Jane Hanson, Performing Artist
Jane Hanson, Performing Artist, is a captivating mezzo-soprano soloist, renowned conductor, director and producer. With a voice of incredible depth, insight and pathos, her solo recitals and concerts are known to evoke powerful emotions of laughter to tears from the audience. She is right at home in a wide variety of genres, but specializes in premiering contemporary repertoire and helping composers bring their new work to life. Ms. Hanson's expert musicianship and technique as a conductor and director enable her to provide strong, positive leadership for both singers and instrumentalists, inviting and encouraging each to perform at a high level of excellence to achieve critical success. As a musical director and producer, Ms. Hanson encourages her singers with fun and fury!
Biography
Jane Hanson, Proficient Musician founder and director, holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Music Education and a minor in Piano Accompaniment from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and a Master of Music Degree in Choral Conducting from Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). While at CCM, Ms. Hanson served as conductor in residence and vocal soloist in the Music ’97 and Music ’98 international composition festivals and the CCM Grandin Festival. From 1999-2001, she served on the faculty of the Dept. Of Music and Dance at UMass, Amherst.
As founder and director of Jane Hanson Productions, LLC, Ms. Hanson has but one mission for the organization: joy and excellence through the performing arts, providing an ideal balance of passion and technique. The Proficient Musician, founded in 2001, is a division of Jane Hanson Productions LLC dedicated to providing exceptional skills-based professional development opportunities to music educators and performers. These skills act as a catalyst for the integration of innate musical ability and newfound proficiency, fostering a greater self-knowledge and a deeper enjoyment of music. Under this branch of JHP, Ms. Hanson offers private voice instruction and coaching, master classes, professional development seminars, and residencies. Her students include professional performers such as Evelyn Harris, former 18-year member of the internationally acclaimed ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock, as well as up and coming singers have been guided by Ms. Hanson into top vocal performance programs at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music, New York University, the Hartt School, and others.
Ms. Hanson has been fortunate to work with many different arts organizations on varied and interesting projects. In 2006 she directed and conducted Old Deerfield Productions’ presentation of New York-based composer Paula Kimper’s opera The Captivation of Eunice Williams at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. In fall of 2007, Ms. Hanson directed a workshop premier performance of another of Kimper’s operas: The Bridge of San Luis Rey. In spring 2008, she music-directed and conducted PACE Theater’s hip-hop-inflected version of West Side Story, and the Keene Chorale’s Earth Day Celebration, featuring the New Hampshire premiere of Missa Gaia/Earth Mass. In 2009, she collaborated with Pioneer Valley Ballet on their 40th Anniversary Benefit Concert: Let’s Fall in Love! A Night of Cole Porter, held at the historic Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton, MA. She also led the Keene Chorale in their 30th anniversary celebration concert of Beethoven’s Mass in C and Choral Fantasy with guest soloist Vladimir Odinokikh.
Ms. Hanson studied voice and vocal pedagogy for more than a decade with the internationally renowned (late) Dr. Oren Brown, and has been a featured mezzo-soprano soloist with Commonwealth Opera, The Keene Chorale, The Pioneer Valley Symphony, The Tuesday Morning Music Club of Springfield, the Chamber Music Series at Wistariahurst Museum, and through her own concert series.
