Prolific keyboardist, producer, and arranger Mark Portmann began playing the piano at the age of five. Within three years, he was performing in front of delighted audiences and earning awards with his talent. Switching from classical music over to pop and jazz, Portmann gained enough attention to receive a scholarship to New York's impressive Eastman School of Music. There, he centered his efforts on composing and orchestration. In his teens, Portmann left New York for the University of Miami.