Equally at home on the concert stage as in a theatre pit, conductor and pianist Chris Hopkins works across many disciplines from symphony concerts and opera to solo playing (this season includes Beethoven, Mozart and Shostakovich piano concertos directed from the keyboard) and collaborating across various platforms with artists in all genres.
He is a frequent face at English National Opera, recently conducting the new Olivier Award-nominated production of HMS Pinafore following from previous acclaimed performances of La Boheme, The Mikado, Iolanthe, The Magic Flute, and others. He returns this season to conduct La Boheme and Yeomen of the Guard, alongside debuts with various other companies.
He is principal conductor of English Sinfonia and Orchestra of the City and has worked at the Royal Opera House and Glyndebourne Opera, with Grange Park Opera, Opera de Paris, on record with English Chamber Orchestra, on other projects with Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Crash Ensemble, London Mozart Players, Birdgang Ltd, and appeared at many festivals including Aldeburgh, Presteigne, Cubitt Sessions and Latitude.
Chris holds a Masters with distinction in British Music and completed his studies at the Royal Academy of Music with Leverhulme and Elton John scholarships. He has premiered works by composers including Ruth Gipps, Colin Matthews, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, David Matthews, Rob Keeley, Thomas Hyde, Detlev Glanert, Gilad Hochman and the Pet Shop Boys.
Chris has performed throughout the UK, in the US, Asia and extensively in Europe as well as live and recorded appearances on BBC 1, Classic FM and BBC Radio 2, 3 and 4.
Chris was honoured in 2013 to be made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.