Gann says Marvin creates common ground between current and former Holden Choirs participants. “When I talk to alumni, I know that we have this common background of having been a part of producing the same sound and that’s a pretty special historical connection,” he says. Draves voices a similar sentiment. “You meet these people and you’ve never seen them before in your life, but you instantly have something in common with them because you know so many of the same songs and when you sing something with someone you have an instant bond,” she says.

Marvin possesses a rare combination of natural leadership skills and musical dedication.  In his social and musical legacy, he has set a precedent that will not be easy to maintain. The college has organized a search committee to find a new director, but they have yet to reach a decision.

GRAZIOSO

Marvin has both perpetuated and altered the rich history of the Holden Choirs in his time here. Widely credited with the creation of the Pan-Holden community, and critically acclaimed for his unparalleled ability to bring the three distinct choruses to an equal skill level, Marvin has technical achievements and community-wide accomplishments sufficient to satisfy anyone’s criteria for a fulfilling career. Still, he doesn’t consider any of these accomplishments to be his greatest achievement—or his motivation for staying in the same position for 32 years.

At the end of a forty-five minute interview with Marvin, I am well aware that—despite his patience—I am making him terribly late for an important engagement. With feverish swipes at my laptop track pad, I scan through my unending list of questions for one that would grant me access to some greater truth about Marvin’s career. Flustered, I turn to him and ask simply, “What will you miss most?”

Without a second thought or a moment’s hesitation, Marvin, who opened the interview by describing himself as “verbose” and prone to “rattle on and on,” answers, “the students.”

—Staff writer Benjamin Naddaff-Hafrey can be reached at bhafrey@college.harvard.edu.