Converse Welcomes New Dean of Petrie School of Music

Joseph Hopkins officially began his new duties as Dean of the Petrie School of Music at Converse College on July 29th. Most recently, Joe served as Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Music at the University of Evansville in Indiana. Under his leadership, the department revised the curriculum, increased membership in their Friends of Music, created high profile events to raise concert attendance, supported ensemble tours, collaborated with the Evansville Philharmonic, and increased student enrollment.

Joe, a renowned vocal performer, has also taught and performed throughout Europe including the Harlaxton Festival in Grantham, England, the Opera Festival di Roma, and Harlaxton College. In 1998 and again in 2000 he received the Indiana Artist Award from the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

A Crawford, Georgia native, Dean Hopkins says he was attracted to Converse for numerous reasons. “The Petrie School faculty are absolutely first class,” he says. “Their credentials would be proudly displayed at any music school in the world. The resources that we have-our performance halls (Twichell Auditorium and Daniel Recital Hall), music library, practice rooms, and music technology lab-really give the Petrie student a strong competitive edge.”