George Hanson-biography

Beginning his second decade as Music Director and Conductor of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, George Hanson brings the highest level of artistic distinction and an international reputation of excellence to his position. To complement his dynamic leadership of the TSO in the 2005/06 season, Mr. Hanson made his conducting debuts with the Bremen Symphony Orchestra in Germany and the Arizona Opera. He returned to guest conduct the National Symphony of Mexico as well as the Wuppertal Symphony, where he served as General Music Director for seven years, concurrent with his position with the TSO. Also during the 2005/06 season, Mr. Hanson enjoyed more critical acclaim when he made his Tucson debut as conductor and soloist while performing the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 3 in A major. The Arizona Daily Star called it “an impressive display” and said Mr. Hanson “played with technical proficiency and sublime elegance” and added: “He carried himself with grace and confidence in his roles as soloist and conductor.” Critics have noted remarkable artistic growth in Mr. Hanson’s collaboration with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, where he has been Music Director since 1996, firmly establishing his reputation as an orchestra builder. “The evening belonged to Hanson and the orchestra”. “Piece after piece, they wielded the kind of precise, detailed, impeccably balanced and sculpted musical lines one typically only hears on recordings…I am hard-pressed to think of a single performance —live or on disc— of the Pines of Rome that could match this sleek, smoldering account…” (Tucson Citizen, Sept. 2003).

Critics also noted the tremendous growth in the sound and artistry of the Wuppertal Symphony and Opera in Germany where George Hanson was recently named conductor Laureate following his seven years as General Music Director. “…the Wuppertal Symphony, excellently conducted by George Hanson, articulates so precisely, and fills the room with such a warm, three-dimensional tone, that it sounds as if they were the Berlin Philharmonic.” (Jens Hagerstedt, Stereoplay).George Hanson has appeared with nearly ninety symphony orchestras and opera companies in 18 countries, including the New York Philharmonic, the orchestras of Warsaw, Stuttgart and Budapest, the Radio orchestras of Berlin and Hamburg, the Atlanta Symphony, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the South African National Symphony. Recent debuts include the National Symphony of Mexico, the Osaka Symphony (his Japanese debut), and the Nuremberg Symphony in Germany. His appearances at Carnegie Hall and Opera Bastille in Paris were widely acclaimed.
In 2003, Mr. Hanson received the Echo Klassik award for his recording of music of Anton Rubinstein, joining conductors Nicholaus Harnoncourt and Simon Rattle as recipients of this prestigious honor, second only to the Grammy in international importance.
Mr. Hanson served as Associate Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony from 1988 to 1993, assisted Kurt Masur at the New York Philharmonic from 1993 to 2000, and was Music Director of the Anchorage Symphony from 1994 to 1999. A versatile musician, he shared the stage with his mentor and teacher Leonard Bernstein at Tanglewood, appeared with Tony Bennett and Dizzy Gillespie, and recorded with the rock group R.E.M. He has been featured on CBS’s Sunday Morning, NBC’s Today Show, NPR and Deutsche Welle, and was named “Young Musician of the Year” by Musical America.

He received his formal training at the Vienna Academy of Music, The Curtis Institute, Indiana University and Concordia College.

The sixteenth conductor in the TSO’s 78-year history, Mr. Hanson resides in Tucson with his wife, Petra, and their three sons.