Marc R. Dickey

Dr. Marc R. Dickey, Professor of Music, has led California State University, Fullerton’s highly respected instrumental music teacher training program since 1988. Dr. Dickey also conducted Cal State Fullerton’s Symphonic Winds and University Band for many years, in addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in music education.

Dr. Dickey’s foundational research on modeling in music teaching and learning was published in the Journal of Research in Music Education and the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, and has frequently been cited in subsequent books and articles. His interpretive analyses of several of the wind band works of esteemed wind band composers Michael Markowski, Frank TIcheli, and others have been published by Manhattan Beach Music and Markowski Creative. Recordings by Dr. Dickey’s student ensembles (the Symphonic Winds and the University Band) of composer Michael Markowski’s compositions “Shine” and “Sunny Side Up” are posted on the Manhattan Beach Music and Markowski Creative websites as models for those studying these works.

Dr. Dickey has presented sessions at Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association conferences, the California All-State Music Education Conference, and The Mid-west International Band and Orchestra Clinic. He has conducted several southern California district honor bands, and has adjudicated bands and orchestras from more than 25 states, several Canadian provinces, and the nation of Vietnam. He was one of the youngest conductors to be awarded the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence.  

Dr. Dickey served in the elected position of Chair and Director of the School of Music from 2005-2017. During this period, music major enrollment climbed and fundraising levels increased. Meng Concert Hall and adjacent facilities were opened for the first time. The annual Clayes Collage Concert and the Titans of Music Award were established. The Department of Music went through a rigorous internal review process that led to becoming the School of Music, and the Artist Diploma was approved as an addition to the curriculum. Renowned concert organist E. Power Biggs’ 1953 Schlicker touring pipe organ had been gifted to the University, and Dr. Dickey worked with then dean Jerry Samuelson and organ builder Robert David to envision and install the 15-rank Lois Grasmeyer concert pipe organ in Meng Concert Hall.     

Dr. Dickey served as a member of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Single Subject Matter Advisory Panel, and on a Mellon Foundation New Strategies Lab Innovation Team on behalf of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra. At Cal State Fullerton, Dr. Dickey served on the Academic Senate, and on the University Curriculum Committee, the University Research Committee, the University Conflict of Interest Committee, the Faculty Development and Educational Innovation Committee, and an ad hoc committee to review Student Opinion Questionnaire policies and procedures.

Dr. Dickey holds degrees from The University of Michigan and Northwestern University, and played bassoon professionally in the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. He has taught instrumental music ensembles at all levels, from elementary through university. Dr. Dickey was previously Associate Director of Bands at Oregon State University, and is past conductor of the Schoolcraft College Wind Ensemble of Livonia, Michigan, and the Northwind Ensemble of Chicago. 

In addition to his career at Cal State Fullerton, Dr. Dickey has been the organist at the First Congregational Church of Long Beach since 1992, performing regularly on the largest concert pipe organ in the Long Beach–South Bay region. He has performed as organist in the Long Beach Bach Festival, the Long Beach Mozart Festival, the Long Beach Symphony’s “Sounds and Spaces” series, and for Temple Israel 's High Holy Days. Since 1990, he has given at least one brass and organ concert annually with brass students from California State University, Fullerton.

 In his spare time, Dr. Dickey enjoys bicycling, swimming, travel, and reading a good book.