Under Ken Hodgson’s leadership, the Concert Choir at Morris has come to exemplify in its choral performances excellence in choral artistry, professionalism, and enthusiasm, and brings to its audiences the finest in the Minnesota Choral Tradition.
Hodgson, associate professor of music, has been a member of the University of Minnesota, Morris faculty since 1978. He earned a doctorate from the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana, a master of arts from Central Washington State College, Ellensberg, Washington, and bachelor of arts from St. Olaf College, Northfield. Hodgson has studied conducting under Olaf Christiansen, Wayne Hertz, Harold Decker, and Paul Christiansen. Prior to joining the Morris faculty, Hodgson was a choral director and voice instructor at Concordia College, Moorhead. He is called upon to serve as adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor for choirs throughout Minnesota. Choral singers and educators who worked with Ken at Morris and Concordia College can be found in nearly every state and many countries. Ken serves on the board of directors for the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota as vice-president.
The Concert Choir at Morris was founded by Hodgson in 1978 and since that time a national and international reputation has been established. Under Hodgson's direction, the choir has toured the East and West Coasts numerous times and has traveled throughout the Midwest. Two concert tours have been made through central Canada, and the choir made a concert tour to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany in 1983 and 1987. The choir toured the United Kingdom in 2003 and the Scandinavian countries again in 2007.
Hodgson is a native of Vancouver, Washington, and taught public school in the Tacoma and Seattle area during the 1960’s. His teaching career spans 37 years, and he has taught on every grade level from elementary through community college to university, thus bringing a wealth of experience to his work in music education and choral singing.
