scott hopkins

“I came to Scott as a clawhammer player with a desire to learn bluegrass fingerpicking and an insatiable curiosity about the instrument and music theory. I didn’t just want to learn rolls and songs—I wanted to really understand the how and why behind everything. Scott has been the perfect instructor for me. He’s just as happy to spend an entire lesson diving into obscure music theory questions as he is teaching the licks to “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.” And no matter the focus, every lesson is fun. I’d recommend Scott to anyone who wants to learn banjo, and especially to students who want to go beyond memorizing songs—to truly understand the instrument and connect all the dots.”

“The Scott Hopkins Jazz Trio has consistently delivered unforgettable performances at Jazz at the Lake. Their electrifying performances are a beautiful blend of tradition, innovation, technical prowess, and fueled by a love of creating and performing music. With Scott, Lou, and Brian, it's not just a show; it's an experience. Our audience is always blown away by their performance. Last year, I had so many requests for them to play longer, I changed the hours for the Friday night shows!” - Tanya Tobias-Tomis

“I'm grateful to have met Scott, an exceptional banjo teacher (and captivating player). From the start, he met me exactly where I was in my banjo-learning journey. I am a relative beginner, and his positivity, patience and encouragement helped me grow in confidence and have kept me motivated. He intuitively knows how and when to teach skill and theory for my level and interest. I’ve learned so much in less than a year, and I can’t thank him enough for his guidance and encouragement. I also attended his second annual Ashokan Banjo Camp, which was an unforgettable experience- very organized and well run. I’m already looking forward to future ones. ”

“Concept albums are fairly prevalent in music history, the idea having been more recently adopted within the bluegrass genre. Scott Hopkins, a banjoist and music instructor based in Albany, New York has taken a creative step forward with his second solo release. Just You is an album filled with positive love songs and performed as duets with those that Hopkins has collaborated with throughout his journey... With the combination of the right songs and collaborators, Just You is a textbook example of how a concept album should be approached. Scott Hopkins came up with a creative approach, one that was executed extremely well by everyone involved.” - Braeden Paul

“I met Scott while attending Fiddle Heads Acoustic Jam Camp where he was an instructor. As a guitarist for 40+ years I taught myself to play banjo with all the bad habits of trying to play a banjo like a guitar. In a few short months, Scott has diagnosed and corrected my bad habits and has me on my way to becoming a real banjo picker. We talk about all sorts of music genres and are also looking outside Bluegrass/Old-time music into Jazz and Rock. His experience as an educator is obvious and shows in his lessons. Very lucky to have crossed paths and looking forward to advancing my skills under his tutelage.”

“Scott: Congratulations on a terrific banjo camp (2024 Ashokan Banjo Weekend). I have been to a few and yours was by far the best” - Bob Agran

“Scott Hopkins' impressive dexterity on banjo is equally matched by the soul he brings to each song arrangement. He's a gift to our region and worth coming out to see and hear, regardless of which of his many musical manifestations is performing alongside him on any given night.” - Justin Behan

“Scott is an excellent banjo teacher. He encourages me to let him know what I want to work on but also guides me using clear instructions including playing demonstrations that are exactly tailored to my playing level. In addition to improving solo breaks, under his instruction I can now compose my own back up and up the neck breaks. I have even gained the confidence to perform in front of a live audience for the first time!”