Dr. Mark Hopkins is a Professor in the School of Music at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. In addition to leading the Wind Ensemble, Dr. Hopkins teaches undergraduate and graduate Conducting, Instrumental Music Education courses, SoundPainting, and chamber music courses.  He is Artistic Co-Director of the Denis Wick Canadian Wind Orchestra, and Artistic Director of the Nova Scotia Youth Wind Ensemble (2008-2011, 2013-present). In November 2016 Dr. Hopkins received an Established Artist Award from Arts Nova Scotia for contributions as a conductor and leader of new music projects, including Shattering the Silence, an innovative new music festival (www.shatteringthesilence.ca) His recent work as a conductor includes the CD recording In Sonorous Falling Tones (2017, nominated for a 2018 East Coast Music Award). In Canada, he has guest-conducted bands and orchestras including the National Youth Band (2019) as well as in the United States, Bermuda, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Italy, Switzerland, and Romania.