Both the Symphonic Band and the Concert Band, along with the new Wind Ensemble have taken home Unanimous Superior Ratings and Plaques from the California Music Educators Association Festival consistently over the last 15 years.  The Symphonic Band has taken 1st place at several festivals in Anaheim (Music in the Parks and Heritage Festivals) the last 7 years, and the Jazz Band the last 4 out of 5 years.  The new Orchestra program has also scored very high at festivals Both the Intermediate and Advanced Orchestras have consistently received Unanimous Superior ratings at the CMEA Orchestra Festival.  The Hopkins Orchestra program is considered to be among the best in California!

In Spring 2010, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Advanced Orchestra, and Jazz Ensemble received Superior Ratings (the highest possible) and 1st Place awards at the Music in the Parks Festival in Anaheim/Disneyland - and Wind Ensemble, Advanced Orchestra, and Jazz Ensemble were the 3 highest-scoring groups overall at the festival.  (Advanced Orchestra received a "Perfect" score of "100" at this festival!)  Concert Band and Intermediate Orchestra also received Superior Ratings at the Music in the Parks Festival at Great America, with Concert Band receiving a 1st Place Overall award.  Dr. Marc Dickey from CSU Fullerton has called the Advanced Orchestra "possibly the best Junior High orchestra I've ever heard!"  Advanced Orchestra also received a "Unanimous Superior" at the CMEA Festival in May, with scores of 98 out of 100, the highest of any group attending that festival.  In 2010, Intermediate Orchestra and Wind Ensemble also received "Unanimous Superior" ratings at CMEA Festivals.  In the past 3 years, the Hopkins ensembles have received 9 "Unanimous Superior" ratings at CMEA Festivals.  See the "Awards" page for more details.  In addition, the Hopkins Wind Ensemble was a featured performer at the California Music Educators Association State Conference in 2010.

Hopkins has been well-represented in honor bands and orchestras in the area.  In 2010, Hopkins sent 5 students to the CMEA Bay Section JHS Honor Band/Orchestra, 29 students to the Alameda County JHS Honor Band, 33 students to the NCBA All-Northern California JHS Honor Band (the most of any school), and 19 students to the CBDA All-State JHS Honor Band (the most of any school in Northern California).

All groups at Hopkins perform at least two concerts on campus a year, and also have many other performance opportunities such as Jazz Festivals, Band Festivals, Orchestra Festivals, Elementary School performances, and other on campus events.  Please visit our Upcoming Events page to view our future performances.

In 2010-2011, the Music Department at Hopkins includes about 330 students. Hopkins bands include our Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Jazz Workshop.  We also have two different levels of 7th and 8th Grade Orchestra.  There is also currently an after-school elementary Orchestra Program and an 6th Grade advanced elementary band.   For more information on the different ensembles that we offer, please visit our Current Courses page, or contact Mr. Conway at gconway@fremont.k12.ca.us. 

Hopkins also offers a summer Band and Orchestra in July each year for any interested students to maintain their skills.  In 2010, over 200 students participated in this program.

2010-2011 marks the sixth year at Hopkins for Mr. Greg Conway, Director of Instrumental Music.  Mr. Conway is a graduate of California State University, Hayward in 2002 with a B.A. in music education and saxophone performance.  During his first five years, Mr. Conway's ensembles received numerous awards including "Unanimous Superior" at the CMEA Band and Orchestra Festivals, a "Superior" rating at the Campana Jazz Festival in Pleasanton, and several "First Place" awards at the Music in the Parks Festival in Anaheim, CA.  Mr. Conway has developed a new orchestra program at Hopkins that currently consists of 2 levels of string classes and a Full Orchestra that includes band and string members.  The music program at Hopkins has grown by over 50% since Mr. Conway started in Fall 2005.  

Mr. Conway's previous job assignment was in the South San Francisco Unified School District, where he taught Elementary Beginning Band at 7 elementary schools, and increased band enrollment in the program by over 200%.   Prior to that, Mr. Conway's experience includes student-teaching middle school band, strings, and jazz at Harvest Park Middle School in Pleasanton, CA.  He has also done volunteer work with the Lafayette, Castro Valley, Livermore, Dublin, Hayward, and San Lorenzo school districts, as well as teaching summer music classes at the College of San Mateo, and at Bancroft Middle School in San Leandro.  Mr. Conway has also been the band director for the Jenny Lin Foundation Summer Youth Program in Castro Valley since 2007.  Mr. Conway's primary instrument is saxophone although he also performs on flute and clarinet. 

Mr. Conway is an active member of MENC: The National Association for Music Education, its state affiliate CMEA: The California Association for Music Education, and currently serves on the Bay Section Board of Directors for that organization.  He is also a member of the Northern California Band Association, the American String Teachers Association, and the California Band Directors Association.  Mr. Conway and the Hopkins JHS Music Department continue to host the CMEA Bay Section Area IIIa Solo and Ensemble Festival as they have done since 2006.