Holland Hopson

A banjo player and composer for the 21st century, Holland Hopson draws upon his Alabama roots and melds traditional old-time clawhammer banjo technique with live, interactive electronics. His performances and recordings have been praised by publications including The New York Times and The Wire, and he has been called “a must-see performer” and a “musical treasure” by Metroland. 

This extraordinary multi-media showcase will bridge the gap between traditional folk and modern technology with Hopson’s unique take on Appalachian music, enhanced with live, improvisational dancing from local performers and vivid, abstract video created by Hopson himself.

After the performance, Hopson will give a Q&A and demonstration of his one-of-a-kind custom-made banjo, equipped with pressure sensors, Arduino microcontrollers, photoresistors and more, which will inspire musicians, instrument inventors and people of all ages in the maker community.

As an instrumentalist, Hopson performs on clawhammer banjo, soprano saxophone and electronics. He has held residencies at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, Florida; STEIM, Amsterdam; Experimental Music Studios, Krakow and Katowice, Poland; Sonic Arts Research Studio, Vancouver, Canada; LEMURPlex, Brooklyn; and Harvestworks Digital Media Arts, New York where he developed a sound installation based on Marcel Duchamp’s sculpture, With Hidden Noise.

An avid phonographer, Hopson has recorded sounds on five continents and in over a dozen countries. Hopson’s latest solo recording is Post & Beam, a collection of traditional and original songs arranged for banjo and live electronics. The Albany Times-Union called Post & Beam “a haunting, often mesmerizing album of old songs and new sounds.”

Holland Hopson website: hollandhopson.com

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/267365560778376/