Dr. Hanson enjoys working with a wide range of ensembles and musicians from the podium. He currently serves as Director of Music Education and Orchestral Activities at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, WA where he conducts the SPU String Ensemble, SPU Symphony Orchestra, and SPU Camerata. Dr. Hanson is honored to hold several permanent conducting posts in the Pacific Northwest, which include the Wintergrass Youth Orchestra, the Japan Seattle Suzuki Institute, and the Rainbow City Orchestra.

Before moving to Seattle, Dr. Hanson served as the Orchestra Director at San Marcos high school as well as the Founder and Artistic Director of the SMART Orchestra, both based in San Marcos, TX. Dr. Hanson has had the privilege of working with a growing number of ensembles including, but not limited to, public and private middle schools and high schools, All-Region and All-State orchestras across the country, summer music camps/programs, community music programs as well as college and university ensembles. Dr. Hanson is extremely passionate about collaboration and strives to engage as many organizations and performing ensembles as possible when conducting.

Rainbow City Orchestra (RCO) was originally launched in 2010 as Seattle’s first LGBTQ+ string ensemble and performed proudly for five seasons under the baton of Jerilyn Harris. In response to numerous community requests, the orchestra is returning to ensure the visibility and inclusion of all peoples in the greater Seattle community who play string instruments. Dr. Hanson leads the ensemble as its second conductor.

RCO is not your standard community orchestra! It strives to build a family of musicians of all abilities and identities and welcomes you to express yourself musically with others who have a shared love of performance. Through its mission, RCO focuses its musical choices on composers who have been marginalized and less often heard on the concert stage. RCO also celebrates themes that speak to LGBTQ+ communities and the challenges they continue to face. Concerts include a variety of collaborative artists, community partners, and organizations to bring focus, amplify causes, and generate support for all involved.

Hanson enjoys making music with a wide range of ensembles and musicians from the podium. He currently serves as the director of orchestral activities at Seattle Pacific University. The SPU Orchestras are dedicated to the exploration and performance of diverse composers beyond the western European cannon. Hanson is particularly interested in programming works by composers of color. Most recently, Hanson has established annual concerts to honor the works of American Indian and African American composers with the SPU Orchestras.

Hanson served as the founder and artistic director of the San Marcos Artist Retention and Training (SMART) Orchestra in San Marcos, TX from 2009 to 2019. He founded the community ensemble to foster a greater appreciation for orchestral music in the community and to nurture a growing interest in string education in the public schools. The ensemble is a pillar of community arts engagement through the orchestral experience.