Mary Marshall Qualifications

Informal Curriculum Vité

•Mary received a Bachelor of Music Performance degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music under the classical piano instruction of John Merretta, who was the chairman of the piano department at that time. While attending the conservatory she was on the Dean's List, and won three school wide piano competitions, the Bauer, the McAlphie, and the McDougal Awards. She took Piano Pedagogy from Madame Voorum, Bela Bartok's prodigy. She was also the official accompanist for the artist in residence, Milt Weiner at the conservatory (He was Rosemary Clooney and Doris Day's vocal instructor) and was the favored accompanist for Jack Wellbaum's studio. He was a member of the world famous LaSalle Quartet. She was on the Dean's List at the Conservatory and is a member of the Sigma Alpha Iota Professional Music Fraternity. She is also a member of BMI.

She was also the favored accompanist and best friend of the Metropolitan Opera Diva Kathleen Battle and also played for her sister's ( Sharon ) wedding in Portsmouth, Ohio. Kathy used to graciously babysit for her in Cincinnati after she graduated from the Conservatory. Mary also accompanied the Metropollitan Opera Diva Annie Walker on numerous occasion, actor Dorian Harwood many times (he starred in Full Metal Jacket.)

•Mary was Supervisor of Summer Recreation for the Greater Cincinnati Public School Systems after completing her Junior year the Conservatory. Her freshman year, her grades in music theory were ignored because they graded on a curve, and her grade caused the entire freshman class to F and D's with the exception of two students who received a B and C respectively that first quarter. They lovingly called her the perfect pitch 'bitch.' In reality she was very shy, and the students there protected her from the vices of college living.

•Mary performed with her jazz and funk combo around Cincinnati ...she was sometimes pianist/conductor for a stage band (which was the host band for the Nick Clooney Show,) backing up Don Cornell, comedy team Allen and Rossi, several engagements with Johnny Desmond of the Glen Miller Band, Jim Nabbie's Ink Spots, comedian Jackie Vernon which were shows at the Mediterranean Room Supper Club, and for Rosemary Clooney at the Riverfront Stadium, and so on. (Nick Clooney is George Clooney's uncle.)

Mary's first small combo group in Cincinnati was with 'Cohesion.' The awesome bassist Jim Anderson now teaches at the Cincinnati Conservatory. Later, saxophonist Jimmy McGary (now deceased) was a regular in Mary's own Jazz Quartet. Mary also performed with Mary Ellen Tanner who now teaches the Jazz Choir at CCM.

•Al Grey of the original Count Basie Band and Jerry Jerome of the original Bennie Goodman Band performed extensively with her trio at the Colony Resort in Longboat Key, Florida (Al Grey was voted world's best trombonist for nine straight years in Down Beat magazine).

•Mary also became music director for Scripts Howard Productions' WCPO Television in Cincinnati; her quartet was host band for the show. Phil Donahue was a local on the same station at this time. The revenues from the adverstisements from our shows kept the Phil Donahue Show afloat. Ed Jones and Hasker Nelson were the producers. Hasker has since retired as news anchor at WCPO but they remain very good friends.

•Mary was Master Jazz Piano Instructor for five years at the Trollwood School of Performing Arts.

•Mary has performed as soloist and accompanist in many faculty recitals at Concordia and NDSU.

She taught classical and jazz piano, and instrumental improvisation. She also taught at North Dakota State University in Fargo where she was the director and composer for the Dakota Jazz Choir ( she also taught classical and jazz piano.) She also taught for three years at Minnesota State University of Moorhead where she helped develop the Music Industry program and also taught classical and jazz piano.

•Mary has writen a college music theory course entitled "Improvisation Beyond Baroque" from which she taught at Concordia.

When the computers were being changed over at Concordia College she was hired by them to arrange all of the music ( Dr. Russ Pesola arranged one the pieces) for the Concordia Cobber Band (a one hundred piece concert band) for the Concordia Homecoming Show. She arranged the music for the band and the dancers and printed out all of the parts in three days. She stayed up at home for two days (no sleep) with her husband serving her coffee. The show was a big hit.

•Mary is also a very talented oil painter.

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