About Mark



Mark Greathouse -- Bio

I have played music ever since my father introduced me to the accordion at age five.  I won several awards for my accordion performances in Oregon before going to Europe during my college years to study German, where in the late 1960’s I met my future wife Helena.  We were both foreign students at the University of Hamburg in Germany. The attraction was mutual, and when Helena discovered I could learn anything she could sing, I added my unique accompaniment to her music. As students in Germany we performed several months together in an international folklore cafe in Hamburg.  In 1970 we were married in the Historic Prague Old Town Hall, and later that year we came to America, where we have lived ever since.  We frequently travel back to Europe to visit family and friends and perform our music.

My professional career was first spent teaching German and Russian for several years.   I later worked for the Federal Government, Bonneville Power Administration (an agency of the Dept. of Energy) from which I retired.

I enjoy playing Czech, German, Russian and American folk songs.  My repertoire includes music from several European countries, especially Spain and Italy.  I also play traditional American songs and musical standards, and I especially enjoy classical and popular solos arranged for the accordion.

Music composition on the piano has always been a strong interest for me, but only in recent years after I retired did I begin to compose many piano pieces. I began writing my first compositions in 2008 and continue to compose for the piano.  We have now published two dance books, Dancing for Fun, Book 1 and Book 2, which consist of group dances for all ages.  These dance melodies were some of my first compositions.  Later some of my compositions were recorded on several CDs played by well-known Czech pianist Daniel Wiesner.  I really enjoy creating new melodies.

In 2001 Helena and I formed a duo, ‘The GREAT HOUSE of Music’, and returned to an active musical career with her.   We have performed in many places both in the US and overseas.  We now have our own original variety shown incorporating some of my songs, based on our early lives together in Germany and the U.S.  We have been performing this show around Oregon.