Sidney Hopson
Percussion

At 17 years of age, Sidney is in his senior year of college in the Flora L. Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, majoring in Percussion Performance, with a minor in Conducting studies and Russian. He transferred to USC from Long Beach City College in August of 2005 where at the age of 14, he completed an Associate of Arts degree in Instrumental Music Performance, as well as a Certificate of Completion in Music Pedagogy.
 
He is active as a performer and educator, teaching both private and group music lessons in the Los Angeles and Long Beach Unified School Districts.  He is on faculty at the Neighborhood Music School in Boyle Heights (the oldest private music conservatory in California) as instructor of percussion, woodwinds, piano, and elementary voice.  He has taught and participated in over 50 various music education and outreach programs throughout California, including USC’s Thornton Outreach Program.

In addition to his career as a percussionist, he performs avidly as a freelance pianist and oboist with various chamber and large ensembles throughout Southern California.  He has been featured as guest soloist with the Long Beach City College Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Chamber Orchestras, the Long Beach City Jazz Big Band, Long Beach Community Orchestra and the Santa Monica College Wind Ensemble.  He as performed on stage with ensembles and artists such as: The Long Beach Municipal Band, Monica Mancini, Burt Bacharach, Dave Koz, and Robert Mann, in addition to performing under the baton of world-renowned conductors such as Carl St. Clair (Pacific Symphony Orchestra) and Leslie B. Dunner (Joffrey Ballet Orchestra).