Dr. Ian Hodges

Dr. Ian Hodges (B. Mus., M. Mus., DMA) is one of Canada's most versatile musicians, performing professionally on classical and jazz guitar and in commercial music settings.

  • In the faculty

    • Sessional Instructor, Guitar
    • Preparatory Division of the Faculty of Music

Education

    • Doctor of Musical Arts (University of Minnesota, Jeff Van)
    • Master of Music (Florida State University, Bruce Holzman)
    • Bachelor of Music (University of Manitoba, Paul Hammer & David Letkemann)

    Extensive private study with Canadian Virtuoso Norbert Kraft and Masterclass performances with many of the top artists of our time (Nigel North, Hubert Kappel, the LA Guitar Quartet etc.) has given Dr. Hodges a deep knowledge of classical guitar pedagogy and repertoire.

Biography

Dr. Hodges is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, America's National Honorary Musical Society. He has appeared as a classical guitar soloist and chamber musician with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, the Musick Barock Ensemble, Groundswell, the WSO's New Music Festival, the Brandon Chamber Players, the Winnipeg Singers and other top professional ensembles. This led the Winnipeg Free Press to hail Ian as "Manitoba's Premiere Classical Guitarist" in a 2001 feature article. CBC Radio presented many of his live performances in national and provincial broadcasts, and the CD "Canciones" (with soprano Charlene Pauls) received airplay across North America. He has commissioned and premiered New Music for guitar and voice from composers Michael Matthews and Glenn Buhr, and has premiered many new works by Canadian and American composers through the Groundswell concert series and the WSO's New Music Festival.

Since beginning his professional career in the 1980's as an electric guitarist with jazz, fusion, rock, blues and country bands, Dr. Hodges continues to show his versatility on classical guitar, 6 & 12 string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin and plectrum banjo in professional Orchestral and Musical Theatre Productions including "The Lord of the Rings" and "Stardew Valley – A Symphony of Seasons" (Centennial Concert Hall), "Mama Mia" (Rainbow Stage), "Mary Poppins "& "Annie" (Flin Flon), "A Little Bit of Love" (Gas Station Theatre), as well as jazz and commercial music performances of all kinds.

Dr. Hodges composes and performs music for the concert stage, film and theatre, including National Film Board documentaries (the Peabody award-winning "Fat Chance" in 1994; "and so to Bed" in 1999), independent films ("Haunts of the Black Masseur - the Swimmer as Hero" in 2004), and shows for Prairie Theatre Exchange ("The Birds & The Bees" 2017, "Butcher" 2015, "The Valley" 2014, "December Man" 2011).

A highly successful teacher for over 40 years, Dr. Hodges currently teaches for the University of Manitoba's Desautels Faculty of Music and for the Preparatory Division of the Faculty of Music. Dr. Hodges works every July as the Coordinator of the Garage Band and Guitar programs at the International Music Camp. His students have won a great number of scholarships, medals and trophies in competitions and exams, and have been accepted into Classical and Jazz music programs at Colleges and Universities across Canada and the US. Many have gone on to pursue professional careers in music.