Evan Marien

Associate Professor

Affiliated Departments

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Evan Marien is an award-winning bassist, composer, producer, educator, and 3D artist from Decatur, Illinois, and a 2009 graduate of Berklee College of Music. He is known for his dynamic collaborations with drummer Dana Hawkins and has played with notable artists like Tigran Hamasyan, Wayne Krantz, Tim Miller, Virgil Donati, and the late Allan Holdsworth.

As an author, he’s published books on his unique Hexatonic method and specialized bass techniques, with his first book, Transcriptions Vol. 1, becoming an Amazon best seller.

Career Highlights

Bassist for Tigran Hamasyan, Wayne Krantz, Virgil Donati, Tim Miller, Allan Holdsworth
Composer and producer for AT&T, NPR, Lexus, NBA, Turner Classic Movies
Collaborations with Louis Cole, Cory Wong, Mark Letteri, Plini, Intervals, Fredrik Thordendal, and Mario Camarena

Awards

2025 Juno Award for Composition "Side Quest" from Intervals' "Memory Palace"
2022 CLIO Award for Turner Class Movies Theme (composition)
2009 Bass Player Magazine's Reader Choice Awards "Most Exciting New Player"

In Their Own Words

"I want my students to leave my classes with a deeper connection to music and a stronger sense of who they are as players. Beyond learning scales, tunes, and technique, my goal is for them to develop the tools to express themselves with confidence, clarity, and creativity."

"Having collaborated with artists across jazz, fusion, electronic, and pop—including Tigran Hamasyan, Wayne Krantz, Allan Holdsworth —I bring real-world experience into my classroom. My journey has exposed me to a wide range of musical settings, from highly improvisational contexts to structured productions, giving me insight into what it takes to thrive as a versatile musician."

Evan Marien

Sweatn - Evan Marien x Dana Hawkins