About
MARK KOPITZKE
MARK KOPITZKE
About
The Moment Everything Changed
For nearly a decade, I was humbled and grateful to perform around the world with the Glenn Miller Orchestra.
Night after night, I watched master musicians—gentlemen who'd played with Frank Sinatra and Michael Bublé, who'd recorded movie soundtracks—work their magic. They mentored me, and I grew not just as a singer, but as an entertainer and business professional. I thought I knew my place: follow the leader, hit my notes, make people smile.
Then the bandleader got sick. "You're filling in tonight," they told me. My stomach dropped. Leading the band meant more than just singing—I had to guide the audience through moments, make it all look smooth and planned and authentic, when usually it's none of those things. At 23 years old, I had to speak with confidence and charm, create moments of laughter, transport people back to heartwarming or terrible moments in our history where music helped them through.
That night, something clicked. I wasn't just performing anymore. I was creating experiences.
Years later, when the pandemic hit and touring stopped, those precious moments of people coming together became even more meaningful. My mentors kept pushing me: "You need to do this full time. You're ready." I didn't think I was ready, but they saw something I couldn't see yet. The band wasn't touring, and suddenly I had a choice: wait for things to go back to normal, or create my own opportunities from everything I'd learned.
Now I carry the incredible responsibility and privilege of leading people through life's biggest moments. When I'm up there, marriages, families, fundraisers, and initiatives are all riding on the event not just going smoothly, but being a standout moment where people feel taken care of.
It was intimidating to carry on the legacy of Glenn Miller's music and big band music from World War II—music that means so much to millions of people. But it was also the greatest honor: helping people remember and experience the significance of their most important moments, making sure they feel that magic of coming together, especially when those moments matter more than ever.
Past Evenings with‘The Beat’
Let’s celebrate something special.