Australian Wind Music Publications distributes popular titles such as the ’66 Great Tunes’ series & the ‘Off to a Great Start’ method books. Owned & run by the Hills Music Corporation, AWMP still relies on Mark’s arranging & compiling as the foundation of their publishing.

For over 25 years Mark has been arranging music for different combinations of woodwind ensembles. Having had no luck with interesting existing publishers to print these very popular arrangements, Mark & Jo decided to start publishing some of this material themselves. With their first books published in 1995, Australian Wind Music Publications has since grown consistently and now supplies music all around the world.

AWMP offers a complete, super clear learning system for clarinet and saxophone with a sound educational basis. These attractive, bright books have become standard teaching repertoire in Australia. 66 Great Tunes and More Great Tunes for flute, clarinet and saxophone are probably the most popular albums of pieces with students and teachers alike.

Apart from these tutor books AWMP publishes an exceptionally comprehensive, graded range of ensemble music that is suitable for performances by players of all standards.

Mark Walton

Mark Walton is a highly respected and popular figure in the Australian and New Zealand musical scene and widely acknowledged in many parts of the world as a leading clarinet and saxophone performer, inspiring teacher and charismatic musician.

He left his native New Zealand to study clarinet in New York and London and since 1985 Mark has been resident in Sydney. For many years he was Chair of Woodwind and then Chair of Performance, Outreach and Communications at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He is currently Director of the Christchurch School of Music in New Zealand yet still plays a prominent leadership role in music education throughout Australia.

Mark is a leading force in distance education and is passionately committed to ensuring that people in remote areas can have access to music lessons.

Mark has written, compiled or edited for different publishers over two hundred music publications, many of which have become standard woodwind teaching repertoire. He has recorded ten solo albums and his latest CD is ‘High Spirits’.

In 2005 Mark was awarded an OAM for his services to music education especially in rural areas.

Jo Walton

Born in England, Jo studied the violin at the Guildhall School of Music, London, and then played in the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra and the Nico Malan Opera & Ballet Orchestra. On returning to England with Mark, Jo travelled to 17 schools each week as a violin teacher for the Surrey & Hampshire County Councils.

Realising that being married to Mark means 'if you can't beat them, best to join them', Jo started to play the clarinet & saxophone and gained her LTCL Diploma. She enjoyed teaching for many years at Knox Grammar School in Sydney before AWMP took over her life! Jo often goes with Mark to assist with the workshops and festivals that Mark runs around Australia and New Zealand.