MARILYN KEISER
Biography
Marilyn
Keiser is Chancellor’s Professor of Music Emeritus at Jacobs School of Music,
Indiana University, Bloomington, where she taught courses in sacred music and
applied organ for 25 years. Prior to her
appointment at Indiana
University, Dr. Keiser
was Organist and Director of Music at All Souls Parish in Asheville, North Carolina
and Music Consultant for the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina,
holding both positions from 1970-1983.
A
native of Springfield, Illinois, Marilyn Keiser began her organ
study with Franklin Perkins, then attended Illinois Wesleyan
University where she
studied organ with Lillian McCord, graduating with a Bachelor of Sacred Music
degree. Dr. Keiser entered the School of Sacred Music at Union Theological
Seminary in New York City,
where she studied organ with Alec Wyton and graduated
summa cum laude in 1965 with a Master of Sacred Music degree. Her Doctor of Sacred Music from Union
Theological Seminary was awarded in 1977.
Upon
graduation from Union Seminary, Marilyn Keiser became Assistant Organist of The
Riverside Church in New York City
and one year later was appointed Associate Organist/Choirmaster of the
Cathedral of St. John the Divine, a position she held from 1966-1970.
In constant demand as an organ recitalist and
workshop leader, Dr. Keiser has appeared throughout the United States
in concerts sponsored by churches, colleges and chapters of The American Guild
of Organists. She has been a featured
artist for regional conventions of the AGO as well as for national conventions
in Dallas and Washington DC, where she played with orchestra at the John F.
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and in Detroit, where she appeared with
the Detroit Symphony. In addition, she
has appeared as featured artist for the International Congress of Organists in Cambridge, England;
in concert at the Royal Victoria Hall with the Singapore Symphony; at the
American Cathedral in Paris,
the Southern Cathedrals Festival in Winchester,
England and the
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
in Brazil.
An
active member of The American Guild of Organists, Dr. Keiser has been a member
of the national council, has served as national Registrar, a member of the
national nominating committee and Dean of the Western North
Carolina chapter. She holds
her Associate, Choirmaster and Fellowship degrees from the Guild.
A
virtuoso concert organist, Marilyn Keiser has performed across the United States. In addition she has given lectures and
workshops in church music for all of the major denominations, specializing in
music for small churches. She has been
president of the Association of Anglican Musicians, a contributing editor to
the hymnal, Ecumenical Praise, has served on the Episcopal Church's Standing
Commission on Church Music and was a consultant to the Hymn Music Committee for
the Episcopal Hymnal 1982. In addition,
she served for five years as chairman of the Advisory Board for the Leadership
Program for Musicians Serving Small Congregations. Dr. Keiser is past-Chairman of the Worship
and Music Commission for the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis and is Director
of Music at Trinity Episcopal Church in Bloomington. She is also the author of a publication in
the Church Hymnal Teaching Series entitled “Teaching Music in Small Churches.”
Marilyn
Keiser is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Lambda Delta national honor
societies. She is also a national
honorary member of Sigma Alpha Iota, a national professional music fraternity. Dr. Keiser is listed in Outstanding Young
Women of America, the 1973 edition of Who's Who in North Carolina and the 1975 World Who's Who
of Musicians. She was one of two alumni
of Illinois Wesleyan University
chosen for their first annual presentation of Outstanding Young Alumni
Awards. In May of 1995, she was awarded
a Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa) from the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria. In April, 1997 she was presented the Unitas Citation from Union Theological Seminary and in
April 1998 she was presented with a Teaching Excellence Recognition Award from
the Indiana University School of Music.
She was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters from Illinois Wesleyan
University in February
2002. In April of 2002, she was named
Chancellor’s Professor at Indiana
University.
Marilyn
Keiser has been heard in performance on radio broadcasts on National Public
Radio stations throughout the U.S. and has recorded for Loft Recordings (Music
of Paris in the 1920's and 1930's) and Pro Organo
(The People Respond-Amen, Spiritual Pairs, Studies in Relief
and In Praise of the Organ: Latin
Choral and Organ Music of Zoltan Kodaly). She has also recorded Seasons of Festivity
at Fairmount Presbyterian Church in Cleveland
Heights, Ohio, and Centennial
Flourish at St. James’ Church in Hendersonville,
North Carolina.
Current as of July 2008