Mark Anthony Cruz earned his M. M. at Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University - San Marcos) where he is currently professor of guitar. As a composer, Mr. Cruz has been published by Shawnee Press, Soundboard Magazine, Mel Bay and Clear Note Publications while managing his own company, MAC Publications. He was the first prize winner of the Austin Classical Guitar Society sponsored composition competition in 2006, '07 and '08. In 2008, Mr. Cruz was commissioned by University Baptist Church in Austin to compose an Anthem for choir and organ for their 100th anniversary celebration. He was commissioned by the Classical Minds Guitar Festival to compose a pair of guitar ensemble works for their 2009 conference. Mr. Cruz’s 'Triptyich' for solo guitar has been performed internationally by guitar virtuoso Adam Holzman.

As a performer, Mr. Cruz was a two time feature artist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. He was the 2nd prize recipient at the National Finger Picking Championship at Winfield, Kansas in 1993 and 2001. He was a feature artist at the Eastfield Guitar Festival in Dallas, TX in 2008 and in the Classical Minds Guitar Festival in Houston, TX in 2009. Cruz's all-original CD, ‘Pequeñas Piezas pare Mi Padre’, has been featured on the internationally syndicated radio program "Classical Guitar Alive" hosted by Tony Morris.

Cruz resides in Austin, TX with his wife and two children.