Mark van Platen (1955) successfully completed his education as a pianist, organist and choirmaster at the Brabants Conservatorium college of music in Tilburg under Ton Demmers, Maurice Pirenne and Cees Rotteveel respectively.
In 1992 he obtained the orchestra conductor’s diploma at the Koninklijk Conservatorium royal college of music in The Hague under Ed Spanjaard.

Apart from various occupations as a teacher, conductor and soloist, Van Platen’s other field of activity is composition. In addition to instrumental and vocal works for varying strengths, he composed the music for seven cinema and tv productions directed by André van Duren:

During the Netherlands Film Festival at Utrecht in October 2004 he was presented the national ‘Gouden Kalf’ best-music award in recognition of his film compositions for 'Kees de Jongen'.