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Sarah Hopkins : Represented Artist

Random Audio Sample: Koo-lay-ma by Sarah Hopkins, from the CD Shining


Photo of Sarah Hopkins

Photo: Wayne Petty

Sarah Hopkins is a unique Australian composer-performer, highly acclaimed for her visionary music and inspiring performances for cello, harmonic overtone singing, handbells, choir and the celestial Harmonic Whirlies of her own creation.

With a strong background and training in classical music, over the years she has moved into the realm of holistic music and developed a very distinctive compositional voice. Her solo, ensemble, choral and orchestral compositions demonstrate an expansive and pure musical style which resonates with the space and energy of the Australian landscape as well as the inner landscape of the human psyche.

Hopkins' most well known works are Past Life Melodies for a cappella choir, Honour the Earth as your Mother for choir, orchestra & didgeridoo, & Reclaiming the Spirit for ensemble with harmonic whirly. Past Life Melodies is currently the most performed Australian choral piece in the USA & has become a standard repertoire piece for many choirs around the world. Past Life Melodies & Honour the Earth as your Mother were performed at the Woodford Folk Festivals (Qld) in 2004 & 2006 to audiences of over 30,000 people.

In 2003 & 2005 Hopkins was commissioned by the Queensland Music Festival to compose two 30 minute works for choir & orchestra: Childers Shining (2003) & Childers Shining: One World (2005). Both productions received standing ovations from the entire audience. Hopkins has since been honoured by having a new rural housing estate near Childers named after her composition Childers Shining.

Hopkins lives in Brisbane and tours both nationally and internationally, performing her own music, running workshops in Harmonic Overtone Singing and Music for the Heart & Soul, and working as an artist-in-residence. Since 1981 she has represented Australia at prestigious events in America, Europe and South East Asia and has toured extensively as a cultural ambassador for the Australian Government. Highlights include: World Expo 2000, Germany; Opening Ceremony of the 4th World Athletic Championships, Germany; Millennium Concert, New Zealand; & Singapore Arts Festival (2006).

Hopkins' Sky Song music, co-composed with Alan Lamb, was featured on Australia's Olympic 2000 bid CD.

Sarah's Harmonic Whirlies – beautiful musical instruments and powerful vibrational healing tools – are available worldwide along with her CD recordings Honour the Earth, Reclaiming the Spirit, Shining, Sky Song (with Alan Lamb): Australia: Sound of the Earth (with Steve Roach and David Hudson); and Sounds of Global Harmony (a unique collaboration with the Gyuto Monks of Tibet, Anne Norman and Chris Neville).

Hopkins' music is published by Morton Music & Music for the Soul.


Biography provided by the composer — current to November 2007

Studied with

Richard David Hames

 

Selected Commissions

  Work Commission Details
Digital sheet music sample Ancient forests once stood here : for orchestra, harmonic whirlies and optional didjeridu, plus optional SATB or male voice choir (2009) Originally commissioned by the Birralee Blokes for Pemulwuy! National Male Voice Festival, Brisbane 2008.
Many lives, many songs : for treble voice choir and harmonic whirlies (2007) Commissioned by Vox Femina Los Angeles
Infinite calm : for SATB divisi choir a cappella or accompanied (2005) Composed as part of the Childers Shining: One World commission from the Queensland Music Festival
Infinite calm (satb choir with chamber orchestra) (2005) Composed as part of the Childers Shining: One World commission from the Queensland Music Festival
Digital sheet music sample Five pieces for wind quintet, from Childers shining : wind quintet (2003) 'Childers shining' was commissioned by the Queensland Biennial Festival of Music
Aura swirl : percussion ensemble (1986) Composed for the Nightcliff High School Handbell Choir (an Artists-in-Schools project)

Analysis & Media

Book: Women of note : the rise of Australian women composers / Rosalind Appleby.

Book: An investigation into the relationship between the experiences, philosophy and cello compositions of composer/performer Sarah Hopkins / by Lynne Backstrom.

- Video: Sarah Hopkins: Honour the earth

- Video: Honour the earth as your mother

- Video: There is beauty everywhere

- Video: Koo-lay-ma

- Video: Journey to the east

- Video: When the time is right, by Sarah Hopkins

- Video: Cooli cooli koo-pay-ya, by Sarah Hopkins

- Video: Infinite calm, by Sarah Hopkins

- Video: Blessings for world peace, by Sarah Hopkins

- Video: Be the joy, by Sarah Hopkins

- Video: Freedom flows, by Sarah Hopkins

- Video: Rise to the rhythm, by Sarah Hopkins

- Video: Ancient forests once stood here, by Sarah Hopkins