Mark Armstrong

Mark Armstrong is a Jazz Professor at the Royal College of Music (RCM) in London, where he lectures on jazz style, history, arranging, composition, and improvisation. He directs the RCM Big Band and Jazz Orchestra and devises educational content for the Sparks programme.

His educational background includes:

• Oxford University (Graduate)
• Guildhall School of Music (Jazz and Studio Music)

Armstrong's artistic scholarship centers on jazz improvisation, composition, and arranging, exploring historical jazz evolution while creating contemporary works for diverse ensembles. His practice integrates academic rigor with commercial music production and jazz education innovation.

As Artistic Director of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, he leads concert programming, commissions new compositions, and oversees the Learning and Participation programme. He also serves the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) as examiner, presenter, trainer, and moderator.

Professionally, Armstrong performs as principal trumpeter with Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra across international venues and collaborates with UK jazz luminaries including Stan and Clark Tracey, John and Alec Dankworth, Zoe Rahman, Nigel Price, and Dan Casmir. His compositional output spans jazz orchestras, chamber groups, and commercial projects for Audio Network, complemented by decades of session work and West End theatre performances.