Nancy Murphy

Assistant Professor of Music Theory

Nancy Murphy (Music Theory) is Assistant Professor of Music Theory at the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston. Before coming to Houston, Dr. Murphy served as a lecturer in the Department of Music at the University of Chicago (2015-2017). She received her Ph.D. in Music Theory from the University of British Columbia in 2016. She also holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Theory and Composition and a Master of Arts degree in Music Theory, both from the University of Western Ontario.

Dr. Murphy's research centers on issues of meter, timing flexibility, and lyrical meaning in singer-songwriter music from the 1960s and 70s, particularly Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, and Buffy Sainte-Marie. Other research interests include rhythm and meter, rhyme and lyric writing, transcription, early American folk music, and musical theatre.

Nancy has presented at national and international conferences on topics including disco remixes, Brazilian Capoeira music and dance, along with her primary research area. From 2016 to 2018 she served as the chair of the Society for Music Theory's Popular Music Interest Group and as a member of the Editorial Board for Engaging Students: Essays in Music Pedagogy.