Books and Novels as well. Theres a Morn Action figure, several Trading cards, Two or more Posters. An Aliens of Star Trek Necktie, Hallmark Cards Morn Party Invitation. Morn Gift package stickers. A Morn Halloween Mask. Theres Numerous Books that reference the Character and the entire first chapter of the book The Making of Deep Space 9 thats about Shepherd and how he Came to be on Star Trek. They even remember Shepherds Birthday in the Yearly Star Trek Calendar.Although Morn Never spoke on camera in the entire seven seasons he appeared on the show Morn was someone that audiences expected to be sitting on his usual barstool in Quarks Bar on DS9. In fact Morn is an anagram for Norm; the character of Norm Peterson( Played by George Wendt)in the TV show Cheers. Shepherd recieved Hundreds of pieces of Fanmail for his portrayal of the Character of Morn.At a Convention In 1998 Shepherd wrote on the back of a program the lyrics to Morn to be Wild. Shepherd sang Morn to be Wild accapella in a Filk-Song Competition that same Evening and won Second Place. Shepherd has been singing Morn to be Wild to the throng of audiences at conventions ever since. Its funny what not talking for seven years can do to a guy. Some years later it was suggested to Shepherd by some fans that he might want to consider recording Morn to be Wild.Mark Allen Shepherd Morn to be Wild CD Released 2006 along with Mark Allen Shepherd Space Walk. CD.
