Profile

Get to Know Me!

1. What do you like about teaching?

I didn’t always think of myself as a “teacher.” For a long time, I assumed teaching meant having all the answers, which felt like a risky position to claim. Over time, I’ve come to think it’s much more about asking the right questions—and creating an environment where students feel comfortable wrestling with them.

At its best, teaching is less about delivering information and more about drawing something out: curiosity, intuition, a sense of possibility. Students usually have more of that than they realize. My job is to help them notice it—and then give them the tools to do something with it.

I try to keep my classes rigorous but human. Music theory and counterpoint, in particular, have a reputation for being…character-building. But once students get past the initial resistance, there’s a moment where things start to click, and the depth of the music opens up in a different way. That moment is worth waiting for.

The field itself keeps evolving—music therapy, media scoring, production, arts leadership—and students are carving out paths that didn’t exist a generation ago. If I can help them develop the discipline and confidence to navigate that landscape (without losing their sense of why they started), that feels like meaningful work.

2. Who were your important teachers, mentors, or inspirations? What are some of your fondest memories of your musical education?

J. Christopher Pardini, my first organ teacher, had a habit of assigning repertoire that was clearly beyond my ability. At the time, this felt a little scary. In retrospect, it was exactly right. It forced me to stretch, fail productively, and recalibrate what I thought I could do.

I also had the chance to assist with his recording projects, which meant sitting just close enough to see how things actually work at a professional level—not the myth of it, but the detail.

Donald Neuen shaped things in a different but equally lasting way. As a high school student, I sat in on his rehearsals with the Hour of Power Choir with Robert Schuller in Garden Grove, not fully realizing who I was watching. What stayed with me wasn’t just the sound, but the way he worked—clear, direct, deeply invested, and overly generous with his time.

Years later, I studied with him more intensively, going through major choral works in almost obsessive detail—page by page, idea by idea. Those sessions recalibrated how I think about structure, pacing, and intention in rehearsal. I also accompanied his ensemble occasionally, which confirmed something simple but easy to forget: if the collaboration isn’t solid at the keyboard, everything else starts to go sideways!

3. What have been some of your struggles as a musician? What were your highest and lowest moments? Are there missed opportunities or decisions you regret?

In real time, it’s almost impossible to tell the difference between a missed opportunity and a necessary detour. I’ve had experiences—especially in higher education—where opportunities didn’t materialize the way I expected, or where things felt uneven or unclear.

At the time, those moments can feel definitive. They rarely are.

Looking back, many of the paths I thought I “missed” ended up redirecting me toward better collaborations, stronger communities, or work that felt more aligned. It’s not always efficient, but it tends to be meaningful.

Over time, I’ve become less interested in the external markers—prestige, scale, visibility—and more interested in the quality of the experience itself. Some of the most powerful musical moments I’ve had were in small rooms, with very few people, where the connection was immediate and unfiltered. No spotlight, no pretense—just the music, done well.

4. What is your favorite style of music? Favorite piece of music? What is one piece you couldn’t live without?

I’ve never been able to answer this cleanly, and I’m not especially motivated to try. But there are a handful of choral works I keep returning to, especially when I need to center myself:

• Rachmaninoff – Vespers
• Bach – Mass in B Minor
• Duruflé – Requiem
• Lauridsen – Lux Aeterna
• Vaughan Williams – Dona Nobis Pacem

They each do something slightly different, but they share a kind of depth and inevitability—harmonically, structurally, and emotionally. They also remind me why choral music matters in the first place: you take a group of people, ask them to listen closely, breathe together, and commit to something larger than themselves—and, occasionally, it works.

Professional Bio

DR. BRETT ALAN JUDSON is a California native whose journey through the world of music has been truly extraordinary. Boasting degrees from esteemed institutions like the Yale School of Music, Yale Institute of Sacred Music, Eastman School of Music, and Crystal Cathedral High School, Brett’s path is a testament to his passion for conducting and organ artistry. His most recent accolade is a doctoral degree in musical arts from The Hartt School, where he honed his conducting expertise under the mentorship of Edward Bolkovac. Brett’s dedication also led him to private studies with esteemed conductors Pamela Perry and Donald Neuen.

Currently a Lecturer at California State University, Sacramento, Brett is the Director of Choral Ensembles, mentors Graduate Choral Conducting students, teaches music theory (including Advanced Counterpoint), supervises graduate and student assistants, and is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse learning environment that values the contributions of all students, regardless of their backgrounds. His work centers on developing expressive, stylistically informed choral musicians through repertoire-driven pedagogy and collaborative ensemble practice. He teaches Advanced Choral Conducting at the undergraduate level and works closely with graduate conducting MM candidates.

As Director of Choral Ensembles, Dr. Judson leads a dynamic and growing choral program at Sacramento State. He directs the Sacramento State University Chorale and has guided the ensemble to significant regional recognition. Under his leadership, the ensemble was selected to participate in the inaugural Collegiate Consortium at the American Choral Directors Association Western Region Conference in San Jose, California (2026), marking a notable distinction for both the ensemble and the institution. At CSU, Sacramento, he has shared the podium for notable works such as Beethoven’s Mass in C, Handel’s Dixit Dominus, and Poulenc’s Gloria. Through his work with the Festival of New American Music, performances of winning choral compositions have been featured in 2023, 2024, and 2025, including the premiere of Scott Perkins’s Perfect Light.

Brett is an active clinician and adjudicator throughout Northern California, contributing to the musical and pedagogical development of secondary and collegiate choral programs. He has served as an adjudicator and clinician for the Modesto City Schools Music Festival (2025, 2026) and the Golden Empire Music Festival for the California Music Educators Association Capitol Section (2025, 2026). In addition, he has been engaged as an adjudicator for California Choral Directors Association High School Honor Choir auditions (2025), and as a festival clinician for the El Dorado County High School Festival (2025). His work as a guest clinician also includes residencies with Bear Creek High School in Stockton and St. Francis High School in Sacramento (2025), as well as collegiate outreach through clinics with Delta College Choir and Pasadena City College Choir at Sacramento State (2025), and a collaborative choir exchange with Sacramento City College Choir (2025).

As a sought-after presenter and educator, Brett has shared his expertise with the musical community in various settings. He presented a workshop on “Teaching Musicality in the Choral Setting” in 2023 for the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. In previous years, Brett led workshops on “Developing a Caring Music Ministry” (2021) and a choral reading session (2019), also for the Sacramento Valley AGO. Additionally, he delivered thirteen lectures on Christian Hymnody from 2020–2021 and seven lectures surveying sacred choral music in 2021, both in Folsom, CA.

Brett maintains an active profile in leadership and service within the School of Music and the broader choral community. He has served as a member of the School of Music Curriculum Committee since 2023 and was appointed to the Director’s Advisory Council in 2025. In his role as Director of Choral Ensembles, he oversees both graduate and student assistants within the choral area, contributing to the mentorship and professional development of emerging musicians. At the state level, he is actively engaged with the California Choral Directors Association and the California All-State Music Education Conference, where he has served as an accompanist for choral reading sessions in 2024, 2025, and 2026. His work also includes program development and partnerships, establishing and maintaining relationships with regional high school choral programs and leading community-engaged initiatives that connect collegiate and pre-collegiate singers through collaborative performances.

As Assistant Director of the New Haven Chorale, Brett helped prepare awe-inspiring performances of works such as J.C. Bach’s Magnificat, Charpentier’s Te Deum, Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus, and Orff’s Carmina Burana. At Emanuel Lutheran Church in Manchester, CT, he conducted renditions of Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, Chilcott’s A Little Jazz Mass, Schütz’s Passion According to St. John, and Handel’s Messiah.

As an educator, Brett taught English Diction and directed the Hartt Camerata at The Hartt School. His musical journey extended internationally as an assistant conductor with the Connecticut Choral Union Touring Choir, leading performances in Prague and Budapest. Innovation is exemplified by his collaboration with award-winning composer Scott Perkins, who he commissioned to compose five sacred choral anthems. Notably, Brett undertook a major recording project with the Gothic Label in 2020, showcasing the premiere recording of Scott Perkins’s A New England Requiem and other sacred anthems.

Brett is passionate in his role as Director of Music at Trinity Church, Episcopal, a thriving parish in Folsom, California. He enthusiastically directs two adult choirs and a children’s choir. In 2019, he founded the Folsom Academy of Music, nurturing young musical talents in Folsom’s historic district.

Brett’s conducting journey is grounded by his accomplishments in organ artistry. Brett received the Barnes Award for Excellence in Pipe Organ at Eastman and was a finalist in the 2010 Poister Organ Competition. He has appeared on the international television program Hour of Power with Robert H. Schuller and the radio broadcast Pipedreams! Under the guidance of J. Christopher Pardini, David Goode, Wayne Foster, William Porter, and Martin Jean, he has performed at esteemed venues across the US and Norway, including Grace Cathedral (San Francisco, CA), Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (Los Angeles, CA), First Congregational Church (Los Angeles, CA), St. Thomas Church (New York, NY), St. Patrick’s Cathedral (New York, NY), Central Synagogue (Manhattan, NY), Bergen Cathedral (Bergen, Norway), and Stavanger Cathedral (Stavanger, Norway). He has coached with noted organists David Higgs, Fred Swann, and Paul Jacobs.

Brett’s research includes a notable exploration of American composer Stephen Paulus’s Visions from Hildegard. His essay documents the genesis of the triptych’s first part, commissioned by the American Guild of Organists and premiered by the Robert Shaw Festival Singers, with subsequent commissions by the Dale Warland Singers and Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia. Analyzing interviews with Paulus, including those recorded by Michael Barone for Pipedreams, Brett brings new insights into Paulus’s forgotten work. A thorough analysis of Paulus’s libretto, based on Hildegard von Bingen’s poetry and its translations, provides a comprehensive look into the textual and musical structure of the triptych. The musical analysis of part one of the triptych examines melody, harmony, rhythm, and form, offering a deeper understanding of Paulus's unique musical language.

Brett is a member of several professional organizations: American Guild of Organists (AGO), American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Ralph Vaughan Williams Society, Association of Lutheran Church Musicians (ALCM), Association of Anglican Musicians (AAM), Chorus America, International Federation of Choral Music (IFCM), National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO), and National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).

Looking ahead, Brett remains deeply committed to exploring new works and collaborations that reflect the evolving landscape of choral music. He is particularly interested in commissioning works from underrepresented composers and expanding the repertoire to include a wider range of voices and cultural traditions. Beyond the podium, Brett's leadership roles in the American Guild of Organists and the American Choral Directors Association reflect his commitment to musical excellence. He is a compassionate Stephen Leader, trained by Stephen Ministries, dedicated to impacting lives through caring ministry. His roles as a continuing education director and supervision coordinator underscore his service as an active member at Trinity Church. Beyond his musical pursuits, Brett resides in Sacramento, California, with hobbies including weightlifting and tennis.

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