William Marvin

Introduction

William Marvin joined the Eastman faculty in 2002 after having taught music theory and aural skills at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music. Prior to that he was a teaching assistant at Eastman while working on his master's degree, and received both the Edward Peck Curtis Award for Excellence in Teaching by a Graduate Student (1992), and the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Prize (1990). Marvin completed his Ph.D. in music theory at Eastman in 2002. He received his B.A. with highest honors from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

Marvin's work in theory has focused on problems of tonality according to Schenkerian definitions as exemplified in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg; examinations of form and tonal structure in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and Wagner's Der fliegende Holländer; aural training in tonal and post-tonal music; sonata theory and Mahler's Third Symphony; improvisation in nineteenth-century French organ music; off-tonic beginnings and endings; the quodlibet as a contrapuntal device in Broadway musicals; and the pedagogical implications of drawing a clear distinction between and music reading and aural skills. He has presented papers at international, national, and regional conferences. His published work can be found at Music Theory Online, the Journal of Musicology, Intégral, and in Engaging Music, ed. Deborah Stein (OUP).

His work in aural skills has taken him into the unusual realm of teaching aural skills-- without notation -- to blind music students. From 1997 through 2001, he worked individually with blind students, teaching aural skills and overseeing the rehearsal and performance of an ensemble work for 12 student performers, written by a blind composer and taught completely without notation.

Marvin oversees the undergraduate aural musicianship curriculum at Eastman, and he previously designed and implemented the aural skills curriculum at Oberlin. In both programs, aural musicianship is intimately connected with coursework in written music theory, and his curriculum emphasizes immediate recognition, apprehension, and expressive performance of musical material as heard and seen.

PUBLICATIONS

"Subverting the Conventions of Number Opera From Within: Hierarchical and Associational Uses of Tonality in Act One of Der fliegende Holländer, " in New Millenium Wagner Studies: Essays in Musical Culture, ed. by Matthew Bribitzer-Stull, Alex Lubet, and Gottfried Wagner. New York: Palgrave-Schirmer, forthcoming.

"Review of Benjamin McKay Ayotte, Heinrich Schenker: A Guide to Research, and David Carson Berry, A Topical Guide to Schenkerian Literature: An Annotated Bibliography With Indices. " Intégral 20 (2004), forthcoming.

"Mahler's Third Symphony and the Dismantling of Sonata Form," in Keys to the Drama: Nine Perspectives on Sonata Form, ed. by Gordon Sly. New York: Ashgate, forthcoming.

"Introduction to Writing Analytical Essays," in Engaging Music: Essays in Music Analysis, ed. by Deborah Stein. New York: Oxford University Press (2005).

"The Function of 'Rules' in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg." Journal of Musicology, Volume 20/3 (Summer 2003), pp. 414-460.

"Tonality in Selected Set-Pieces from Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: A Schenkerian Approach." Ph. D. dissertation, Eastman School of Music/University of Rochester, 2002.

"Review of Daniel Kazez's textbook, Rhythm Reading: Elementary through Advanced Training. " Music Theory Online, Volume 3.4 (1997).

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

"Complete, Continuous, Monotonal: Tonality and Form in Mozart's Operatic Finales." Paper presented at the 6th European Music Analysis Conference, Freiburg, Germany, October 12, 2007.

Participant, Mannes Institute for Advanced Musical Studies at Yale University: Institute on Chromaticism, June 22-25, 2006.

"Thème libre and Sonata Form in Three Organ Works by César Franck." Paper presented at the Fourteenth Biennial International Conference on Nineteenth-Century Music, Manchester, UK, July 6, 2006.

"Understanding the Tonic in Retrospect: The Auxiliary Cadence and Other Models." Paper presented at the Dublin International Conference for Music Analysis, Dublin, Ireland, June 23, 2005.

Workshop on Dictation Strategy for Faculty at Queens College, CUNY. April 23, 2005.

"Mahler's Third Symphony and the Dismantling of Sonata Form." Paper presented at the Thirteenth Biennial International Conference on Nineteenth-Century Music, Durham, UK, July 6, 2004.

"Subverting the Conventions of Number Opera from Within: Hierarchical and Associational uses of Tonality In Act One of Der fliegende Holländer. " Paper presented at "Lingering Dissonances: Wagner 2003," Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 15, 2003.

"Simulating Counterpoint in Broadway Musicals: The Quodlibet as Compositional Procedure." Paper presented at the joint meeting of the Society for Music Theory and the American Musicological Society, Columbus, Ohio, October 31, 2002.

"Aural Training through Atonal Music: Methods and Strategies." Paper presented at the Music Theory Midwest Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, May 15, 1999.

"Music Reading/Aural Skills: Distinctions and Pedagogical Implications." Paper read at the Music Theory Midwest Conference, Louisville, Kentucky, May 16, 1998.

CURRENT RESEARCH

"I can Hear Anything Better Than You: Using Phenomenal and Relational Systems in Aural Musicianship"

"Schenker 'contra' Wagner: A Reappraisal"

"Beginning off Tonic: Hans Sachs as Dramatic Agent"

"The Delay Process in Tonal Music: Top Down vs. Bottom Up Thinking"

"The use of Harmonic Paradigms in the Undergraduate Theory Curriculum"

HONORS, AWARDS

Grant from Professional Development Committee, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. 2003. Grant allowed continued development of course websites for core undergraduate aural skills curriculum.

Edward Peck Curtis Award for Excellence in Teaching by a Graduate Student, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, 1992.

Outstanding Graduate Teaching Prize, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, 1990.

TEACHING

2002- . Assistant Professor of Music Theory, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York.

1996-2002. Instructor of Music Theory and Aural Skills, Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, Oberlin, Ohio.

1988-1996. Teaching Assistant, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York.

1995 (Spring). Part-time Instructor (sabbatical replacement), Nazareth College, Rochester, New York.

1986-1988. Graduate Assistant, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York.

COURSE WEBSITES

TH161 - Aural Musicianship I

TH162 - Aural Musicianship II

TH202 - Model Composition and Tonal Analysis IV

TH261 - Aural Musicianship III

TH262 - Aural Musicianship IV

COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY COURSES TAUGHT

Eastman School of Music

First Semester Theory (faculty coordinator)

Fourth Semester Theory (faculty coordinator)

First- through Fourth-Semester Aural Musicianship (faculty coordinator; designed and taught complete course sequence)

First-, Second-, and Third-Year Music Theory (complete course sequence)

First-Year Intensive Music Theory

First-Year Accelerated Music Theory

First- and Second-Year Sight-Singing Lab (complete course sequence)

Second-Year Aural Skills

Graduate Review of Music Theory

Graduate Review of Ear-Training

D.M.A. Seminar: Topics in Tonal Analysis and Literature

Ph.D./D.M.A. Seminar: Analysis of Nineteenth Century Opera

Ph.D. Seminar, Theory and Analysis of Tonal Music (Schenkerian Theory)

Oberlin College Conservatory of Music

Aural Skills I - V (designed and taught complete course sequence)

Introduction to Music Theory

Fundamentals of Music Theory I

Counterpoint in Composition

Nazareth College

Second-Semester Ear-Training

ACADEMIC THESES ADVISED

Martin Nedbal. "Morals across the Footlights: German Opera, National Identity, and the Aesthetics of Morality, 1770-1830." Ph.D. dissertation (MUY) in process. Second reader.

Peter Jocelyn Franck. "The Role of Invertible Counterpoint within Schenkerian Theory." Ph. D. dissertation, 2007. Second reader.

Simon Carrington Fletcher. "Gershwin's Songwriting Technique: Normative and Non-Normative Tonal Models." BM Thesis, 2007. Primary advisor.

HyunJoon Park. "Schoenberg's Adaptation of Traditional Sonata Form in his Fourth String Quartet's First Movement." BM Thesis, 2007. Second reader.

Jonathan D. Flowers. "Beyond the Bar Line: Analysis, Critical Editions, and Critical Performance in Schubert's Octet in F, D. 803, Finale." MA Thesis, 2003. Second reader.

Phillip Palmer. "Form and Harmonic Language in Aaron Copland's 'Appalachian Spring.'" BM Thesis, 2003. Second reader.

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EDUCATION

Ph.D. in Music Theory, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, Doctor of Philosophy (Theory), 2002. Dissertation Title: "Tonality in Selected Set-Pieces from Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg : A Schenkerian Approach"; Matthew Brown, advisor.

MA in Music Theory, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, 1994. Thesis Title: "Tonal Design and Structural Levels in the Finale from Act Two of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte "; David Beach, advisor.

BA in Music, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York, 1986. Graduated with highest honors.

SERVICE

Reader/examiner on numerous masters theses, D.M.A. exams, D.M.A. lecture recitals, Ph.D. exams, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. 2002-.

D.M.A. Comprehensive Exam Committee, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. 2003-2005, Summer 2006. Chair, 2004-2005 and Summer 2006.

Coordinator, Undergraduate Theory Tutoring Program, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. 2003-.

Theory Department Undergraduate Curriculum Subcommittee, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. 2002-2003. Chair, 2003- .

Academic Integrity Committee, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. 2003-2006.

Teaching Assistant Prize Committee, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. 2003, 2007, chair 2008.

Aural Musicianship Graduate Assistant Auditions, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. 2002- .

Faculty Advisor, Classical Action Oberlin. 2000-2002.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Concerns Committee, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio. 1997-2002. Faculty judge for the Cemelli Prize and Robertson Grant (presented by Oberlin Lambda Alumni), 1999-2000. Chair, 1998-99, Co-chair, 1997-98.

COACHING

Marcy Bacon (clarinet): Schubert "The Shepherd on the Rock" advisor for lecture recital, November 12, 2006

Tama Gurewich (piano): Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in d minor, Op.15/I advisor for lecture recital, February 9, 2005

Christopher Jacobson and Timothy Piper (organ): organ improvisational skills, 2005

Christopher Howard (viola): J.S. Bach, Cello Suite No. 3 in C, 2005

Alaina Pritz (clarinet) and Filip Blachnio (piano): Brahms, Clarinet Sonata in fm, Op. 120/2, 2005

Luke Armstrong (piano): Schumann, Piano Concerto, 2005

Heather Armstrong (oboe): Bolcolm, Aubade and Spring Concertino, 2003

The Offbeats (jazz a cappella vocal group), 1999-2002

Felicia Wolfe (oboe): Mozart, Oboe Quartet, 2000

Alison Zlotow (violin): Schoenberg, Violin Fantasy, 2000

SOCIETAL MEMBERSHIPS

Society of Music Theory

Music Theory Society of New York State