ABOUT THIS WEBSITE

Michael Hopkins

Michael Hopkins is an Associate Professor in the Department of Music at the University of Vermont, where he conducts the University Symphony Orchestra and teaches courses in conducting, music technology, music education, and the psychology of music. Hopkins earned a Bachelor's Degree in music education from Colorado State University and a Masters and Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Michigan.

Hopkins is very active as a composer. His works have been performed by many Vermont ensembles, including Bella Voce Women's Chorus, Vermont Youth Sinfonia, Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble, the Burlington Choral Society, and Social Band. He has over 25 published works for orchestra. His music is published by Alfred Music Publishing, Grand Mesa Music , Tunbridge Music, and Kendor Music Publishing, Inc.

See a listing of Michael Hopkins' compositions at Lucks Music Library.

Hopkins has conducted the University of Vermont Symphony Orchestra since 1999. He is the founder and director of the Burlington Chamber Orchestra. Under his direction the young organization has received praise for their dynamic performances and rich musical interpretations. The Times Argus described his interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings by writing “The string sound was broad and rich and, led by Hopkins, the orchestra played the work with depth, passion and understanding.” The VT Times Sentinel described a BCO performance of Haydn Symphony no. 6 by writing, “the performance was impeccable, bringing this young but very exciting and already indispensable group of musicians and its conductor to a permanent place in the Burlington musical hierarchy.” He has appeared as a guest conductor at orchestra festivals in Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Nevada, Vermont, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Minnesota, and New York.

Visit Hopkins' YouTube channel to watch performances with the Burlington Chamber Orchestra.

As a double bassist, he has performed with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Hanover Chamber Orchestra, Burlington Choral Society and the Ft. Collins, Greeley , Cheyenne, and Ann Arbor symphony orchestras.

Hopkins began his career teaching high school and junior high orchestra and band in the Colorado public schools. He spent eight years as music director of the Michigan ASTA Junior High String Camp, and thirteen years on the faculty of the Rocky Mountain Summer Music Camp. During this time he developed a strong interest in string pedagogy. Hopkins is the author of the award winning WWW site, The String Pedagogy Notebook, a resource for string teachers and performers. The site has received over 100,000 visitors. It contains information on right and left hand technique, ear training, classroom and private teaching, as well as a list of books and information on string pedagogy. Hopkins has published articles in the Journal of Research in Music Education, American String Teacher and The Instrumentalist. He has served on the faculty of the American String Workshop, as the executive director for the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, and is past president of the Vermont chapter of the American String Teachers Association with National School Orchestra Association (ASTA with NSOA). Hopkins is a member of the American String Teachers Association, College Music Society, and American Music Center.

Credits

In addition to Professor Culver's course, a tremendous amount of information came to me through courses at the American String Workshops which were held in Ann Arbor, MI during June of 1992-1996

I received tremendous insight into my own playing from Stuart Sankey, Professor of Double Bass at the University of Michigan, who passed away in 2000.

I would also like to thank Carolyn Lukancic, John Dunlop, Bret Smith, James Froseth, Steve Reiley, Alec Mariani, Steve McNeal, Cameron Law, Lori Buonamici, Sandra Lascarro, Abby Alwin, Chris Hill, Anne Ogren, James Gross, Carol and Mark Palms, Anthony Stoops, Bob Phillips, Andy Dabcyzinski, Randy Sabien, and all the other great people with whom I have worked and learned so much from.

Special thanks to Roy Feldman for his assistance with the Care and Maintenance section and the staff of the Burlington Violin Shop. Thanks also to Joe Antoniolli, Graham Budd and Shirley Gedeon at the UVM Center for Teaching and Learning.

I created this website in response to an idea that all people in the world, regardless of where they live, can now get access to quality information about string pedagogy thanks to the internet. The inclusion of images and movies can help people who may not have access to a local expert. Since this website began in 1996, I have received feedback from every continent (except Antarctica!) It is my sincere hope that the information on this site will continue to help improve the quality of string teaching and learning throughout the world.

You may download and share the information contained on this website with your students. Please include the copyright information found on each page of this website. You may add a link from your website to this website. Unauthorized commercial distribution of the content from this website, or publication of this content on other websites, is prohibited.

I hope you enjoy visiting this WWW site. Please send me some feedback via email, if you have time.

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