John Frederick Hudson has received many accolades for his dynamic, passionate, and expressive style as a conductor, composer, and pianist. Hudson has previously collaborated with Dr. James Jordan on Inside the Choral Rehearsal: Method and Rehearsal Guide (2015).

As a regular guest conductor with the Aberdeen Sinfonietta Orchestra, Hudson was commissioned for an exciting 20 minute work, Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra, also conducting the premiere performance. In addition, Hudson was commissioned by the Con Anima Chamber Choir to compose and conduct the premiere of Epitaphs of War — a 25 minute meditation for Remembrance marking the 100th anniversary of the armistice of World War I. “Hudson had given it so much care, attention and often startling imagination” remarked music critic Alan Cooper. Recently, Hudson was commissioned by a festival in Aix-en-Provence to set the Oscar Wilde text, VITA NUOVA, for chorus, orchestra and soloist. The premiere received much acclaim.

Hudson is currently the Artistic Manager of the John Armitage Memorial Trust (JAM). JAM is a creative, forward-thinking multi-arts organisation with the purpose of supporting new artists — regularly collaborating with some of the most important artists and performers in the UK. In addition, he is a conductor and founding supporter of Opera Festival Scotland, which in collaboration with the RSNO (Royal Scottish National Orchestra), provides professional operatic performances and education to the northeast of Scotland.  Hudson has regularly taught in Oxford at the Choral Conducting Symposium alongside James Jordan and James Whitbourn. Hudson has collaborated as the piano soloist premiering Paul Mealor’s Piano Concerto with the London Mozart Players. Hudson also serves on the board of the Same Stream — a professional choral ensemble with Grammy-nominated conductor, James Jordan.

Hudson has both performed in the BBC Proms as well as assisted Simon Halsey in the preparation for Verdi’s Requiem with Marin Alsop and for Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with Donald Runnicles. Hudson has also performed at the Spoleto Festival, American’s premiere international performing arts festival, as well as serving as répétiteur and chorus manager for Joseph Flummerfelt and Joe Miller for the festivals’ operas and major choral-orchestral works including the North American premiere of Phillip Glass’ Kepler. Additionally, Hudson was awarded a full scholarship as a conducting fellow at multiple Oregon Bach Festivals, firstly with Helmuth Rilling and secondly with Matthew Halls, both of which focused on the masterworks of JS Bach. Hudson has also conducted the UK premiere of Jake Heggie’s To Hell and Back, a chamber opera, with Spectrum Contemporary Music Ensemble which he founded and served as principal conductor. His further musical involvement includes his Scottish conducting debut with the Con Anima Choir and Orchestra in Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem with English soprano Judith Howarth; an iconic 20th century programme conducting Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue from the piano paired with Ravel’s Bolero and Stravinsky’s Firebird (1919) with the University of Aberdeen Symphony Orchestra; and as musical director and conductor for the Aberdeen Opera Society in a productions of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. During his time in Scotland, Hudson also served as the Director of Music of the Choir of King’s College, Aberdeen and as organist to the University of Aberdeen. As a conductor, Hudson has studied with nationally acclaimed conductors such as James Jordan, Gary Graden, Joe Miller, Amanda Quist, Jerry Blackstone, Matthew Halls, Andrew Megill, and Charles Bruffy. He has also performed under significant conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Gustavo Dudamel, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Andris Nelsons, Daniel Barenboim, Alan Gilbert and Esa-Pekka Salonen.

The music of John Frederick Hudson has been performed by various ensembles throughout the world including in New York, London, across the UK and other countries in Europe; in addition, his music has been presented at both the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and the British Choral Directors Association (BCDA).  With his PhD focus being in opera composition, Hudson composed and conducted the world premiere of Demimondaine, a modern chamber opera in collaboration with librettist James K Mitchell. As an arranger, Hudson has arranged and performed many Scottish folksongs for various members of the British royal family as well as also working personally with recording artist Sheryl Crow for a special benefit concert in New York City honoring The Beatles. Hudson is highly commissioned as a composer and has many publications on his website John Frederick Hudson Music, and with publishers GIA Publications, Ty Cerdd, and Beckenhorst Press.

As a pianist, Hudson has performed for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle in a celebration marking her as the longest reigning monarch and recently performed for His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace for a private event celebrating the 10th anniversary of Dumfries House. As a répétiteur, he regularly coaches singers, accompanies for symphonic and opera choruses, collaborates in chamber music, and also specializes in early music ensembles having worked with Tenebrae.

Hudson completed his PhD studies in music composition with ‘royal composer’ Professor Paul Mealor at the University of Aberdeen, where he was generously supported by the Derek Ogston Postgraduate Music Scholarship, with guest tutors Sir James MacMillan and James O’Donnell. Hudson earned a Bachelor’s degree in piano performance before turning to composition for his Master’s degree studying with Dan Forrest.  He completed a second Master’s degree in choral conducting, graduating with distinction from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey.