Bret Hoag is an instructor of guitar at Oakland University. Bret holds a bachelor’s degree in guitar performance from Oberlin Conservatory, a master’s degree in guitar performance from Indiana University. Previously, Bret was on faculty at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, as well as the University of Indianapolis. Principal teachers include Steve Aron and Ernesto Bitetti.

Bret has performed across the Midwest, New York and New England. In 1994, Bret played for the televised opening of the Montreux-Detroit Jazz Festival, and in 1998 he performed on Fox Channel 8 in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2002 Bret performed Kurtag’s Grabstein für Stefan with the Indiana University Chamber Orchestra. Bret has premiered various works for contemporary composers, most notably music of Anthony Lanman, Mitsuhito Ogino, and Rafael Hernandez. In 2005, Bret won the prestigious Innovative Artist Award, presented by the department of music at IUPUI.

Bret’s interests include guitar pedagogy for the advanced guitar student as well as for the beginning guitarist. Besides teaching at Oakland University, Bret is also writing a class method book with DVD accompaniment, performing new works for guitar by John Hall and Mutsuhito Ogino, and composing and arranging new pieces for guitar ensemble.