Obituary of Mark Mangini

September 5, 2021

Mark Mangini passed away peacefully at home in Astoria on September 5th after a brief and courageous battle with cancer. Mark was born on April 1, 1952, in Manhattan to the late Suzanne Scheffer Mangini and Jerome J. Mangini. The oldest of five children, Mark was raised in Darien, CT, and attended the Darien public schools. A grandson of the renowned East End architect Alfred A. Scheffer, Mark spent childhood summers with his family in Amagansett and maintained an affection for the East End of Long Island his entire life. After considering careers in both journalism and the theatre, Mark began the serious study of music while an undergraduate at Amherst College, continuing at Smith College where he studied conducting under the tutelage of Iva Dee Hiatt, and in residencies and fellowships throughout his career.

Mark was on the music faculty of Kingsborough Community College of CUNY for 40 years. Music Director of The Greenwich Village Chamber Singers for more than 40 years, The Kingsborough Musical Society Chorus for over 30 years, and The Choral Society of the Hamptons for more than 20 years, Mark also conducted choruses at Hunter College of CUNY and Rutgers University and was known as one of New York City's most active and respected choral conductors. His repertoire spanned music from the pre-Bach eras with historical instruments through numerous commissions of contemporary works, in addition to the more standard choral repertoire. He served as the Director of Music at Grace Church, Brooklyn Heights, and the conductor of the Bach Vespers series at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New York City. Mark was chosen as one of the conductors to lead the New York Choral Consortium's Big Sing in June 2014 and was also selected as a leader of the New York Choral Consortium's 2017 workshop on unusual choral repertoire. A singer himself, he taught voice privately throughout his career.

Mark loved to travel, and maintained close and active friendships in Brazil, England, France, and Thailand; for decades, he visited Brazil every summer and in recent years, England, Scotland, France, Israel, Alaska, the Canadian Maritimes, Utah, and the Great Smoky Mountains were just some of the destinations he visited with his husband, Paulo and their friends. Mark also was passionate about gardening, cooking, reading non-fiction, and politics, and was an avid watcher of MSNBC and a follower of liberal political opinion.

Mark is survived by his devoted husband, Paulo Leite, loving siblings Carla Innis (William S. Innis), Mary Saunders (the late William T. Saunders), Barbara Mangini (Eric K. Andersen), David Mangini (Arden Donahue), a bunch of adoring nieces and nephews, sister-in-law Sonia Leite, and best friend Laurie Nelson.

It is impossible to sum up a life in an obituary, but Mark's was a life well-lived, one that ended much too soon, and a life that enriched the lives of his husband, family, friends, and hundreds, or maybe even thousands, of music students and choral singers. Mark's musical skills, artistry, compassion, and humanity were his gift. We will remember him with love always.

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph's Church in Greenwich Village at 371 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY, on September 27th at 10 am.

A Tribute Concert will be performed by The Choral Society of the Hamptons on September 26th at 4 pm at the Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church, 2429 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, NY. www.choralsocietyofthehamptons.org

A Memorial Concert will be performed by The Greenwich Village Chamber Singers on November 18th at 8 pm at The Church of Saint Luke in the Fields, 487 Hudson Street, New York, NY. www.gvcsingers.org

Funeral Services

Funeral Mass

September 27, 2021

10:00 AM

St. Joseph's Church

371 6th Ave

New York, NY 10014

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Happy memories of playing football in your back yard, neighborhood kickball in the street in front of your house, and of course you singing at my wedding. Thinking of you brings a smile to my face- except today as I´ve learned of your passing! :o(


Posted by: Bob Ault - , - September 7, 2021

Mark and I were close friends and classmates at Darien (CT) High School (1970). The caption under his yearbook picture says it all about this wonderful, warm person: "Fear is the lock, and laughter the key to your heart." RIP, my friend.


Posted by: Bob Whelan - , - September 8, 2021

I was in the Kingsborough Chorus on Brooklyn for a number of years. I enjoyed singing in the concerts. I over on to other choral groups, but continued to support the chorus. Mark

I'll always remember being a part of the Kingsborough Musical Society Choris. Mark was a great conductor and I always enjoyed singing in the concerts. We will all miss him.


Posted by: Rosalie Harman - Brooklyn, NY - September 8, 2021

I will always remember with affection the years I sang with the Kingsborough chorus and Mark.


Posted by: Judy Korcz - , - September 26, 2021


Posted by: Nels and Jenny - , - September 30, 2021

So sorry for your loss Mangini siblings of Mark. I recall Mark as the friendly and charismatic "Mr Music" in our wonderful music department at DHS. What a comfort to read in his obituary how much joy he brought to do many. Inspiring! DHS `73


Posted by: Valerie Mehlig Curry - , - April 14, 2022
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