2026 Guest Artist: Brett Hodge

Brett Hodge is a professional horn player and music educator based in Omaha, Nebraska. Since 2016, he has served as Principal Horn of the Omaha Symphony. In addition to his full-time orchestral role, Brett maintains a vibrant freelance and teaching career, performing regularly as a Guest Principal Horn and guest with some of the nation’s premier ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony, Saint Louis Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra.  

He also serves as Third Horn with the Grant Park Orchestra in Chicago, Illinois, and is one of the Principal Horns of the Lakes Area Music Festival in Brainerd, Minnesota, during the summer season.

Brett is an active contributor to the arts community in Omaha, currently serving on the board of both the Omaha Symphony and as the Vice President of the Omaha Chamber Music Society. As of Fall 2025, he assumed the role of Professor of Horn at the University of Nebraska–Omaha, where he teaches private lessons, leads the horn studio class, and facilitates brass masterclasses.

A lifelong devotee of classical music, Brett has cultivated a rich and multifaceted career over more than two decades. Beyond his orchestral work, he has appeared as a soloist with several distinguished ensembles, including the Omaha Symphony, Omaha Chamber Music Society, and Kansas City Symphony.

As an educator and clinician, Brett has served as a Contributing Artist at both the Mid-North Horn Workshop and Mid-South Horn Workshop, and has been a Featured Artist at Utah Horn Day, Louisiana Horn Day, and the Southwest Horn Workshop. He has also been a guest artist and lecturer at numerous institutions across the United States, including the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Kansas, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Columbus State University, University of Missouri–Kansas City, Utah State University, Utah Valley University, Brigham Young University, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Illinoi State University, and others.  

In 2019, Brett was awarded Second Prize in the Professional Division of the International Horn Competition of America.  Starting this year, Brett will join the Advisory Committee for the IHCA. 

He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, studying with Martin Hackleman.