Marjorie Ness is presently Director of Music at Memorial Congregational Church in Sudbury, Massachusetts, where she has served since 2003. Prior to this appointment, she served as Minister of Arts and Music at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Worcester from 1995 to 2003. She has been involved in church music in a number of denominations since she was 19 years old, performing as an organist and doing extensive work with adult and children's choirs and handbells.

Since 2002, Ness has been an adjunct faculty member at Fitchburg State College where she directs two choirs and teaches a class in world music. She taught previously at Atlantic Union College. While there, she served as coordinator of the music education program and director of the preparatory division. She was chair of the music department from 1992 to 1996.

Ness received a B. Mus. from Oberlin Conservatory of Music and an M. Mus. from Northwestern University. She completed a D.M.A. at the University of Iowa. All of her degrees are in organ performance. While at UI, she also completed certification requirements in music education. She has taken additional course work at Westminster Choir College.

She was finalist in the National Women’s Organist Competition, Chicago, in 1978. While at the University of Iowa, Ness was a Ruhl organ scholar. She was also a Merit Scholar at Northwestern University. In 1986, she toured in central Europe and England where she presented a series of seven concerts, including one at the St. Germain des Pres church in Paris.

Ness is active in the American Guild of Handbell Ringers and the American Guild of Organists. She has served a term as Dean of the Worcester chapter of AGO.

ds/2008

Marjorie is married to William Ness, Minister of Music & the Arts for First Baptist Church, Worcester, MA. Marjorie also teaches at Fitchburg State College, and teaches both organ and piano privately.