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What's a long-time folkie, a "pre-boomer" more at home with a century-old mandolin than an iMac, doing on the web? Well, I hope to give you an introduction to my music, a current performance calendar, a few bits of bio, an opportunity to write me or even book me, plus the odd morsel of miscellany. Oddly enough, one of the things I've always loved about folk music, in the 40 years I've been playing it, is its intimacy — the lack of distance between performer and audience. Here, in the paradoxical one-on-one closeness of our impersonal electronic community, we can talk directly.

I play folk music — American traditional, Celtic instrumental, a bit of Yiddish, blues, bluegrass, old timey, and contemporary. With varying degrees of expertise, I handle guitar, banjo, mandolins of all sizes, Autoharp, English concertina, harmonica, bass (acoustic and electric), Dobro, Appalachian dulcimer, ukulele, and other odd instruments from tiple to kalimba. I perform in a variety of groups, and coordinate performances by many of my musical friends. I've participated in over a dozen recordings, played many a concert, coffeehouse and regional festival. I put together theme programs, historical and contemporary, and work frequently with special audiences — kids, seniors, etc. I work mostly out of Rochester NY, occasionally elsewhere in the Northeast. I love choruses, sing-arounds, swapping songs, backing up singers, and late-night jams.

Here are some of the specific things I can offer:

Love and Knishes
A trio with award-winning singer-songwriter Bonnie Abrams and Eastman-trained violinist Glenna Chance, presenting music from the Jewish tradition in Yiddish and English, as well as Bonnie's original material. MP3's of the group's music included!
 
Innisfree
A quartet specializing in Celtic instrumental music on mandolin, accordian, hammered dulcimer, guitar, and concertina. MP3's of the group's music included!
 
Barbara Jablonski & Allen Hopkins
Performing programs of American traditional music in schools, libraries, museums and historical societies.
 
Special Programs
Musical programs from our past and our present; songs for special audiences — kids, seniors, et al.
 
Flint Hill Folk
The resident folk musicians at Genesee Country Village, who perform 19th century music in period costume on restored instruments. MP3's of the group's music included!

For info, updates, and booking call (585) 482-6062 or e-mail allen@allenhopkins.org.

  • WEB SITE FEATURES include MP3 samples of Love & Knishes, Innisfree, and Flint Hill Folk on their pages; also there's a Booking Form if you'd like to set up a gig — thanx as always to Webmeister Pete Hopkins for his expertise...
  • Spring is here, and a not-so-young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of relentlessly flogging his performance schedule to a passively acquiescent audience, whose members enjoy (or at least tolerate) getting weekly e-mails and periodic postcards notifying them of upcoming gigs; should this description fit you, just visit the Booking Page and sign up...
  • Medical Update: all tests negative, almost certainly not lung cancer, instead some obscure infection that's dissipating even as I write, so full steam ahead! — and a hearty "thanx" to my friends out there for all the good thoughts and good wishes...
  • Interesting things coming up over the summer, including an eight-week Monday-noon program for the Town of Byron in Genesee County; I'll be provding a series of musical programs for kids in their town recreation program, on different historical themes, from June 30 through August 18...
  • Great times at the 2008 New England Folk Festival (NEFFA) April 25-27; I led three workshops, sat in as a guest at two others, and played non-stop most of the time I wasn't eating, sleeping, or shmoozing with friends — if you'd like a sample of what this excellent festival is like, and has been like for the past 62 years, click on this YouTube "video postcard," and you'll get a nice overview...
  • The South Wedge Farmers' Market, at the corner of Clinton Ave. and Alexander St. in Rochester, is open for business — and for music — every Thursday afternoon, and I'll be there sitting in with Bob White & Rick Christopher on May 29, and doing a solo turn June 19...
  • Steve Orsini of the Penfield Parks & Recreation Dept. has booked My Friend Kate to give a concert as part of their Kids' Fest series, on Thursday, July 17 at the Town Hall park...
  • Looks like Jim Clare and I will be busy in the days ahead, with May and June gigs at the Granger Homestead, a 19th-century restoration and carriage museum in Canandaigua, and more collaborative performances ahead in July...
  • And I've just been contacted by the wonderful Meghan Hauser in Wyoming County, who signs up acts to play every summer and fall Saturday at the Perry Farmers' Market; looks like August 23 may be my day to play...
  • Had a nice "French Cafe" gig April 30 for the Friendly Home volunteers at Monroe Golf Club in Pittsford, along with the talented actress/mime/singer and all-round entertainer Andrea Whitcomb; I'll sure miss her when she relocates to Great Barrington MA, but we still may be doing some more work together in the future...
  • The Flint Hill Folk start up the Genesee Country Village 2008 musical season May 11, when Jim Kimball plays for Opening Day; next event is the War of 1812 Re-enactors' Dinner & Dance June 21,...
  • The (relatively) new CD by Bonnie Abrams and me, Welcome To My Mid-Life Crisis, recorded at Dynamic Recording Studios, is a lot of fun, with Bonnie's original songs and my harmonies and instrumentation; give me a call or an e-mail and I'll tell you more...
  • As I've mentioned from time to time, I've been working with the Music Through The Ages Foundation, set up in memory of my friend the late Rochester musician and educator Dennis Monroe, and dedicated to bringing music to schools, under-served audiences, and the general community; we're planning a day-long event, the Black Dog Music Fest, showcasing local musicians and music providers, for July 27; it will be held at The Harley School in Brighton, where Dennis taught (and my kids' alma mater) — much more info to follow...
  • Had a nice visit with friends at the Butler Historical Preservation Society April 19, doing a program of railroad songs, and made a contact with Judi Buckalew for a future booking at Living History Days in the Wayne County Town of Wolcott on July 26...
  • Got a bit of "ink" January 22, when the Daily Messenger, published down in Canandaigua, sent a photographer to cover my January 18 gig at Ashton Place in Clifton Springs; you can review the results here on the Messenger's website...
  • I've listed several of my Special Programs at Performers And Programs, a website used by libraries in New York State to identify and schedule programs; during the month ahead, I'll be performing at libraries in Irondequoit, Lockport, and Albion...
  • Joined the Rochester Music Coalition — check out their website for other music events in the Rochester area, and sign up (it's free!) if you're an area musician...
Calendar
Updated May 10, 2008
 
Sunday, May 11
Israel @60 Parade & Street Party
Jewish Community Federation, 441 East Ave., 1:45-3 P.M., w/Love & Knishes
 
Thursday, May 15*
Hamlet at Park Ridge
1471 Long Pond Rd., 2:30 P.M., seniors' program
 
Saturday, May 17
Granger Homestead
295 N. Main St., Canandaigua, 12 NOON-1:30 P.M., Carriages On the Lawn event w/Jim Clare
 
Friday, May 23*
Maxwell Wedding
Irondequoit, 6P.M.
 
Saturday, May 24*
Landing of Brockport
90 West Ave., Brockport, 3:30 P.M., seniors' sing-along
 
Tuesday, May 27
Golden Link Sing-Around
12 Corners Church, 1200 S. Winton Rd., 7:30 P.M., leading open sing
 
Thursday, May 29
South Wedge Farmers' Market
Clinton Ave. at Alexander St., 4:30 P.M., w/Bob White & Rick Christopher
 
Friday, May 30*
Harvard/Radcliffe Club Picnic
At Seneca Park Zoo, 2222 St. Paul St., 6 P.M., family event
 
Tuesday, June 3*
Unity Health St. Mary's Residence
79 Genesee St., 2 P.M., residents' weekly party
 
Thursday-Friday, June 4-5
Granger Homestead
295 N. Main St., Canandaigua, 9:30 A.M.-1 P.M., Homestead Days school programs w/Jim Clare
 
Wednesday-Thursday, June 11-12*
NY Museum of Transportation
6393 E. River Rd., 10 A.M.-12 P.M., Railroad Songs program for Brighton French Rd. School
 
Thursday, June 12*
Highlands of Pittsford
4 Hahnemann Tr., Pittsford, 6:30 P.M., seniors' program in Laurelwood gallery
 
Saturday, June 14
Adirondack Mountain Club Outdoor Expo
Beach area, Mendon Ponds Pk., 10 A.M.-4 P.M., w/Golden Link performers
 
Sunday, June 15
Syracuse Jewish Music & Cultural Festival
Clinton Sq., Syracuse, time TBA, w/Love & Knishes
 
Thursday, June 19
South Wedge Farmers' Market
Clinton Ave. at Alexander St., 4:30 P.M.
 
Saturday, June 21
Genesee Country Village
1410 Flint Hill Rd., Mumford, 6 P.M., War of 1812 Re-enactors' Event w/Flint Hill Folk
 
Addresses are Rochester, NY unless otherwise indicated.
* denotes a private function.
 
 
Also on AllenHopkins.org:
Musical Resume
Where I've been and what I've done
 
Comments & Clippings
A scrapbook of snapshots and snap judgments, views and reviews
 
Recordings
Albums I'm on, and where to get 'em
 
Booking Form
If you're interested in booking me, go here