This fall semester, the LSU School of Music welcomes its new assistant professor of voice, Brandon Hendrickson. After instructing for six years at the University of South Dakota, Hendrickson, a University alumnus, has returned to continue teaching as well as performing.
Hendrickson brings with him a résumé of operatic, vocal and teaching experience he plans to use in his instruction.
Not only did Hendrickson always have music around in his childhood home, but his mother, father and sister are all music educators.
“One could say I was just born and bred for music education,” Hendrickson said.
Outside of general music education, Hendrickson has a particular passion for operatic performance, which he says began his freshman year at Simpson College in Iowa. Coincidentally, it was the same university where he learned about what he describes as “the greatness of LSU.”
Operatic performance not only involves singing, but also includes pieces of dialogue, costumes, scenery and sometimes dancing. These performances are typically accompanied by an orchestra and are performed in an opera house.
Hendrickson says that associate professor Dugg McDonough, the artistic director of LSU Opera, would come during the summer to assist with the vocal festival season in Indianola, Iowa. After meeting McDonough, Hendrickson decided to pursue his graduate degree at the University from 2004-2006 and then go on to complete his doctorate in 2010.
“It’s truly an honor to be serving with a faculty of this nature,” Hendrickson says. “[I hope] to be able to give what I can and share my knowledge with the students here and continue to learn while I’m here as a faculty member.”
The LSU School of Music expects professors to continue practicing their craft in addition to teaching in the classroom, something Hendrickson is happy to oblige. He adds that, coming into the semester, he already has about one performance lined up per month and plans to actively audition for more in places like New York City.
“I hope to bring, through the different performances that I have around the country, a network back to the students here, the knowledge that I’m gaining on those performances, different performance ideas, styles and techniques, while I’m meeting with different performers around the world,” Hendrickson said.
Although Hendrickson carries a lengthy résumé packed with a variety of performances, he said his favorite moments are when he sees the impact of his teaching on students. As much as he loves to perform, he is an educator at his core.
Upon his move back to Baton Rouge last week, Hendrickson lost his car and the home he was slated to buy in last week’s historic flood. But Hendrickson said, “much of the beauty of southern Louisiana is in her people.”
As he puts it, it is the joie de vivre, or the exuberant enjoyment of life, that provides a source of inspiration.
“The culture’s great, the food’s great, there are lots of artistic opportunities down here, but the beauty truly lies within her people,” Hendrickson said.
