Christopher Hopkins
Associate Professor of Music
Web site
Christopher Hopkins is a composer, performer, and researcher
in human-computer interaction. His work includes compositions in both experimental
and traditional forms, with special interests respectively in electroacoustic
music and dialectics of historical and contemporary forms. His research in human-computer
interaction coordinates sound synthesis with 3-D haptic virtual reality (VE-SoundSynth).
Among recently completed works are Arched Interiors for bowed piano and electroacoustic orchestration (1991, for Margaret Leng Tan, rev.2008), Touché (2009) for clarinets
and electroacoustic orchestration (for Clarion
Synthesis),and a concert version of The Animus Winds for flute and electroacoustic sound. Current work is The Dream Labyrinth for organ with
electroacoustic sound (for Gary Verkade) and Eleven Pieces of Wood for percussion ensemble with electroacoustic orchestration. Recent research related to composition and contemporary
music includes computer-assisted techniques for composition using inharmonic
spectra, phonological description of unusual performance techniques, and innovative
computer-based musical notations. He is on the board of directors of the Society
for Electroacoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS)
as Director of Conferences.
Hopkins holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Cornell University, where
his principal mentors were Karel Husa (composition) and John Hsu (performance),
and a Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he
studied with Donald Erb and Eugene O'Brien. His compositions have been performed
at major festivals in Basel, Grenoble, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Melbourne, New York,
Tanglewood, Toronto, Vienna, and Zürich. His music has also been heard in recent SEAMUS national conferences and from concert stages in England, Holland, and Switzerland. Media broadcasts including his work have been heard over the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Östereichischer
Rundfunk, Radio Canada, WNYC, and Public Radio International. He works appear
on the Innova and SEAMUS labels.
Dr. Hopkins is also a 'cellist, conductor, and violist da gamba. His repertoire
spans the sixteenth through the twentieth centuries, with special interests
in Baroque solo and consort pieces in addition to recent avante garde works
including electronics and experimental instrumental techniques. He has been
the director/conductor of contemporary music ensembles at Cornell University
and the Cleveland Institute of Music, as well as guest conductor with professional
new music ensembles. He was on the faculty of the 2008
Conclave of the Viola da Gamba Society of America.
For Iowa State, Dr. Hopkins has developed a Minor
in Music Technology, an Integrated
Electronic Arts Cluster for Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies, and courses
in composition and
music technology. He is coordinator for the Lipa
Festival of Contemporary Music and hosted the 2007
national conference of SEAMUS. He is on the faculty of the graduate program
in Human-Computer Interaction.
Prior to joining the faculty of Iowa State University in 2004, Dr. Hopkins taught
at the University of Illinois, the University of Minnesota, and Syracuse University,
offering courses in composition, music theory, electroacoustic music, music
technology, and interdisciplinary courses in digital arts.
Quick Links:
Sample Compositions
2008 Lipa Festival:
Convergences-Electronic Sound and Musical Performance
SEAMUS 2007 @ISU
VE-SoundSynth Project
Music Tech at ISU and Minor
in Music Technology
Integrated
Electronic Arts Cluster (Integrated Graduate Studies)
Graduate Program in Human-Computer Interaction
253 Music Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011
515.294.0396
