Trained at The Juilliard School, Mark Bernat is an internationally recognized double bassist who has led an active career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. He is a former member of the Israel Philharmonic and faculty member at the Oberlin Conservatory and UT-Austin. He is one of the foremost proponents of the double bass a solo instrument. Decades after his landmark recording of the Bach Cello Suites was featured on NPR Morning Edition, he has recently re-released a new recording of the Suites to much acclaim. In 2009, he joined University of Iowa Healthcare to bring music into the hospital for patients and their families. There, he also formed an orchestra, concert band, and jazz band all consisting of faculty and staff. While in Iowa, he also directed the Red Barn Chamber Music Series for which he received funding from the Iowa Council of the Arts. In 2021, he was recruited to UT-Austin to establish a music program at Dell Seton Medical Center which includes the launch of the Red River Ensemble which is now entering its fourth season.