Marlene McCarthy
Piano
Pianist Marlene McCarthy has been praised for her multifaceted and individual career path, defined by a diverse range of musical interests. At 15, Marlene began her formal training under Chiharu Naruse. Through her guidance, Marlene found success in numerous local competitions, winning the A.H Chatfield Junior Piano Prize and the Ocy Downs Piano Competition. She has also had the opportunity to share her music on Maine Public Radio.
Marlene moved to New York City in 2008 for her undergraduate studies with Victor Rosenbaum at Mannes College. She then furthered her musical education by pursuing a master's degree at New York University, under the guidance of Alexander Kobrin. During her time at NYU, Marlene also had the opportunity to serve as an adjunct faculty member.
Outside of her classical pursuits, Marlene collaborates with her husband, Bobby Katz, in the folk-pop duo "Bobbylene," which has garnered attention with over 8 million plays on streaming platforms and has subsequently been featured in Starbucks locations worldwide. Additionally, her "Marlene T" project, which reimagines pop songs as solo piano arrangements, has found a growing audience with over 200,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
Marlene is currently pursuing her DMA at Stony Brook University under the tutelage of Christina Dahl, where she also taught as an adjunct instructor. As part of her Doctoral Studies, Marlene gave a lecture on Rzewski’s Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues and performed his complete North American Ballads as part of a recital celebrating the American Folk idiom. As an active chamber musician and collaborator, Marlene has had the opportunity to receive coaching from highly-regarded musicians, including members of the Emerson String Quartet, Gilbert Kalish, Colin Carr, Jennifer Frautschi, and Carol Wincenc. Before relocating to Maine in April 2024, Marlene enjoyed educating her private students in New York City for over a decade. Marlene is excited to continue her work as an educator, performer, and collaborator in her home state.
