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James
F. Hopkins
James
F. Hopkins is
Emeritus Professor of Composition at the University of
Southern California Thornton School of Music. A native
of Pasadena, California, he received a Bachelor of Music
degree from U.S.C., a Master of Music from Yale, and
a Ph.D. from Princeton. Prior to returning to teach at
his alma mater in 1971, he served on the faculty at Northwestern
University. He studied composition with Halsey Stevens,
Quincy Porter and Edward T. Cone. Dr. Hopkins, an Associate
of the American Guild of Organists, has also studied
organ with Irene Robertson and Frank Bozyan. He retired
as Organist at the First United Methodist Church, Pasadena,
in 2003 after serving there for 24 years.
Dr.
Hopkins' compositions include seven symphonies, four concertos
- one each for two pianos, contrabass, organ, and piano and
violin - and several other large-scale works for orchestra
as well as many choral, solo instrumental, and chamber pieces.
He has received major commissions from the National Endowment
for the Arts, the Pasadena Chamber Orchestra, the University
of Southern California and the Orange County Philharmonic Society
as well as from numerous churches and educational institutions.
His Concierto de Los Angeles, commissioned for the
2004 National Convention of the American Guild of Organists,
was the first work heard in concert in the Walt Disney Concert
Hall.
In
1989, his Fantasy on 'Cortège et Litanie' of Marcel
Dupré won first prize in the international composition
contest sponsored by the Los Angeles Chapter of the American
Guild of Organists. Dr. Hopkins won the 1990 AGO/Möller
Prize in Choral Composition for The Peace Which Passeth
Understanding and a Fellowship from the California Arts
Council for 1991. He was named winner of the AGO-ECS Award
in Choral Composition in 1992 for his Welcome All Wonders.
In 1995 he received USC's Ramo Music Faculty Award for
his outstanding contribution to music and education. Dr. Hopkins
was Composer-in-Residence for the Pacific Chorale, 1996-98.
Among
ensembles and performers who have presented Dr. Hopkins' music
are the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony,
Pacific Chorale and Pacific Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Portland
Symphony, Washington Choral Society, American Repertory Singers,
Chicago Brass Quintet, Denver Symphony, Orquesta Ciudad de
Granada (Spain); organists Cherry Rhodes, David Higgs, Frederick
Swann, and Diane Meredith Belcher; the Western Arts Trio, and
the Fine Arts Quartet.
Organ
music by James F. Hopkins
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