BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Marcus Wolfe directs the music department at the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts in Fort Worth, Texas and is the founder of the Lone Star Music Society. He has formerly served as Director of Jazz Studies at the Valley Christian Conservatory of the Arts in San Jose, CA and as Assistant Professor of Saxophone and Director of the Gene Harris Jazz Festival at Boise State University. Under his direction, the Valley Christian Jazz Ensemble received recognition from many of the most prestigious organizations in the United States including winning the Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards five times, invitational performances at the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, selections as the Outstanding Jazz Ensemble at the Reno and Folsom Jazz Festivals, and Outstanding Large Ensemble and Combo the 2015 Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Dr. Wolfe's former students have found success itn some of the most competitive collegiate music programs including The Juilliard School, The University of North Texas, The Manhattan School of Music, The Eastman School of Music, and the New School of Music in NYC. In 2015 Dr. Wolfe was honored with a nomination for a Grammy Music Educator award. Dr. Wolfe holds a D.M.A. in Jazz Studies and Theory/Composition from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as well as a M.M. and a B.M. in Jazz Studies and Saxophone from the University of North Texas.
Prior to his appointment at Valley Christian, Marcus was the Director of Jazz Studies, Assistant Professor of Saxophone, and Director of the Gene Harris Jazz Festival at Boise State University, was a member of the jazz faculty at Triton College in Chicago, and was awarded teaching fellowships at the University of North Texas and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is active as a clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor for festivals and summer camps throughout the United States and Canada.
As a professional jazz saxophonist Dr. Wolfe has performed in sixteen countries and has freelanced in many major urban centers of the United States. He has released two CDs on the Nojoh record label has been recognized with three Downbeat awards. Dr. Wolfe is also the author of a method book entitled RollPlay - Strength Training for Fundamental to Advanced Technique On All Instruments published by Adams Press Chicago.