- Location: St Enochs Church, 12 Centennial Ave, Alexandra
- Start Date: Friday 28th Mar, 2025.
- End Date: Friday 28th Mar, 2025.
- Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm.
- 1 Weeks.
- 2 hours per week.
U3A Alexandra - Session 4 - My Life as a Musician/Photographer
Speaker: Ashley Hopkins
Ashley is 64 years old and has had an extensive career as a musician, growing up in the Auckland music scene. After completing a Diploma in Music (Auckland University), he joined the Royal New Zealand Navy Band as solo clarinetist, and played baritone saxophone in the Big Band, a position I held for 13 years. During this time, he was an associate player for the Auckland Philharmonia, and played in shows at the Mercury Theatre. He was also on call for major International shows visiting New Zealand, namely Cameron McIntosh bringing Les Misérables (two seasons), and West Side Story from Australia. Ashley played baritone saxophone in the Roger Fox Big Band for two years, playing in many gigs and touring New Zealand. He has played as a concerto soloist on many occasions and has been involved in bands put together for visiting famous entertainers, notably Shirley Bassey and Michael Crawford. He has been principal clarinet in Opus Orchestra (Hamilton) for around 18 years.
Ashley hopes to give you all an impression of what it’s like to be a professional musician in NZ. His interest in photography as a hobby has crossed over into the music world. He regularly takes photos of Opus Orchestra which they use for their programs and brochures. He have nine years’ worth of photos from the Central Otago district where he lives.
