Marvin Curtis

1951 -

About

Marvin Curtis (b. 1951), a native of Chicago, Illinois is the first African-American composer commissioned to write a choral work for a Presidential Inauguration. He earned the Bachelor of Music Degree from North Park University in Chicago; his Master of Arts from The Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond, Virginia; and the Doctor of Education from The University of the Pacific in Stockton, California.  He did additional studies at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey and The Juilliard School of Music in New York.  He was a 1993 Ford Foundation Fellow to the National Council for Black Studies Conference in Accra, Ghana, where he studied at the University of Ghana at Lagon. He has held professorships at California State University - Stanislaus, Virginia Union University, Lane College, and The Virginia Governor’s School for the Humanities and the Performing Arts at the University of Richmond. He has received numerous commissions for musical works from schools and churches. His work, The City on the Hill was premiered at President Clinton’s 1993 Inauguration performed by The Philander Smith Collegiate Choir of Little Rock, Arkansas and The United States Marine Band prior to the oath of office being administered to Vice President Al Gore.  This choral work is housed in numerous libraries across the country including the Smithsonian Institute’s National African American Project Archives and the Clinton Library.  The Richmond Symphony, The Minnesota Orchestra, The Stanislaus Orchestra, The Petersburg Symphony, and The Greensboro Symphony have performed his orchestral works and his choral works are published by The Mark Foster Music Company (now affiliated with Shawnee Press), Music 70/80, Coronet Press, International Opus, and GIA publications. He created and conducted The Riverside Community Chorale (New York) and The Richmond Festival Chorus (Richmond, VA). He served as conductor of The Stanislaus Choral Society (California) performing with The Modesto Symphony. For three years he was appointed Guest Conductor/Artistic Director for the In-Harmony Series sponsored by the Richmond Symphony. Currently, he is Dean of the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts at Indiana University South Bend and Director of the Symphonic Choir of South Bend. Prior to his appointment as Dean of The Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts at Indiana University South Bend, Curtis served as Choral Director, Department Chair, and later Assistant Dean at Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, North Carolina.  During his 12-year tenure, he created the Fayetteville State University Summer Opera Series serving as Artistic and Musical Director. is work, The City on the Hill was premiered at President Clinton’s 1993 Inauguration performed by The Philander Smith Collegiate Choir of Little Rock, Arkansas and The United States Marine Band prior to the oath of office being administered to Vice President Al Gore.  This choral work is housed in numerous libraries across the country including the Smithsonian Institute’s National African American Project Archives and the Clinton Library. He is National Scholarship Chair for the National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. and has been recently appointed to the Congressional Black Caucus 21st Leadership Institute.

Related Information

cvm491@aol.com

Works by Marvin Curtis