Brian S. Wilson

Office

Advising Area

• BA in Music
• Instrumental Performance
• Minor in Music

About

BRIAN SCOTT WILSON was born in the city of Lynn, Massachusetts. Son of an accountant, Brian began his musical life with trombone lessons in the fourth grade and piano lessons in the seventh. He discovered his love of composing and conducting as a member of the brass choir at St. Joseph Catholic Church, where he received lessons in music theory and counterpoint from Fr. David Gallagher. Wilson studied Jazz Piano with Jaki Byard at Hartt College of Music and received his Bachelor's degree in Composition and Music Education, with distinction in performance, from New England Conservatory. Graduate study in Chicago led to a Master's in Composition and Theory from the University of Chicago. Wilson received a Doctorate in Music Arts in Instrumental Conducting and Composition from the University of Arizona, Tucson. His principal teachers include Malcolm Peyton, Edward Diamente, Dan Asia, Ralph Shapey and Shulamit Ran (composition); and Barbara Schubert, Michael Walters, Gregg Hanson and Kurt Klippstater (conducting). Wilson participated in conducting master classes with Frederick Fennell and Sergiu Commissiona.

Born with a love a teaching, Brian has educated people of all ages and abilities. From his first job teaching elementary through high school music, he began a 20-year association with the University of Detroit Classic Theatre Study Abroad program. As music director, he composed and conducted his original music for modern adaptations of Classical Greek plays. He served as director of bands at Hartwick College (NY) from 1992-2001 and then joined the faculty of California State University–Sonoma (SSU) as director of bands and music education. He served as music department chair for over a decade and is currently head of music theory. Additionally, he has taught conducting, orchestration, brass methods, survey of music history; private instruction in piano, jazz piano, trombone, composition, counterpoint, orchestration and arranging, and led festival ensembles in New York, New England, Pennsylvania and Northern California. He is the former Director of Jewish Studies at SSU where he curated a Jewish Music Series from 2015-2025.

Wilson's book, Orchestrational Archetypes in Percy Aldridge Grainger’s Wind Band Music, analyzes Grainger's distinctive musical voice, then "dishes up" three of Grainger's voice and piano pieces for wind band, applying the same hallmarks of that composer's orchestrational style. Finding inspiration from such diverse figures as Igor Stravinsky, Charles Mingus and Edgard Varèse, Wilson has composed more than 175 works including four operas, four symphonies, chamber works, choral/vocal pieces and jazz tunes. The Avanti Feels Glued to the Road Even When Cruising at 100 MPH! for solo trombone and percussion won the 1998 International Trombone Association Composition Competition. Recent premieres include Symphony 4 "Ithaka"; Ancient Calls and Echoes for flute, horn and piano; "Ma Tovu" for baritone; A Modal Menagerie for solo piano; and Elements for piano, violin, cello and clarinet. His musical style employs logical pacing, brilliantly effective scoring, and harmonic elements from the classical, jazz, and occasionally, liturgical idioms. 

Wilson has travelled the globe as guest composer and conductor with performances in Anguilla (the Caribbean), Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Estonia, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan. He resides in Rohnert Park, California, with his wife Ruth, two cats, and several dozen goldfish.

For more information visit brianswilson.com