Michael Hopkins

Michael Hopkins is Professor and Chair of Music Education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he teaches courses in string techniques, instrumental methods, research methods, and the psychology of music teaching and learning.

Prior to joining the U-M faculty, Hopkins was the conductor of the University of Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the founding director of the Burlington Chamber Orchestra, and director of middle and high school orchestras in Colorado, Michigan, and Vermont. He has been a guest conductor at over 60 orchestra festivals throughout the United States, and has given over 100 presentations at conferences on various topics in string education. He has composed and arranged over 100 published works for orchestra. His music is published by Alfred, Grand Mesa, Kendor, and Ludwig Masters, with 26 of his pieces receiving J.W. Pepper’s Editor’s Choice honorary distinction. His compositions have been commissioned by many schools and ensembles throughout the United States. Hopkins is the author of The Art of String Teaching, a string pedagogy resource published by GIA with a YouTube channel (@stringtechnique) containing 100 videos.

His research and pedagogical articles are published in the Journal of Research in Music Education, International Journal of Music Education, CRME Bulletin, Music Education Research, Journal of Music, Technology and Education, American String Teacher, String Research Journal, the Music Educators’ Journal and The Instrumentalist. He has served on the executive boards of the Vermont and Michigan chapters of ASTA and has served on several national ASTA committees.