Biography - Todd Goranson
4 minutes
Dr. Todd Goranson is Professor of Music at Messiah University, having served previously on the faculties of Texas A&M University-Commerce and Frostburg State University. He teaches applied saxophone and bassoon, undergraduate and graduate-level music theory small-group jazz and chamber music, as well as woodwind pedagogy coursework. He holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from West Virginia University, and Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees from the Lionel Hampton School of Music at the University of Idaho.
Lauded by Fanfare Magazine as an agile and characterful soloist, Goranson has enjoyed a performance career playing saxophone and bassoon in a wide variety of settings and genres. In addition to his own performing groups, he has appeared in concert with a diverse list of artists including Ray Charles, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Johnny Mathis, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Keith & Kristen Getty, Sandi Patti, and performed extensively with the Billy Price Band.
His orchestral bassoon credits include twenty professional orchestras in the US, China, and Mexico, and his saxophone engagements include performances with the Utah Symphony, Dallas Wind Symphony, Harrisburg Symphony, Plano Symphony, Philadelphia Wind Symphony, and many others. He has performed under acclaimed conductors including Thierry Fischer, John Nelson, Marvin Hamlisch, Jeremy Begbie, Michael Butterman, Larry Rachleff, Delta David Gier, Miriam Burns, and Jerry Junkin. Goranson served as principal bassoonist for the Plano Symphony and Irving Symphony, and was member of both orchestras from 2002-2012.
Goranson is a founding member of the Junction Saxophone Quartet, Triforia Winds and Trio Atlantis, and he has given recital performances and/or clinics at numerous conservatories, universities, and schools throughout the U.S. and in Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Malaysia, China, and Sweden. He joined the bassoon faculty of the MasterWorks Festival in summer 2015, and served as President of the Christian Performing Artists’ Fellowship & The MasterWorks Festival from 2017-2018.
He authored the book “New Latin American Music for Bassoon”, published by TrevCo Music, as well as articles for “The Double Reed”, “Scrapes” and ACAS (Australian Clarinet and Saxophone) Magazine. Goranson was also featured in recent articles in Vandoren USAs Wave publication and Umgas Magazine.
As a soloist and chamber musician, Dr. Goranson performed at the 2019, 2016, 2015 and 2013 International Saxophone Symposiums, the 2016 and 2014 NASA Biennial Symposiums, 2012 ICA ClarinetFest and the 2012 International Double Reed Society Conferences. Other solo and chamber performance venues for Goranson have included Zhengzhou University (China); SMM Sommarmusikskola in Jonkoping, Sweden; The Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico; Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand for the World Saxophone Congress XV; Birmingham Conservatoire in Birmingham, UK for IDRS 2009 Conference, and the Dallas Wind Symphony Summer Music Institute. Past solo and chamber performances have been broadcast live on KPBX and WRR radio. Goranson has additionally presented world premiere performances of works by composers including Rodolfo Ledesma, Daniel Adams, Johann Gund, Mattias Arveheim, Ted Hansen, Biljana Bozinovska-Bozivic, as well as North American or Asian premieres of pieces by Eduardo Morales-Caso, Noel Gallon, David Gillingham, and Catherine McMichael. Other commissioned/co-commissioned projects include works by James Stephenson, Katherine Hoover, Sy Brandon, and Bill Douglas.
Dr. Goranson has presented lectures on musician’s mental health (performance anxiety) and musculoskeletal injury prevention at universities and conferences throughout the United States, including the 2023 US Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium (George Mason University), Corban University (2021), University of North Dakota (2019), Converse College (2018), the 2015 TMEA Conference (San Antonio, TX), 2013 IDRS Conference (University of the Redlands) and 2012 NASA Biennial Symposium (Arizona State University).
In December 2022, Goranson completed an Associate of Science Degree in Registered Nursing to advance his mission in musicians mental/musculoskeletal health, He holds registered nursing license in Pennsylvania, as well as the Essentials of Performing Arts Medicine certification from the Performing Artists Medicine Association.
An active clinician and adjudicator, he currently adjudicates regularly for Music in the Parks Festivals, the ENKOR International Music Competition, and as a clinician for PMEA events. He served as a saxophone quartet and solo adjudicator for the Texas State Solo & Ensemble Competition from 2005-2012. He was the director/clinician for many TMEA and ATSSB region and area jazz ensembles and jazz festivals. He served two terms as the jazz representative for the College Music Society South Central Region Board, and founded and hosted the Northeast Texas Saxophone Symposium.
Dr. Goransons major teachers for saxophone include Robert W. Miller, Curtis Johnson and Barry Bergstrom, with additional studies with Andy Wen. His bassoon teachers have included Ronald Klimko, Terry Ewell, Susan Hess and Winston Collier. Goranson can be heard on his new saxophone CD release Cantilena on the Mark Masters label, as well as on Stained Glass Windows with the Messiah College Wind Ensemble on the Klavier label.