(ORANGE, TX) The Lutcher Theater presents Concert in the Courtyard with Shaun Hopper, Saturday April 8, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. at Shangri La Gardens in Orange, Texas. $20 Adult tickets and $10 student tickets for this outdoor concert are available at lutcher.org or by calling the Lutcher Theater Box Office at 409.886.5535.
Acoustic “finger style” guitar wizard Shaun Hopper is at first glance an unassuming presence, a true southern gentleman whose humility stands in stark contrast to the prodigious talents he unveils on stage. Shaun is an unparalleled master of the fret-board, merging complex melodies, harmonies and bass lines along with a one-of-a-kind mix of percussive elements, captivating everyone within earshot.
Whether his listeners are guitar enthusiasts or not matters little, within a few seconds they soon realize that they are listening to a true virtuoso. Hopper’s original compositions and arrangements of pop tunes are infused with all the cutting edge techniques and flavorings embraced by the new breed of You-Tube sensations, including influences like Adam Rafferty, Andy McKee and Don Ross. Yet, it is his traditional and schooled “approach” to music, which keeps him unquestionably steeped in, and inspired by, the greats. Influences include guitar legends; Chet Atkins, Andres Segovia, Tommy Emmanuel, George Benson, Michael Hedges, Martin Taylor, Buster B. Jones, Pete Huttlinger and Leo Kottke, just to name a few. The final result is a signature style which crosses over the full range of musical genres; Folk, Classical, Celtic, Pop, Rock, Jazz, Blues and Percussive-New Age.
Shaun’s stagecraft is equally impressive and engaging. Weaving in humorous tales from his small town Georgia roots and sharing an occasional glimpse into his “backwoods” childhood, he stirs his audience with both laughter and introspection. Shaun’s modest upstarts bespeak his self-effacing nature, and yet it is years of cloistered practice, which cuts through on stage with searing confidence. A self-assurance rarely found in performers twenty or thirty years his senior, what you hear in his music is quite unexpected… even edgy. Coming from a succession of Georgia steelworkers, Adel native Hopper reveals an insatiable drive to engage a far wider and more international audience.
His set list is as diverse and expansive as his global aspirations; so don’t expect Bluegrass or Lynyrd Skynyrd out of this Georgia boy, except in his punch lines. Moving thematically through his repertoire, Shaun takes his audience on a tour from Celtic imagery and Classical medley to soulful ballads and jazzy improvs, all of which he might counter punch with a Nashville “hot licks” session, neck popping original or 70’s pop song. With listeners caught off balance, he is still able to rouse them up with a contagious sing-a-long or two. Song by song, night after night, Shaun always raises a smile, a glass and if not… a standing ovation.
Shaun has made his mark opening for acts like “The John Jorgenson Quintet” (Elton John), Bobby Yang, Pierre Bensusan, The California Guitar Trio, Muriel Anderson & Tierra Negra, G. Love and Switchfoot. He has toured with Tim Reynolds & TR3 from the Dave Matthews Band and has co-written songs with Tommy Emmanuel. He was recently signed to Steve Vai’s Favored Nations/Digital Nations label (Fall 2010), which included the release of his debut CD, “Lower Case Letters”. Shaun has held several Guitar Clinics through Sam Ash and has received sponsorships and endorsements from Maton Guitars, Larivee Guitars, Keeley Electronics, TC Electronic, Radial Engineering, Elixir Guitar Strings, L. R. Baggs, Voodoo Lab and Zaolla Instrument Cables.
Born and raised in Adel, Georgia, Shaun began playing guitar at age 12 after hearing a local street musician fingerpick a Nirvana song outside the local arcade. That’s all it took to light the fire. Within weeks, family friend Dan Madock (a.k.a., “Doc” ), presented Shaun with his first instrument, an Ibanez 6-string. A sequence of influential teachers soon followed, broadening Shaun’s exposure, including Bill Brown (Music Theory), Nephtali Santiago (Classical Method) and later, extensive lessons with mentor Sam Pacetti (Folk, Celtic & Fingerstyle). Shaun speaks fondly of Pacetti’s influence, “Sam Pacetti is a true virtuoso. He’s just amazing. You think he’s reached a level where he can go no further and he just keeps getting better”. Ironically, the same exact sentiment is now being sounded across Hopper’s own fan base (which now includes Pacetti). His early exposure provided him with a firm foundation in classical music theory, an awareness of the full range of possibilities on guitar and an unvarying passion for practicing his craft.
The concert will also feature Chris Sgammato, a multi-instrumentalist performer, teacher, and composer of various styles of music. Chris has released two albums with his band Displace, and has toured the southeast U.S extensively with them. He also performs in several other ensembles, including Shaun Hopper Trio, Ungstad & Sgammato, Choo Choo Mondo, and Doo Dah Beasties. This versatile musicophiliac lives in a recording studio and regularly records tracks on voice, saxophones, clarinet, guitar, bass, keyboards and percussion. If you’re reading this, he probably wants to make music with you, or teach you how to make your own music!
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is located at 2111 West Park Avenue, Orange, Texas. Parking is available in the lot adjacent to the Shangri La Gardens entry gate. Shangri La Gardens interior parking is reserved for handicap accessible only at the time of show.
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