Associate Professor of Organ Christopher Marks has been named Associate Dean of the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, effective July 1, 2015.
He will take over from Professor of Art History Christin Mamiya, who is returning to the faculty in the Department of Art and Art History. She has served as associate dean since 2009, including one year as interim dean.
“I feel strongly about the importance of arts in higher education and am excited to have this opportunity to help shape the future of the arts at UNL,” Marks said. “I look forward to working with the many talented faculty and students across the college in this new role.”
Marks has taught organ at UNL in the Glenn Korff School of Music since 2006. He became associate professor in 2011. Prior to UNL, he taught at Syracuse University from 1999-2006.
Marks received his Doctor of Musical Arts in organ performance from Eastman School of Music; a Master of Music in organ performance and a Master of Music in piano performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Urbana; and a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the University of Richmond.
Marks is an active performer, teacher and writer. A proponent of new music, Marks has premiered a number of commissioned organ works and has performed with ensembles such as the Boston Brass, Ethos Percussion Group and Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra. His performances have garnered him top prizes in competitions, including the Arthur Poister Competition, the San Marino Competition, the Fort Wayne Competition and the Mader Competition.
He has served on the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts Executive Committee since 2012 and represented the college at the university level on the Faculty Senate and Academic Planning Committee.