Marlan Carlson was a professor of music at Oregon State University from 1969-2023, serving as department chair from 1993-2010. Carlson has also led the Corvallis-OSU Symphony Orchestra since 1985. In this interview (1 of 4), he discusses his family background and upbringing in Wayne, Nebraska; his schooling at the University of Kansas and the Eastman School of Music; and his experiences traveling and performing in Europe, Japan and elsewhere.

Interview conducted by Chris Petersen for the History of Oregon State University Oral Histories and Sound Recordings (OH 003), Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Oregon State University Libraries.