ABOUT ANNE B. YARDLEY

Professor Yardley was born in Seattle, Washington in 1950.She spent her elementary school years in California, moving to Lopez Island, Washington for her last two years of high school. She attended Whitman College, Walla Walla, Washington from 1968-1971, earning a B.A. degree with a major in music. Graduate work took her to Columbia University in New York City where she earned an M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D (1975). Her dissertation was on "Music in Medieval English Nunneries." Yardley taught at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, from 1975-77 before moving to Morristown, NJ in 1977. She taught part time at Drew University from 1985-1995. She has been full time in the Theological School since 1995. Yardley assumed the role of Associate Academic Dean in July, 2001.

Dr. Yardley's teaching and research interests focus on church music in a variety of contexts, with special attention to the integration of music into liturgy, the sociological aspects of music making, and gender issues. She has concentrated on musical practices in medieval nunneries, the development of choirs and anthem repertoire in the USA in the 19th century, and hymnology throughout the centuries.

Yardley is a member of the North American Academy of Liturgy and the American Academy of Religion. She has been active as a musician performing with the Early Music Players of New Jersey from 1978-2002 and directing the St. Peter's Girls' Choir from 1987-2003. She continues to sing in the Choir of Men and Women at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Morristown.

You can visit Dean Yardley's blog at deanyadz.livejournal.com for her random reflections on life.