Staff Member Dawn Bruch sat down with Ian Hodges to learn about the man behind the music.
Faculty member Dr. Ian Hodges is no stranger to hard work, perseverance and versatility. As a child Ian said he wanted to “be a professional athlete or a rock star. Once I realized there was no professional soccer league in Canada, I focused my efforts more on music.” His determination was exemplified at the age of 14; Ian worked two paper routes to be able to afford his first guitar. He then spent the next ten years focusing on rock, blues, country and jazz, and began performing professionally at the age of 17. Within a few years Ian achieved “the rock star dream”, touring Canada with rock, jazz, fusion and country bands.
Ian left the “touring musician” world to study classical guitar at the University of Manitoba. He spent the next twenty years studying and working professionally in the classical music community. “I had the opportunity to study with 3 great teachers – privately with Norbert Kraft in Toronto, with Bruce Holzman at Florida State University, and with Jeff Van at the University of Minnesota. I am grateful for what I learned. More than one great musician had suggested that it was important to have a broad perspective, that studying with different teachers was of tremendous value, and I experienced that first hand.”
Ian has an extended classical guitar tour of Manitoba and Saskatchewan coming up this April. When I asked if he got nervous before a performance, he had this to say, “Only if there has not been enough time to prepare properly. If I have done my work, then it is excitement as much as anything. I love to play music for an audience. I do prefer playing with a group or ensemble – I like the larger sound and the social interaction. “Ian’s advice on dodging nerves is very practical: “prepare thoroughly- if you know you can play the music, the nerves are not that bad.” He advises musicians of all levels to have “practice performances” in order to prepare for competitions, exams and auditions.
Ian’s scheduled performances motivate him to keep practicing. If he is preparing for a classical guitar gig, he tries to get three hours of practice in a day for months before the performance. What a great example of dedication for our MCMA students!
The example that Ian sets for our students is nothing new. As a high school student, Ian’s friends discovered his natural understanding of the guitar and frequently asked for help. Ian discovered his ability for teaching through this experience and began his long teaching career at the tender age of 17! Ian’s perspective of the influence of a teacher is a good one: “I fully understand the larger role that a good teacher can play in a student’s life – we can function as a mentor, a role model, and we can introduce a student to great music that they may not encounter otherwise. I have been inspired by the many great teachers that I have encountered over the years, and hope to offer my own hard-won knowledge and experience to my community.”
We are so lucky to have Dr. Ian Hodges as a part of the MCMA faculty. If you would like to see Ian play, keep your ear to the ground this spring and summer. Ian plays frequently at the Current, McNally Robinson and Mardi Jazz.
Check out what Ian is listening to: