•The audience jumped to their feet for a standing ovation after Steven Marking's show "Our Mighty Mississippi". Being we are a river town, folks could easily relate to the music, stories and photos of this great river and Steven's beautiful baritone voice and warm presence made it even more captivating! ... Kris Niebler, Program Director, Coon Rapids, Minnesota
•So good, I am going again! ... Irma V
•I loved the photography and videos and how well they were matched to his music. A unique and apparently ever evolving show. ... Roxanne
•This was an excellent show. I would highly recommend it. Marking was great with his storytelling, videography of the Mississippi and singing ... Goldstar Member
•All three of us really enjoyed the storytelling and video. Would go again! ... Goldstar Member
•Wonderful performance as we were held spellbound with the images of the river, wildlife and human use of the river that flashed behind him as he was singing or talking. I will be taking kids and grandkids the next time I see him performing. His voice was SO impressive with such a huge vocal range to fit each song ... Pat Rummenie
•It was a delightful show and alot of fun learning about the Mississippi River, learning things we never knew ... Rose Gebo
•Beautiful photography, good voice and well put together program ... Norman Berg
•Steve Marking is an exceptional photographer and singer ... Mary Jo Halverson
•The Daily Gazette, Cambridge MA: Marking's Baritone Suited to River Theme
Baritone Steven Marking has a remarkable voice. On Saturday night at Hubbard Hall, he shared it in a program inspired by songs about rivers.
Marking's voice was particularly suited to the repertoire he chose. His voice, which was smooth as silk, was wonderfully regulated and controlled. The color was consistent whether it was a clarion in Lee Hoiby's dramatic "I Was There" with words by Walt Whitman or a gravelly bass in H. T. Burleigh's arrangement of "Deep River." His phrasing was finished, his breath control and pitch excellent and his diction superb.
Although any or all of these can be found in other baritones, Marking's ability to change the texture of his sound was unusual. He was able to lighten the color and tonal depth when he sang many of the "pop" tunes, such as Harold Arlen's "Get Happy" or "The Eagle and Me."
But when he took on a more serious or thoughtful song, such as Samuel Barber's "Shining Night," the resonance and color seemed to deepen with darker overtones. It was an amazing display of vocal control that only the best singers achieve. As such, each of Marking's offerings became a gem ... 2009 Geraldine Freeman