Marsha Mabrey, Music Director and Conductor of the Seattle Philharmonic for the past six years, has programmed  innovative concerts for full and chamber  orchestras  featuring a blend of standard repertoire, world music, and new music by living composers.  Mabrey began her conducting career after studies at the University of Michigan , School of Music and Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.  Her career includes orchestra conducting and faculty positions at  Winona State University , (MN) Grand Valley State University , (MI), and  the University of Oregon School of Music (OR). She was the Assistant Conductor of the Grand Rapids Symphony (MI),and resident conductor for the Eugene Chamber Orchestra,( OR).

 Mabrey ‘s guest conducting includes the Oregon Symphony (OR), Allendale Symphony (MI),Savannah Symphony, (GA)., University of Utah Symphony  Orchestra (UT), Sinfonietta Frankfurt, (Germany), the Women’s Philharmonic (CA), and Vancouver Symphony (WA) 

 Mabrey’s career shares a commitment to music education and  administration.  She has served as presenter, guest lecturer, and education consultant for  the San Jose Symphony (CA) , New World Symphony, (FL)., and Duke University’s “Still Going On” project.  She has also served as  Guest Conductor/ Clinician  for Honors and  All State Orchestras  in Michigan , Pennsylvania , Utah , Oregon , Arkansas , Florida , Washington and Montana . She is enthusiastic working with youth, challenging them to express their artistic energy.  She is especially fond of her experiences  conducting student musicians  at the Interlochen National Music Camp in Michigan and  the Encore Music Camp of Pennsylvania.  

 Mabrey's  administrative posts have included Assistant Dean at the University of Oregon School of Music, Vice President of Education for the Detroit Symphony, and Interim Director of Education for the Philadelphia Orchestra.  At the University of Oregon she developed and facilitated two symposia: West Coast Women Conductor/Composer Symposium and American women Conductor/Composer Symposium.  She also managed and facilitated the Detroit Symphony’s African –American Composer’s Forum and Symposium .

Marsha Mabrey  is committed to the inclusion of new music along with standard repertoire.  The programming of her concert performances contain works by living composers and diverse performers.   During her work with the Seattle Philharmonic Mabrey programmed  many unique concert event collaborations  including the:  Thistle Theatre Puppets, Tours de Force! Vocal Jazz ensemble,  The American Horn Quartet, The Esoterics and  Seattle ’s Arts West.   Living composers she has programmed  include Janice Giteck, Bern Herbalsheimer, Regina Harris Bioacchi, Joseph Curiale, and June Kirlin.   Performers include:  sopranos Rebecca Hilgraves, Anne Tedards, Thomasa Eckert, tenor  John Duykers, Jay Clayton, Jazz vocalist, Warren Chang, Er-Hu, soloist , Craig Sheppard, pianist William Wilde Zeitler, Glass Armonica soloist,  and Rubin Alvarez, percussionist, conductors Don Thulean and Salvador Brotons.   Mabrey’s programming has also included numerous local Seattle artists and emerging young talent from instrumental soloists to public school drama classes, high school choirs, and high school orchestra members.  

Mabrey  developed an education/outreach program for the Seattle Philharmonic.  The education/outreach  events include the Sound Art Program, combining the experience of Seattle Philharmonic artists in the classroom and student’s artistic responses to music selections.  The Side by Side Concert Program for high school musicians, bringing high school musicians into the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra  to sit with their SPO counterparts in rehearsals and outreach concerts, and Community Outreach Concert Series which paired each SPO series concert with an outreach concert  in local Seattle communities.  

Mabrey’s biographical profile can also be found  in D. Antoinette Handy’s Black  Conductors, Scarecrow Press, Metuchen , N.J. ,1995,  and Notable Black American Women, Book 3. Notable Black American Women, Randall Frost,The Gale Group.