Mark Swinton was born in Chester and educated at the King's School, beginning his organ studies with Roger Fisher at Chester Cathedral. He studied for the Music degrees at the University of York, where his tutors included John Scott Whiteley and Dr Francis Jackson.

A Fellow of the Royal College of Organists since 2006, he has given numerous recitals at venues throughout the UK, including the Cathedrals at Birmingham (Anglican), Bradford, Bristol (Anglican), Chester, Coventry, Hereford, Portsmouth, Ripon, Sheffield, Southwark (Anglican and Roman Catholic), St Albans and Truro as well as St Michael's Cornhill (London), Wesley's Chapel (London), Christchurch Priory, St Bees Priory, Hull City Hall, Reading Town Hall, Lancaster Town Hall, the "Building of Bath" Museum and York Minster. He has also performed in France, Spain and Holland both as a soloist and an accompanist.

In 2003, he was appointed Organist at Clifton College, Bristol, where he played for daily Chapel services, accompanied the Chapel Choirs in concerts, tours and Cathedral visits to Lichfield and Salisbury in addition to their regular round of services, and masterminded a recital series featuring the College's splendid 1911 Harrison organ. His own recitals there included complete performances of Messiaen's La Nativité du Seigneur and L'Ascension, as well as the first performance of a work written for him by Bryan Boulter.

In 2005 he became Assistant Organist at Bath Abbey, where he accompanied and helped to direct the acclaimed Choirs of Boys, Girls and Men under the direction of Dr Peter King. He made several appearances in the Abbey's recital series, accompanied choir tours to Alkmaar and Aix-en-Provence, and recorded a CD Colours of the Klais (Cloister Records) to help mark the 10th anniversary of the Abbey's magnificent Klais Organ.

He moved to become Organist at Kendal Parish Church in September 2008, where he directed the Choirs of Boys and Men, the mixed 'Congregational Choir' and established new choirs for Junior Boys and for Girls, developing the scope of the Church's music to meet the needs of new styles of worship and a more inclusive community. He revived a series of organ recitals at Kendal, which helped raise significant funds in support of the Church's choral activities. He also directed Kendal South Choir in their programme of concerts, including Charpentier's Messe de Minuit, Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols & The First Nowell, Schubert's Messe in A flat, Handel's Dettingen Te Deum, Rutter's When icicles hang, Vivaldi's famous Gloria and Carissimi's oratorio, Jephte.

Mark was appointed as Assistant Director of Music at the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick in October 2011. There, he plays a significant role in training and accompanying the celebrated choirs of Boys, Girls and Men in four sung services every week together with a programme of concerts, broadcasts, tours and recordings. He is also Director of the St Mary's Scholars, the Church's mixed adult choir which is becoming increasingly well-known as a leading chamber choir in the Warwick area.

When not busy with musical activities, he enjoys the countryside, rail travel and cookery. He is married to Holly, a personal tutor and dyslexia expert.