With a broad range of musical interests, experiences and passions, Nomi Joy Marcus is a percussionist and educator currently based in Columbus, Ohio. Equally at home either on stage with a symphony orchestra, below the stage with a pit orchestra, or even outside with a chamber ensemble, Nomi’s performing career has taken her to some of the United States’ most prestigious concert halls and unconventional performance spaces. As a teacher, Nomi has had the privilege of working with students ranging in ability levels from early beginner drum set students to graduate music education students. Nomi brings enthusiasm to both her performing and teaching; she strives to connect with both audiences and students by presenting music in unique, personal, refreshing and engaging ways.
As an active freelancer, Nomi has performed frequently with the Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Westerville, and Newark Granville Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Columbus Dance Theatre (Columbus, OH), CODE (Columbus Ohio Discovery Ensemble), and Bel Canto Company (Greensboro, NC). Nomi also participated in Make Music New York’s 2011 performance of John Luther Adams’ work for 99 percussionists, Inuksuit, in collaboration with Columbia University’s Miller Theater at Morningside Park in New York City.
A native of Long Island, New York, Nomi began taking drum set lessons at the age of 9. In high school she studied percussion with Jeffrey Irving and participated in various honors ensembles and youth orchestras in the New York Metropolitan area. She went on to study at the Eastman School of Music, where she received the Bachelor of Music degree with distinction in percussion performance. While at Eastman, she studied primarily with Michael Burritt, but also received instruction from John H. Beck, Bill Cahn, Charles Ross, and Rich Thompson. During her time at Eastman, she performed with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, the Eastman Philharmonia, and the Eastman Percussion Ensemble. Nomi performed with the Eastman Percussion Ensemble at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. as part of the Conservatory Project series of concerts.
After finishing her undergraduate education, Nomi went on to receive her Master of Music Degree from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro where she studied with Kristopher Keeton. While at UNCG, Nomi was a graduate teaching assistant in the percussion area. In this role, she was responsible for teaching the percussion methods course and lessons to both undergraduate percussion majors and non-majors, as well as graduate non-major music education students, in addition to coaching and conducting the UNCG Percussion Ensemble. While at UNCG, Nomi was the principal percussionist in the UNCG Wind Ensemble during the entire course of her study, which included the ensemble’s performance at the 2013 College Band Director’s National Association National Conference. She can be heard on the UNCG Wind Ensemble’s 2015 recording, Stories and Sanctuaries (Equilibrium).
Nomi has most recently graduated with her Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from The Ohio State University. At OSU, Nomi was a recipient of a University Fellowship, as well as three graduate associate appointments. She was a graduate teaching associate in the percussion studio, a graduate administrative assistant in the School of Music’s graduate studies office, and a graduate administrative assistant for the Ohio State University Opera and Lyric Theatre program. While at Ohio State, Nomi studied with Susan Powell and Joseph Krygier, and can be heard on the Ohio State Wind Symphony’s 2015 recording, Network (Naxos). Her DMA document, “Four Works for Solo Timpani: An Analysis and Performance Guide” is to be published in the spring of 2016.
In addition to her active performance schedule, Nomi is an Adjunct Instructor of Percussion at Muskingum University in New Concord, OH where she teaches lessons, directs the percussion ensemble, and teaches percussion methods. She also currently teaches percussion and piano lessons at the Powell Academy of Music in Powell, OH and is the front ensemble coordinator and percussion lesson instructor at Westland High School in Galloway, OH. She is also a member of UPduo ("Untiled Percussion" Duo) with her friend and colleague, Dr. Juan Mendoza. UPduo is committed to performing and presenting percussion duo music in new and exciting ways while engaging with audiences. Nomi is a member of the D'Addario Education Collective.