Biography

Mark Bulmer is a self-taught pianist, composer, performer, and producer of solo piano music for tv, film, video games, soundtracks and content, including YouTube history channels with millions of views. As a recording artist he has released five original solo piano albums, the latest being Imperium in March 2025.

A child chess prodigy, he learned at just six years of age. Having won numerous adult open tournaments and multi-board exhibitions, he was expected to become a Candidate Master while still a junior. However, at thirteen he stopped playing to focus on soccer. A talented goalscorer at youth level, he was scouted by several English teams. But, a serious injury at 19 ended any career prospects, so he moved to Florida to attend college.

To help deal with the frustration of surgery and rehab, his mum bought him a keyboard. He never took a single lesson, yet taught himself in just three weeks. He immediately began improvising complex piano solos, which he performed at weddings and hotels around Orlando, including The Peabody, The Plaza, and Dolphin. He then accepted a six-night-per-week residency at the prestigious Arthur’s 27 in the Buena Vista Palace.

Over the next three years he completed more than 1,000 performances for audiences from all over the world. But, uncomfortable with the attention that came with his unusual gift, he walked away from music … for two decades.

Mark hadn’t touched a piano in years. But, one afternoon he sat down to see if he could still create music. After just one hour of practice he improvised the haunting “Elysian Fields,” which appears on his 2023 comeback album Contact. He subsequently released his entire catalog for licensing across all forms of media, racking up millions of views on history channels.

Mark previously featured in magazines like Jam and Lifestyle. But, since his return, prefers a simple more reclusive life and avoids publicity. However, in 2025 he made a rare appearance as a special guest on One World Music Radio after two of his piano solos, “Rubicon” and “Spellbound,” entered the OWMR Top 40.

To date he has released five original piano solo albums. Images came out on CD in 1996. After the Storm, originally a five-track demo from 1993, was reissued with four extra tracks in 2013, followed by Kōan in 2017. In 2023 he marked his full-time return to music with Contact. His most recent album, Imperium (2025), reflects his love of Ancient Rome.

Beyond music, Mark is passionate about sports, weightlifting, boxing and shooting. An autodidact polymath and avid reader, he studies everything from Roman history and philosophy to quantum mechanics.