Associate Professor, Music / Director, Bands

Office: Spencer 114 - mmarks@adrian.edu

Biography

Marty Marks is finishing his ninth year as Director of Bands at Adrian College. In addition to leading the marching, concert and jazz bands, Dr. Marks is the music department chair and teaches conducting. Dr. Marks holds degrees in music education, clarinet/saxophone performance and wind conducting from Oklahoma Baptist University, the University of Central Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma. As a clarinetist, he studied with Ron Howell and David Etheridge and took master classes with Bil Jackson and Larry Combs. As a conductor, he studied with William Wakefield and took master classes with Mallory Thompson and Rodney Eichenberger. Dr. marks was a Northwestern University Summer Teaching Fellow in 1996 and a finalist for Oklahoma Teacher of the Year in 1994. He is the Commander of the 338th Army Reserve Band of Livonia, MI, and has been an army reservist since 1983. He is an adjudicator for the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association and is an honorary member. Dr. Marks also serves as a clinician/consultant for school bands in MIchigan and Ohio, writes drill design and marching band arrangements for area schools and performs in area professional groups as a freelance musician.

Dr. Marks has done extensive research on the music of William Schuman and Gerry Mulligan. In addition to writing for marching bands, he enjoys arranging chamber works and creating new editions of neglected works for wind bands.

Under his direction, the Adrian College Bulldog Marching Band was selected to perform in the 2013 London, England New Year's Day Parade. The 338th Army Band was recently selected to perform the opening concert for the 2014 Michigan Music Conference. Dr. Marks is frequently invited to conduct school honors bands in Michigan and Ohio. Marty and his wife Melissa life in Onsted, MI where Melissa has served as band director for eight years. They have five children.