Dr. Harry Hindson

Harry Hindson graduated from Ottawa,IL Township High School in 1966, and was a member of the concert band directed by Ray Makeever that appeared at 1964 Midwest, 1965 MENC Regional, and 1966 Dorian Conventions. He received his BA in Music Education from Luther College in 1970, where he was Dorian Music Society President and band soloist, premiering Luther College music theory professor and composer Maurice Monhardt's Concert Piece at Lincoln Center with the Luther College Concert Band, under the direction of Weston Noble. Seven years of military service followed as saxophonist with the U.S. Navy Concert Band in Washington, D. C., where he founded the Navy Band's first saxophone quartet, and was selected Sailor of the Quarter. Concurrently, he earned a Master of Music degree from the University of Maryland. In 1977 he returned to the midwest to participate in family farm projects and teach at Waubonsee Community College, in Sugar Grove, IL, and begin a commuter woodwind studio serving schools in Ottawa, Oswego, and Naperville. In 1979 he began a long-standing friendship with Ron Keller and the Naperville Municipal Band by guest-soloing on the spring concert, and he has soloed yearly with the group since. He married Jean Pederson--also a Luther College alum--in 1982, and her position in Spanish at UW-LaCrosse brought them north in 1984. At that time Harry began doctoral studies at UW Madison which led to a DMA in 1992.

Active as a saxophone soloist and clinician, his teachers have been Jack Williamson, Larry Livingston, Donald Sinta, George Etheridge, and Les Thimmig. Currently a very busy musician in the Coulee Region, he is a bassoonist with the La Crosse Symphony, principal clarinetist with the La Crosse Concert Band, baritone saxophonist with the Great River Big Band, and double reed section leader, conductor and soloist with the 132nd Army National Guard Band in Madison, WI. In addition to his private studio, he is currently professor of Saxophone at Luther College, and woodwind instructor at Winona [MN] State University. He has also worked for Central and Logan High Schools in La Crosse, and St. Mary's University, in Winona. With Jean being an able bass clarinetist, and now blessed with two musically inclined daughters, this is a family that attends a lot of concerts! Harry joined the WI ANG Band in 1987, and has helped guide development of clarinet and saxophone ensembles to augment the fine brass ensembles providing valuable musical support to the WI National Guard. His interest in music for larger saxophone ensembles was whetted doing background work for his dissertation, The Saxophone in American Musical Culture 1850-1980, and flowered with the acquisition and restoration of a vintage bass saxophone. He performs frequently on the entire family of saxophones, having appeared extensively in recital, and as soloist/clinician with school and municipal bands, at state and national music conventions, and at the National Music Camp at Interlochen, MI. He has regularly soloed with the LaCrosse Concert Band. In February 2006, he has been featured as soloist with the LaCrosse Symphony Orchestra, performing the Villa-Lobos Fantasia for Soprano Saxophone and Orchestra, conducted by Florentino Dias, Music Director of the Rio de Janeiro Philharmonic Orchestra.

Degrees