George Mari is a South African trumpeter, pianist, and composer who began his career performing with dance and pop bands in Durban while still in high school. He earned an MMus in Jazz Composition from the University of Natal (2000) and studied with renowned trumpeter Arturo Sandoval at Florida International University. George has taught jazz at DUT and UKZN and later expanded his expertise into piano tuning and restoration.
He has released two CDs, Since I Met You and Syringa Avenue, and continues to perform widely, including collaborations through exchange programs, festival commissions, and live shows across Durban. George is also the Community Projects Coordinator for the UKUSA Arts Programme and runs Marigold Pianos & Tuner. In 2013, he and Debbie Mari founded Marigold Music School to share their knowledge as professional musicians and educators.