after graduating from harvard, levin was named head of the theory department at the curtis institute of music. he was subsequently appointed associate professor of music and coordinator of theory instruction at the suny purchase, and full professor in 1975. from 1986 to 1993, he served as professor of piano at the hochschule für musik freiburg in germany. in 1993 he became professor of music at his alma mater, harvard university, where he remains professor emeritus. in 1994 he was made dwight p. robinson jr professor of the humanities at harvard, and was a head tutor from 1998 to 2004. in 2012, as humanitas visiting professor of chamber music at centre for research in the arts, social sciences and humanities (crassh), university of cambridge, he gave two lectures, improvising mozart and composing mozart and a concert with academy of ancient music.