This event is part of Hudson Valley Community College's Fall 2026 Lunchtime Concert Series presenting the free concerts from the very best local and regional musicians. This event is free and open to the public and is presented by the HVCC Cultural Affairs Program. Attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to donate to the Viking Cupboard Food Pantry.

Musician and educator Scott Hopkins is an accomplished banjo player whose performances blend traditional bluegrass influences with contemporary interpretations.

He became interested in bluegrass and banjo music by listening to recordings of Flatt & Scruggs and The Stanley Brothers that his father played while he was growing up. At age 15, he started taking private banjo lessons and joined the school band on tuba to fully immerse himself in the study of music.

As a tubist, Hopkins earned a Bachelor of Music Education from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and a Master of Music Education from the University of Connecticut. He won the Crane Concerto Competition on tuba in 1995 and, since his college days, has played banjo in a variety of bands and collaborations.

In 2013, Hopkins released his first solo banjo recording project, a self-titled album featuring guest artists Mike Compton, Stephen Mougin, Casey Driessen, Andy Hall, Jesse Cobb, Randy Kohrs and Becky Buller, among others. In 2023, he released his second project, Just You, an album of duets with musical friends and heroes featuring Tony Trischka, Joe Newberry, Smokey Greene, Ellen Carlson and Bob Amos, among others. Both projects garnered critical acclaim.