A Composition and Conversation
with Michael Hoppé

Michael Hoppé, a San Miguel resident, will teach a course with two sessions.  In the first class, Michael, a Grammy-nominated composer, will compose a piece of music with the help of the members of the class. The interactive composition process will help participants understand how a piece of music is created.  The second class will be a conversation about the transformation of the music industry from the 1980s to today.  It will be facilitated by Martin Fletcher who will interview Michael before the conversation opens to the entire class.  The conversation will focus on Michael’s pre-composing career as the head of A&R (Artists and Repertoire) for Polygram Records in the early 1980s.  During that time, he signed several talented New Age music artists as well as re-signed artists such as ABBA and The Who.  Michael, Martin and the class will discuss the changes that have taken place in the music industry from the eighties until today and where things may go in the future.  

 

Michael Hoppé was a senior executive at PolyGram. In 1984, Hoppé left PolyGram to focus on composing, published by his company Chordially Yours Music, and working as a music consultant for InterConnection Resources in Los Angeles. His discography contains more than 30 new age and classical albums. In 2003, his album Solace was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Age Album. The Yearning was named "CD of the Year" by CD Review.  Michael’s work is very popular in South Korea but is well known throughout the music world. Michael had a performing tour of South Korea in 2025.