Mark Bixel, son of Dean and Brenda Bixel, of Bluffton, was selected to perform at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts in Findlay on the evening of Dec. 9. 

The 800-invitation only, private open house was for donors who contributed to the capital campaign of the performing arts center. 

Donors were able to walk out onto the theater’s stage, enjoy paintings in the gallery and mingle in the Gary and Jane Heminger Atrium, where Gary Heminger, CEO of Marathon Petroleum Corporation, greeted the visitors.

Mark performed on the main stage in the 960-seat Donnell Theater of the $17 million facility. He played piano selections on their $240,000 Bösendorfer piano, which was gifted to the performing arts center by one of its generous patrons. 

The Bösendorfer piano is housed in its own special climate-controlled backstage room. The performing arts center desired to showcase this instrument along with talented local musicians.  Mark was one of four selected musicians to play that evening for their gala event.

Mark is currently a senior at Bluffton High School and is planning to attend college and major in accounting and business.  He has studied piano for 14 years with Kathleen Price of Findlay.