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Photograph of Marc Medwin

Marc Medwin Assistant Professor Performing Arts

Bio
Marc Medwin received his undergraduate degree in English literature from Ithaca College in New York. He went on to earn a MA and PhD in musicology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, completing a dissertation on the late works of John Coltrane. Marc became an assistant professor in the music program at 17吃瓜在线 in the fall of 2008. Additionally, he maintains an active career as music journalist, writing for such magazines as Fanfare, The New York City Jazz Record and for the jazz journal Jazz Perspectives. Marc has also played keyboards in several experimental ensembles in Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh, North Carolina as well as having performed with Henry Grimes and Tyshawn Sorey. More recently, he has focused on the intersections between journalism and scholarship. His research interests include contemporary classical music, improvised music and electro-acoustic music, focusing on composer-performers as diverse as Bill Dixon, Anthony Braxton, Wadada Leo Smith and Keith Rowe. Marc has presented papers in academic conferences at Oxford University, Boston University, University of Tours and at the annual conference of the American Musicological Society.
See Also
For the Media
To request an interview for a news story, call 17吃瓜在线 Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

Teaching

Summer 2024

  • PERF-320 History of Rock Music

Fall 2024

  • PERF-110 Understanding Music

  • PERF-320 History of Rock Music

  • PERF-323 History of Music II

Spring 2025

  • MUS-205 Masterpieces of Music

  • MUS-205 Masterpieces of Music

  • MUS-321 Evolution of Jazz and Blues

Partnerships & Affiliations

  • Committee member of Audio Technology Course Development Group, Department of Performing Arts
    17吃瓜在线 (fall 2008-present)


  • Member (2003-present)

  • Habits of Mind Sub-Committee on Aesthetics Committee (fall 2017-present
    member

  • Creative Aesthetic Inquiry Sub-committee (Core Curriculum)
    member (fall 2017-present)

  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
    member (fall 2020-present)

Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities

Research Interests

  • Marc Medwin specializes in 20th and 21st century music, notably in jazz, rock and contemporary classical music. He contributes articles and reviews to scholarly journals and to more popular publications focusing on contemporary music, often interviewing the subjects of his research.

Grants and Sponsored Research

  • Mellon Fund Faculty Research Support Grant, 17吃瓜在线, Washington,聽D.C., 2012.
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Music Department Research Grant, spring, 2008.
  • University of North Carolina Graduate School Transportation Grant to Leeds International Jazz Conference, UNC at Chapoel Hill, 2007.
  • UNC Chapel Hill Music Department Research Grant, 2007.

Work In Progress

  • John Coltrane and the Avant-Garde 1961-1967. [Book proposal to be submitted by spring聽2022聽to聽Oxford聽University Press]

Selected Publications

  • Baroque Synesthesia and the Curation of Possibility: Keith Rowe 20002020, in Surround, Issue 5, forthcoming 2021.
  • 鈥淭he Allure of Permeable Boundaries: An Interview with Yun Ju Pan,鈥 in Fanfare, No.42, Issue 6, 2019.
  • 鈥淪oft Machine: Hidden Details,鈥 in New York City Jazz Record, Issue 198,聽2018.
  • 鈥淢otivic Transformation in Bill Dixon鈥檚 Intents and Purposes,鈥澛Current Research in Jazz,聽Vol.6, 2015.
  • 鈥淎tteindre l'unit茅: Autor茅f茅rences dans la musique de John Coltrane,鈥 in John Coltrane: l'oeuvre et son empreinte, ed. Vincent Cotro, Paris: Outre Mesure, 71-84. 2015.

  • 鈥淭he ErstWand Series: Composing Time, Absenting Place,鈥 in Surround, Issue 3 (spring 2015)

  • 鈥淎ttaining Unity: Self-Reference in the Music of john Coltrane,鈥 Jazz Research Journal, Special Issue on John Coltrane鈥檚 life and Music, forthcoming summer 2009.

  • 鈥淎nthony Braxton: Complete Arista Recordings 1974-1980,鈥 Jazz Perspectives, Vol.3 Issue 1, 2009.
  • 鈥淢ark Dresser and Denman Maroney: Live in Concert,鈥 Kadima Collective KCR18 [Liner Note of Compact Disc] Jan.2009.
  • 鈥淎rt Davis 1934-2007,鈥 Coda, Nov./Dec., 2007.
  • 鈥淥rrin Keepnews鈥 Collection,鈥 All About Jazz New York, No.66, Oct.2007.

Professional Presentations

  • 鈥淒rone-Dream Fulfilment: Minimalist Structure and Implication in John Coltrane鈥檚 Ascension,鈥 Miles Davis and John Coltrane at 90: Retrospect and Prospect, International Conference, University of Surrey, England, 2017.

  • 鈥淥f Eddies and Artifacts: Improvising History in Lennie Tristano鈥檚 Descent into the Maelstrom,鈥 Perspectives on Musical Improvisation II International Conference, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, 2014.

  • 鈥淪ound, Vision and Malleability: Bill Dixon鈥檚 Music for the Free Conservatory Orchestra of the University of the Streets,鈥 American Musicological Society National Meeting, Nashville, TN, Nov. 6-9, 2008.聽