In Memoriam: J. Robert Hanson (1930–2022)

ITG mourns the passing of J. Robert Hanson.

Robert Hanson, most recently of Northfield, MN, passed away at the age of 92. In addition to being a remarkable trumpet player, he was a gifted composer, conductor and teacher.

Bob received degrees from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and the University of Iowa.  He served in the 35th Army Band in Fort Harrison, Indiana during the Korean War, after which he returned to the University of Iowa to complete a Ph.D. in Music Composition in 1957. After three years as Instructor of Trumpet at Iowa he accepted a similar position in 1959 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he also played principal trumpet with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

In 1966 he accepted a position at Concordia College in Moorhead, where he taught until his retirement in 1995. During his years there he taught trumpet, conducted the Concordia Band, founded and conducted the Concordia Orchestra and served as conductor of the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony.  He was regularly commissioned to compose works for orchestra, band, chamber ensemble and choir.

Upon his retirement from Concordia in 1995, Bob joined the music faculty at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN where for 17 years he taught trumpet part-time and on occasion conducted music ensembles.  

Bob is remembered fondly by generations of his students who recall his calm demeanor, his razor-sharp wit, his passion for music and his generosity with students. 

(Source: Neil Mueller)