Rate My Professor Von Hansen

Dr. Von Hansen serves as Assistant Professor of Percussion in the Music Department within Washburn University’s College of Arts and Sciences, specializing in applied percussion. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education from Washburn University in 2008, Master of Music degrees in both Percussion Performance and Composition from Central Michigan University in 2011, and Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance from the University of Kansas in 2014. Prior to joining Washburn in 2019, Hansen held positions as Adjunct Professor of Percussion at Friends University since 2014, where he taught applied lessons, percussion ensemble, methods, drumline, and directed marching percussion and the percussion group. He also served as Instructor of Percussion at Maize High School from 2014 and graduate assistant at the University of Kansas (2011-2014) and Central Michigan University (2008-2011). Currently, he is President of the Kansas Percussive Arts Society since 2017, a member of the Percussive Arts Society’s Technology Committee, and performs with groups such as the Great Plains Percussion Group and MapMusik.

Hansen’s scholarly pursuits center on percussion performance, composition, and multimedia artistry, fusing influences from hip-hop, jazz, rock, and electronic music with minimalism and experimental techniques using drums, percussion instruments, found objects, and computer processing. His compositions include "Breath" (electroacoustic ballet score, 2017), "Guitar Breath" for middle school band and electronics (grades 1-2, 2016-2017), "Fresh Frozen Plasma" for 12 percussionists (2015), "Conduit" for 8 percussionists and electronics (2015), "Shared Shadow" (interactive musical video game, 2015), and "Mortal Coil," which was selected for production at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention and featured in an NPR interview. He received a Washburn University Creative and Scholarly Innovation Grant in 2015 for his composition "Duet for Multiple Percussion." Hansen has presented concerts and masterclasses at events including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Electronic Music Midwest, SEAMUS, Kansas and Oklahoma Days of Percussion, and the National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy. His performances encompass principal roles with Wichita Grand Opera and Opera Kansas, substitute with Wichita Symphony Orchestra, and solo recitals featuring works for percussion and electronics. Under his guidance, the Washburn University Percussion Group secured first place in the collegiate ensemble category at the 2023 Kansas Percussive Arts Society competition. He teaches courses such as applied percussion, composition, small ensembles, and History of American Rock & Roll.