Education: DMA, University of Washington, 1986; MM, Colorado State University, 1974; BME, Wheaton College, 1971. At SPU 1979-2016.
Eric Hanson has been taught for 45 years before retiring in 2016, and directed the SPU Symphony Orchestra. His degrees include a Bachelor of Music Education from Wheaton College Conservatory, a Master of Music in Conducting from Colorado State University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Washington. His dissertation plumbed the elegant relationships between the symphonies of Gustav Mahler and the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer.
Dr. Hanson’s honors include Mu Phi Epsilon Music Professor of the Year (Beta Phi Chapter), the Weter Award for Meritorious Scholarship, a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship to Harvard, and an NEH grant to study at the Beethoven Institute. He is an Oxford Roundtable Scholar and a composer. Dr. Hanson has conducted dozens of orchestras in the United States, Canada, and Europe. He was a frequent guest conductor with the Northwest Mahler Festival, and also frequently lectured for the Seattle Symphony and other arts organizations.
COMPOSITIONS
Symphony of Psalms for large choir and orchestra (4 movements)
Gloria for large choir and orchestra
Prelude and Allegro for string orchestra
Prelude and Fugue for string orchestra
Piano Trio No. 1
Piano Trio No. 2
Kaddish for soprano, horn, and string orchestra
City Night for trumpet and string orchestra
Concertino for band
Intrada for brass and timpani
Woodwind Quintet No. 1
Selected Publications
- "Gustav Mahler and the Will: Tracing a Motive Through the Symphonies." Doctoral Dissertation, University of Washington 1986.
- Two book reviews for the New Oxford Review:
- Hymns That Live, Frank Colquhoun
- I, Francis, Carlo Carretto
- Book review for the German Studies Review, 1993:
- Music as Cultural Practice, 1800-1900, Kramer, Lawrence
- "Giovanni Gabrieli of San Marco," Seattle Pacific University Review, 1985.
- Programs notes, Thalia Symphony, 1987-2010.
- "The Symphony Orchestra: Organic Community from a Chaotic System." Chaos or Community, A. K. Rice Institute 1995.
- Program notes, Northwest Mahler Festival, 1996-present (including translating German texts).
- Program notes, Green Mountain Mahler Festival (Vermont) 2009-present.
- Program notes, Classic Cascade, 2002.
- "How We Got Here: Historical Reflections on the Rifts Between Ways of Knowing." Forum on Public Policy 2010.
Please view Dr. Hanson's CV (PDF) for additional publications.
View Dr. Hanson's Repertoire.