Brandon DeanFaculty

Jon and Anita Thomsen Young Distinguished Endowed Chair in Music and Conductor of the Gustavus Choir in Music - Ensembles

Dr. Brandon Dean serves as the Jon and Anita Thomsen Young Distinguished Endowed Chair in Music and Conductor of the Gustavus Choir. In addition to his conducting duties, he also teaches beginning and advanced conducting, coordinates the vocal music education program, and serves as music director for Christmas in Christ Chapel. Dr. Dean received the 2014 Swenson-Bunn Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence. Prior to his appointment at Gustavus in 2011, Dr. Dean completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Frequently appearing as a conductor, clinician, and adjudicator, Dr. Dean recently served on the international panel of adjudicators for the World Choir Games. Recent guest conducting engagements include the National Conducting Symposium with the Vancouver Chamber Choir and the Midwest American Honor Choir. Dr. Dean is a past winner of the Nebraska Choral Director’s Association Graduate Scholarship in Choral Conducting and prepared the University of Nebraska opera chorus for The Bohemian Girl, which won the Best Choral Presentation Award at the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera.

Dr. Dean is actively involved in several professional choral organizations and has served as the Chair of Youth and Student Activities for the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota and has held the same position for the North Central Division of the American Choral Directors Association. He holds professional affiliations with the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO), National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), and Chorus America.   

In addition to the DMA degree in conducting from CCM, Dr. Dean holds the MM degree in choral conducting from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the BA degree in vocal music education from Luther College. He has studied with Weston Noble, Tim Peter, Sandra Peter, Peter Eklund, Earl Rivers, Brett Scott, and Elmer Thomas. After receiving the MM degree, he was the Director of Choral Activities at Ankeny High School (Iowa) from 2003-2008.

Interests

Board Games, Tolkien, Boating, and Golf


Courses Taught

MUS-156 (Gustavus Choir) and MUS-385 (Choral Conducting)

Past
Synonym Title Times Taught Terms Taught
MUS-151 Lucia Singers 34 2022/FA, 2019/SP, 2018/FA, 2018/SP, 2017/FA, 2017/SP, 2016/FA, 2016/SP, 2015/FA, 2015/SP, 2014/FA, 2014/SP, 2013/FA, 2013/SP, 2012/FA, 2012/SP, and 2011/FA
MUS-155 Choir of Christ Chapel 32 2019/SP, 2018/FA, 2018/SP, 2017/FA, 2017/SP, 2016/FA, 2016/SP, 2015/FA, 2015/SP, 2014/FA, 2014/SP, 2013/FA, 2013/SP, 2012/FA, 2012/SP, and 2011/FA
MUS-156 Gustavus Choir 25 2024/JN, 2023/FA, 2023/JN, 2022/FA, 2022/SP, 2022/JN, 2021/FA, 2021/SP, 2021/JN, 2020/FA, 2020/SP, 2020/JN, and 2019/FA
MUS-141 Keyboard Accompanying 7 2019/SP, 2018/FA, 2018/SP, 2017/FA, and 2017/SP
MUS-111 Music Theory I 6 2015/FA, 2014/FA, 2013/FA, 2012/FA, and 2011/FA
MUS-152 Saint Ansgar's Chorus 6 2013/SP, 2012/FA, and 2012/SP
MUS-154 Contemp Vocal Ensemble 5 2017/FA, 2017/JN, and 2016/FA
MUS-378 Choral Music Methods 4 2019/SP, 2018/SP, 2017/SP, and 2016/SP
MUS-390 Senior Music Capstone 4 2019/SP, 2018/FA, 2018/SP, and 2017/FA
MUS-140 Keyboard Accompany I 4 2018/FA and 2017/FA
MUS-380 Basic Conducting 3 2022/FA, 2020/FA, and 2019/FA
MUS-395 Honors in Performance 3 2019/SP, 2018/FA, and 2017/FA
MUS-102 Music of World Cultures 3 2014/SP, 2013/SP, and 2012/SP
MUS-385 Choral Conducting 2 2022/SP and 2020/SP
MUS-100 Show Choir Tech 2 2015/JN and 2013/JN
MUS-202 Choral Music Literature 1 2014/SP