Step inside the Hopkins High School music wing, and you’ll immediately feel the energy. Every corner hums with the sounds of students perfecting their craft from ensembles in classrooms, to small groups in the practice rooms, and individuals making the most of every available space, even staff offices. Hopkins musicians are eager to create, collaborate, and grow. Their enthusiasm is reflected in the program's continued growth and expansion.
With four distinct paths including band, orchestra, choir, and specialty courses, Hopkins offers a robust and inclusive music experience that is accessible to all students.
“We want every student who takes music to be able to receive an authentic and innovative music education that is really responsive to their interest and creativity levels and how they perform,” said Band Director Nora Tycast.
Since Tycast joined the program five years ago, enrollment in band alone has grown from 88 students to over 300. That growth, she said, reflects how Hopkins’ music department has evolved to meet the diverse needs of today’s learners. Hopkins’ four music educators — Tycast, Orchestra Director Alison Swiggum, Choir Director Melissa Hanson, and Music Electives Teacher Jonathan Feulner — have intentionally designed the music program to ensure all students receive a unified, high-quality music education, regardless of the path they choose. They’ve aligned their vision and standards and even developed a shared vocabulary so that every student can speak the same musical language.
The program also creates spaces where students can be vulnerable, take risks, and feel safe doing so. In the choir room, for example, Hanson creates an environment that is both social and professional, allowing students to build confidence and develop their musicianship.
“Singing is vulnerable — the instrument is you,” Hanson said. “You have to create a supportive space and environment. There has to be trust, otherwise you will never hear the full voice.”
Expansive music programming
Hopkins stands out among neighboring districts for its innovative specialty music courses mostly taught by Feulner. His classes include music production, songwriting, guitar, and DJ techniques. These courses provide new entry points for students to explore music beyond the traditional ensembles that often require prior experience with a musical instrument.
Feulner’s DJ techniques class, unique in the metro area, has quickly become a popular course and a model for other music programs across Minnesota. Funded by the Hopkins Education Foundation, the class has earned recognition for its innovation, and Feulner has been invited to speak to educator associations to help others develop similar offerings.
A priority of the Hopkins music program is to connect students to modern sounds and artists. Each year, students collaborate with professional musicians through the band’s Pops Concert and the orchestra’s Spotlight Concert.
Performing artists such as Dessa, Brother Ali, Jeremy Messersmith, and Ashley DuBose rehearse with students in the classroom before performing together. The experience gives students a behind-the-scenes look at how professional musicians think, practice, and perform. Many guest artists have returned to work with Hopkins students because the experience has been meaningful and beneficial for both the artists and students.
Music that reflects the world
At Hopkins, music serves as both a reflection of culture and a bridge, connecting students through shared creativity and inclusivity. Students study and perform works by composers from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures, often connecting the music to current events or themes like mental health or social justice.
Tycast encourages students to reflect on their identities through an identity inventory, helping them think about the kinds of artists and stories they want to engage with in their music. By the time students reach their senior year, they often want to play music that is outside their own experience, or shows a different point of view.
The musical directors are always exploring new music to reflect different cultures and perspectives. Travel opportunities designed to broaden students’ learning and enrich their educational experience are available to all students. The music program has traveled both domestically and internationally with trips to New Orleans, Washington, D.C., Costa Rica, Cuba, and more.
“The exchanges that we have had with schools in Cuba and Costa Rica were just so formative for students at that high school age,” Swiggum said. “It’s about the music, yet it is so much more. They just see that the world is a little bit smaller than they may think.”
Building community one note at a time
Music ensembles are unique because every performance depends on a connected community working together toward a shared goal. A song might sound empty without a bass, and without a violin, the melody could be missing.
“Collectively, we create this really awesome sound. Everyone plays such an important role, and yet it takes everybody to actually make the music happen,” Swiggum said.
As the music department continues to grow and evolve, it remains a place where students are challenged, supported, and inspired to create something beautiful together.