Sidney Hopson - Arts Policy

Sidney Hopson is a percussionist, composer, educator, writer, arts strategist, and cultural policy consultant.

He is a member of WildUp, in addition to the principal percussionist and orchestra operations manager of the Spoleto Festival USA. He has performed for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles Opera, Southeast Symphony, Soulful Symphony, Jacaranda Chamber Ensemble, Opera Santa Barbara, Juneau Symphony, Ensemble FIRE, and the Echo Society. 

An alum of the American Music Awards, Lincoln Center Festival, Hear Now Music Festival, American Youth Symphony, and Young Musicians Foundation (YMF) Debut Orchestra, Sidney has been featured with, recorded for, and collaborated alongside a diverse range of artists, including: Burt Bacharach, Obba Babatunde, Peter Boyer, James Conlon, Deru, Lamont Dozier, Danny Elfman, Peter Eötvös, Rhiannon Giddens, Philip Glass, MC Jin, Alicia Keys, the Kronos Quartet, Ricky Martin, Rickey Minor, the New York Philharmonic, Ellen Reid, Rhianna, Mr. Craig Robinson, Huang Ruo, Kaija Saariaho, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jermaine Stegall, Dara Taylor, Joseph Trapanese, Dionne Warwick, John Williams, Harry Gregson-Williams, Stevie Wonder, and more.

He has performed on-screen and for the soundtracks of several films and TV shows, including: PRIDE (FX), Coming 2 America, Dolemite Is My Name, Made in Boise, Castle Rock, Men In Black: International, The Grinch (2018), Goosebumps, Why Women Kill, Big Eyes, Kedi, and GLEE.

As a consultant, Sidney builds arts programs, develops strategic plans and partnerships, and authors policy and legislation for artists, cultural organizations, NGOs, and government agencies in the United States and abroad. His work focuses at the intersections of the arts and education, labor, institutional equity, financial ethics, government leadership, gentrification, racial justice, reproductive justice, migrant rights, mental health, crime prevention, counterterrorism, international development, refugee aid, geopolitics, and climate change.

He has been interviewed on podcasts including: Trilloquoy, Loose Leaf Notebook, Living With a Genius, and The Millenial Musician.

When he’s not working, Sidney can be found reading, bicycling, laughing at his own dad jokes (he’s not a dad), and perfecting recipes in the kitchen.