Pianist Paul Hanson has been acclaimed for his “dextrous authority” (Los Angeles Times), “relentless tension and drama” (The Virginian-Pilot), and the San Antonio Express-News wrote that “Hanson’s tender singing line, intelligent phrasing and total magisterial command made this a distinguished performance.” He holds degrees from Washington State University, the University of Southern California and University of Oregon, and has studied with Daniel Pollack, Leonard Stein, and Victor Steinhardt.

A noted interpreter of contemporary music, his solo repertoire includes the complete music of Schoenberg, repertoire of Ives, Stockhausen, Boulez, Ligeti and Carter, and numerous chamber performances include the works of Mario Davidovsky, Joan Tower, David Froom, William Bolcom, Ann Callaway, Lukas Foss, Michael Torke, Morton Feldman, Pierre Boulez, Ned Rorem, John Luther Adams, George Crumb, Robert Stewart, Stephan Prock, Benjamin Broening, Richard Danielpour, Oliver Knussen, and John Adams. He has been guest artist at numerous venues for new music including the Third Coast New Music Festival, Hindemith Festival, Los Angeles Monday Evening Concerts, Third Practice Festival, Columbia University’s Miller Theatre, the James Madison University Contemporary Music Festival, and has collaborated with members of the Grammy Award – winning chamber ensemble, eighth blackbird.  During the 2008-2009 season, Hanson gave several performances of Elliott Carter’s Night Fantasies in honor of the composer’s centennial, attended the Olivier Messiaen International Centenary Conference at the Birmingham Conservatoire, and was a guest artist and faculty member at New England Conservatory’s Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice.

Dr. Hanson has served as Assistant to the Archivist of the Arnold Schoenberg Institute, and is currently on the music faculty at the University of Richmond.