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| The "Well Travelled" Radio Host |
| It's not just music, it's an adventure! |
The popular HEEMSKERK, NETHERLANDS based radio show "MARK FROM HOLLAND" on HEEMSKERK FM is broadcast every TUESDAY from 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM (CET) and is AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE on the internet. Missed broadcasts are easily retrievable at OMROEPHEEMSKERK.NL. The main styles of the show are melodic "PROGRESSIVE ROCK," Classic Rock, Canterbury Scene, New Age, Jazz Rock, Alternative, etc. Musicians are cordially invited to come talk and play live on the show. Our hospitality is excellent! UPCOMING CONCERTS - DREAM THEATER, Sunday, November 24, Afas Live, Amsterdam, "THE MUSIC OF GENESIS"-1976-1980 (GERMAN BAND), Sunday, November 24, Het Park Theater, Hoorn, RAY WILSON (ex-Genesis), Saturday, November 30, Boerderij, Zoetermeer, MOSTLY AUTUMN, Saturday, December 7, Boerderij, Zoetermeer, ANTON ROOLART, Saturday, December 7, Teatro Munganga, Amsterdam, IQ CHRISTMAS BASH, Saturday, December 14, Boerderij, Zoetermeer, JAN AKKERMAN & BAND, Saturday, January 18, Laurentz, Heemskerk, TOTO, Saturday, February, Gelredome, Arnhem, MIKE OLDFIELD: TUBULAR BELLS 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR, Thursday, March 13, TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND, Thursday, March 13, Victorie, Alkmaar, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT W/ JO QUAIL, Saturday, March 15, Patronaat, Haarlem, THE PINEAPPLE THIEF, Saturday, March 22, TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, PAUL CARRACK, Wed.& Thurs., March 26 & 27, Carre, Amsterdam, CRUISE TO THE EDGE, (STEVE HACKETT, IQ, MOON SAFARI, SAGA, THE ARISTOCRATS, HAKEN, PENDRAGON, CALIGULA'S HORSE, LEPROUS, BEARDFISH, MAGIC PIE, VON HERTZEN BROTHERS, TRIFECTA, THANK YOU SCIENTIST, KYROS, GAZPACHO, KARMAKANIC, TEMIC LARI BASILIO, MARBIN, DAVE CURETON, THE BEG SITSTERS), Fri., Sat., Sun., Mon., Tues., Wed., April 4th to 9th to Miami, Puerto Plata, Great Stirrup Cay, MOTORPSYCHO, Tuesday, April 29, Paradiso Noord, Amsterdam, STEVE HACKETT GENESIS GREATS, Friday, May 16, 013, Tilburg, STEVEN WILSON, Thursday, May 22, AFAS Live, Amsterdam, SOFT MACHINE, Sunday, May 25, Boerderij, Zoetermeer, ARENA, Wednesday, May 28, Metropool, Hengelo, PROG DREAMS XI, Fri.,Sat., August 22,23, Boerderij, Zoetermeer, PENDRAGON, Wednesday, September 10, Boerderij, Zoetermeer, RPWL, Friday, October 3, Boerderij, Zoetermeer, RECENT ACTIVITIES: Just returned from a wonderful trip to JAPAN (November 5 to November 15, 2024). The most recent interview guests were DAVE SINCLAIR (Caravan, Matching Mole), Singer/songwriter ANTON ROOLAART with keyboardist RAVE TESAR (Renaissance) (September 3, 2024), internationally renowned magician MARK MITTON (July 31, 2024), Canterbury Scene original RICHARD SINCLAIR (June 4, 2024), Irish singer/songwriter BEN REEL (April 16, 2024) and British vocalist ANNIE HASLAM (December 26, 2023). Other recent guests are mentioned on the "Mark from Holland" Facebook page. Applied my (seven day) Interrail Pass to a trip to GHENT, BELGIUM and the World War I battlefields of the Somme near ARRAS, FRANCE (June 22 - June 24, 2024). Helped a friend drive to ITALY via SWITZERLAND. Came back through AUSTRIA and GERMANY (Interrail Pass) - (May 26, 2024 - June 7, 2024). Took the SCENIC OPAL CRUISE from VIENNA, AUSTRIA to BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (April 28 - May 2, 2024). Went to London to visit my nephew Thomas. Visited the historic "Roman Empire City" of BATH, ENGLAND (March 20 - 24, 2024). Took a Tui Travel group trip to JAVA and BALI in INDONESIA (Feb. 6 to Feb 22, 2024). Spent 10 days in NEWTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA visiting family (December 17 to December 27, 2023). Took a rail journey to BADEN-BADEN, GERMANY, (Aug 9, 10, 11, 2023). Attended the "SUMMER FOG FESTIVAL" in KATOWICE, POLAND, (July 14-15, 2023). Drove via Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Hungary, and Slovenia to CASTELFIDARDO, ITALY, with American author JAMES ULMER, who I interviewed. Traveled to Poland and back from Italy via INTERRAIL. Spent the first week in May, 2023 in London. Celebrated 30 years in "Nederland" recently (March 20, 2023) in CASTLE ASSUMBURG, Heemskerk. Recent travels include Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland by FLIXBUS and VIKING LINE, and to Pennsylvania, U.S.A. on the American Airlines DREAMLINER. Attended the NIGHT OF THE PROG FESTIVAL in Loreley, Germany (July 22 & 23, 2022). Visited London at the end of September, 2022. Traveled back on a EUROSTAR high speed train. In October 2022, traveled by rental car, bus and train from FARO, PORTUGAL to Amsterdam Sloterdijk. 
Mayor Alexander Luijten awards Mark with “Honorary Citizenship” (May 30, 2023). - Photo: Hans Janssen. BRIEF BIOGRAPHY- Radio host MARK C. DEREN grew up in a small town called HOLLAND, PENNSYLVANIA. Since March, 1993, he's been residing in North Holland, Netherlands. His first broadcast occurred on March 5, 1995. He has interviewed the pioneers, such as Thijs van Leer (FOCUS), Jon Anderson (YES), Keith Emerson (EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER), Dave Greenslade (GREENSLADE), Peter Hammill (VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR), Steve Hackett (GENESIS), Andrew Latimer (CAMEL), Richard Sinclair (CARAVAN), Kerry Minnear (GENTLE GIANT), Ian Anderson (JETHRO TULL), Paul Carrack (MIKE & THE MECHANICS), Bill Bruford (KING CRIMSON), Roger Hodgson (SUPERTRAMP), etc. (See “Interviews” section.) Mark's first international trip was to AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND. He was 18 years-old. On this great adventure, he hitch-hiked roughly 12,500 miles (20,000 KM) over a seven month period. Two years later, he hitch-hiked across ALASKA with his girlfriend. They sailed to Kodiak Island to camp amongst bears and bald eagles. Also a highlight, were the luxury safaris he took in KENYA, EGYPT, INDIA, and NEPAL. Mark earned an athletic scholarship to RIDER UNIVERSITY in NEW JERSEY. He received a B.A. in JOURNALISM. He became a NJ "Collegiate" State Springboard Diving Champion. He also coached diving on both the High School and NCAA DIVISION 1 collegiate levels. Shortly thereafter, he met a variety of WORLD LEADERS and LUMINARIES as business manager to the world renowned PALM BEACH, FLORIDA portrait painter RALPH WOLFE COWAN (see "Business" section). Cowan (December 16, 1931 - September 4, 2018), originally from Portsmouth, Virginia, had the distinction of having painted more diverse heads of state than any other portrait painter in history. "R.W." and Mark traveled in FIRST CLASS to fine homes and palaces around the world. Beginning at age 11, Mark also worked as a golf course caddy, lifeguard, bartender, car salesman, photographer, customer service agent, and travel agent. For the past 28 years, Mark has done his radio show and promotion work as a gratuitous service to striving, as well as, established musicians from around the globe. Mark worked for 17 years at ZWEMBAD DE WATERAKKERS (swimming and recreation complex) in Heemskerk. RECENT MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS- Last December 3, 2022, was featured in an article in the DAGBLAD KENNEMERLAND concerning my predictions about the U.S.A. vs. Netherlands World Cup match. On November 4, 2020, was interviewed on the popular Dutch television program "HART VAN NEDERLAND" regarding the 2020 election in America. On March 3, 2020, was featured in the NOORDHOLLANDS DAGBLAD, regarding my 25th anniversary on Radio Heemskerk. On January 12, 2018, appeared on the front page of the DE VOLKSKRANT in an article written by famous Dutch author JOHN SCHOORL. The topic of the article was the now iconic Ralph Wolfe Cowan portrait of DONALD J. TRUMP in a tennis sweater. (This, then, brand new resident of Palm Beach was to become the 45th President of the United States of America). Had delivered that portrait to Mr. Trump's mansion in 1987. A few weeks later, met Mr. Trump at a signing of his new book, “The Art of the Deal." When I asked Mr.Trump how he liked the portrait, he said, "I think it's fantastic," followed by a big smile. Was also interviewed about the portrait by the popular TV host MATTHIJS VAN NIEUWKERK on the Dutch television program DE WERELD DRAAIT DOOR. The broadcast was seen live by apx. 2 1/2 million viewers. Interviews with Radio North Holland and Heemskerk FM followed, shortly thereafter. Further back: On August 23, 2000 was featured on "page 5" of DE TELEGRAAF. 
Invited on national TV to tell the story about Cowan’s 1987 portrait of Donald Trump (January 12, 2018). MARK'S OTHER "FOOTNOTES IN ART HISTORY"- Mr. Cowan got commissioned to paint portraits of PRESIDENT SHEIKH ZAYED BIN SULTAN AL NAHYAN of the UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. I arranged the trip. Following our arrival, we got transported to the Sheik’s private island in a French Puma helicopter. Photographed the president, got the contracts signed and enjoyed a sumptuous feast, seated right across from “His Highness.” What a conversation ! Cowan also painted many portraits for the ROYAL FAMILY OF BRUNEI. I accompanied the maestro on his last of his five visits to the Sultan’s palace in BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN. Stayed in Brunei for a whole month. In our leisure time, went to the beach, took boat trips into the Malaysian jungle and dined at the polo club. Attended parties of PHILIPPINES FIRST LADY IMELDA MARCOS. Imelda promoted Cowan’s palace portraits on her state visits. She once sang “Feelings” to me, accompanied by Van Cliburn on piano. This acclaimed pianist won "The Presidential Medal of Freedom" at the Kennedy Center honours ceremony of 2003. Another time, I gave HSH PRINCE ALBERT II OF MONACO a tour of the Cowan home and studio in West Palm Beach. His beloved Mother had been one of Cowan's greatest patrons. THANKS FOR THE HOSPITALITY: Albania-Argentina-Armenia-Austria-Australia-Bahamas-Belgium-Belize-Bosnia Hercegovina-Brunei-Bulgaria-Cambodia-Canada-Cape Verde-Chile-China-Croatia-Czech Republic-Denmark-Egypt-England-Estonia-Finland-France-Germany-Georgia-Greece-Hungary-Iceland-India-Indonesia-Ireland-Isle of Man-Israel-Italy-Japan-Jordon-Kenya-Latvia-Lichtenstein-Lithuania-Luxembourg-Macedonia-Malaysia-Mexico-Monaco-Montenegro-Morocco-Nepal-Netherlands-New Zealand-Northern Ireland-Norway-Oman-Peru-Poland-Portugal-Qatar-Romania-Russia-Scotland-Serbia-Singapore-Slovakia-Slovenia-Spain-Sweden-Switzerland-Tanzania-Thailand-Turkey-Ukraine-United Arab Emirates-United States of America-Vatican-Wales. 
Interviewing Arena at the "Stairway to Heaven” in Utrecht, NL |
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