APSU Saxophone Day 2026
Sponsored by the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts
Date: Sunday, September 27, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Music and Mass Communication Building
Join us for a fun day full of saxophone at APSU! Participants will have the opportunity to rehearse and perform in a saxophone ensemble and learn in a variety of saxophone-specific classes. The final concert will feature Dr. Hopkins (APSU sax professor), members of the APSU saxophone studio, and all the saxophone day participants!
Registration
$13 includes lunch and participation in all of the day's activities. Registration is intended for high school saxophonists and adults. Advanced middle school saxophonists are also welcome to register. Register at APSU Marketplace.
Schedule
| 8:30-9:00 | Check-In: lobby of Music/Mass Communication Bldg. |
| 9:00-9:20 | Community Saxophone Ensemble with Dr. Hopkins |
| 10:25-11:50 | Masterclass with Dr. Hopkins *Masterclass – Participants are encouraged to bring prepared music to play and receive feedback on. The first round of Mid-State auditions are earlier this year, and this is a great opportunity to get help with these excerpts or any other music! |
| 11:50-12:50 | Lunch (included with registration) |
| 12:50-2 | Saxophone Topics Classes (Dr. Hopkins and APSU Students) |
| 2:05-2:35 | Sax Ensemble rehearsal |
| 3:00-4:30 | Concert in Mabry Concert Hall |
Dr. Lucas Hopkins, APSU Saxophone Faculty
Lucas Hopkins is quickly becoming known as a prominent soloist, chamber musician and educator comfortable in a variety of styles including classical, contemporary, jazz, and pop.
As a performer, Dr. Hopkins has presented guest recitals and masterclasses at various universities, appeared as a concerto soloist with the Oakland Symphony, and has performed with various orchestras including the New World Symphony and the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra. His debut album, Nostos, was described as “the best contemporary music album I’ve heard in the past decade” in an interview with Fanfare Music Magazine and can be heard on all platforms. Additionally, as the bass saxophonist of The Moanin’ Frogs, a renowned Saxophone Sextet, Hopkins frequently performs across the country for various concert series and engages in educational outreach with students of all ages. Further, the group recently won first prize in the Osaka International Chamber Music Festa competition in Japan.
Dr. Hopkins holds a DMA from the University of Colorado and additional degrees from the University of Michigan, Northwestern University, and the University of Minnesota. His primary teachers include Timothy McAllister, Eugene Rousseau, Tom Myer, and Andrew Bishop. Dr. Hopkins is the Instructor of Saxophone at Austin Peay State University and an endorsing artist for Conn-Selmer and D’Addario Woodwinds.
