Mark Abbott

Mark Abbott joined the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1982 immediately after graduating from high school. At age 18, he was one of the youngest appointees in the orchestra’s history.

Prior to joining the DSO, Abbott attended Interlochen Arts Academy in 1981 and performed with the prestigious Spoleto Festival Orchestra and the Colorado Philharmonic as Principal Horn. As the winner of a national competition, he was a guest soloist with the New York Philharmonic for a performance of Strauss’s First Horn Concerto at a Young People’s Concert. Maestro Zubin Mehta invited Abbott to perform the same work on a regular subscription series the following year.

Abbott has been featured as a soloist for the DSO, the Colorado Philharmonic, the Columbus Symphony, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Outside of the DSO, Abbott is an avid cyclist—having competed in the Michigan Senior Olympics and qualifying for the National Senior Olympic Games. He enjoys indoor spinning, boating, and golf in his free time as well.