Dr. Catherine Nolan

Biography

Catherine Nolan holds a PhD in Music Theory from Yale University, an MPhil in Music Theory from Yale, an MA in Music Theory from McGill University, and a BMus in Composition (Honours) in Music Theory from McGill. She has previously taught at esteemed institutions such as the University of Alberta, McGill University, Yale University, and Vanier College in Montreal. Catherine teaches courses in music theory and analysis, where she engages students to recognize and appreciate the relationships between music theory, analysis, and broader contexts within humanistic inquiry. Her research focuses on modernist music of the 20th century, particularly the late works of Anton Webern, as well as late 20th-century music, transformational theory, and mathematical models of music theory history. Her recent work delves into the significance of poet Hildegard Jone, whose texts have profoundly influenced Webern’s late vocal works. Catherine’s publications have appeared in various academic periodicals including Journal of Music Theory, Music Theory Spectrum, Music Theory Online, and the Canadian University Music Review, as well as in essay collections such as the Cambridge History of Western Music Theory and the Princeton Companion to Mathematics.

Research Interests