2009 Clinician: Mark L. Hopper

Mark is Organist and Minister of Music of The First Baptist Church of Henderson, North Carolina. A native of Forest City, NC, he cultivated his passion for music ministry as a “preacher’s kid” playing gospel music in the county churches of the Foothills of Western North Carolina. He later attended Mars Hill College where he received the Bachelor of Music degree (magna cum laude) in music education. After a stint as a band director in the Lake View School District in Lake View, South Carolina, from 1996 to 1998, he moved to Birmingham, Alabama, were he completed the Master of Church Music Degree and the Graduate Certificate in Organ Performance at Samford Univeristy. He also served as a vocal coach, teacher, and professional accompanist at Samford. He was a member of Samford’s Bells of Buchanan touring handbell ensemble, ringing under the baton of Billy Jack Strickland. Mr. Hopper served as Associate Minister of Music and Organist at First Baptist, Henderson, from 2001-2004. He then moved into his current position, succeeding the forty-five year tenure of his colleague, mentor, and friend, legendary composer, church musician, and handbell pioneer Philip M. Young. During his tenure at FBCH, Mr. Hopper has expanded on the success of Dr. Young’ flagship ensemble, The Bell Ringers of the First Baptist Church, by expanding their three sets of bells to represent over twelve octaves, and their two sets of chimes to cover seven octaves. The Bell Ringers now include thirty-four seventh through twelfth graders ringing one of the largest collections of bells in the region. The group released its newest CD Tradition in the fall of 2007. The Music Ministry at FBCH also includes two adult bell choirs and The New Ringers, a children’s preparatory group. In all, over one-fourth of the congregation’s active membership is involved in handbell ringing. Mark is also very active in other aspects of music ministry beyond ringing. He produced Singing the Seasons, a tour of the Liturgical Year in song by the ensembles of the Children’s Music Ministry of the church He oversaw a completely laity-executed renovation of the new W. W. Leathers, Jr. Memorial Chapel, and a laity-executed installation and construction of the ten-rank Goodwin Memorial Organ in that same space. Most notably, Mark edited the 2005 The Hymnal of the First Baptist Church, a 463-title collection that was conceived, assembled, typeset, licensed, proofread, and funded completely by the laity and staff of FBCH.

2008 Clinician: Tim Waugh

©2008

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