Photos of Cynthia Hopkins by Robin Hessman

THE BAND:

In the spring of 1999, Cynthia Hopkins formed a band in order to record some songs and make an album. The album and the band were both called Gloria Deluxe. The album was released that September and since then, Gloria Deluxe has played at the Bowery Ballroom (opening for David Byrne), the 2001 Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, Pete’s Candy Store, Tonic, and Joe’s Pub, among numerous other venues (an exhaustive list can by found on the gig history page). In the band’s first performance outside of New York City, they opened for Patti Smith at MASS MoCA, in one of the museum’s outdoor theaters.

In addition to their self-titled first album, Gloria Deluxe has recorded a five song album accurately titled ‘Five Songs’, released in March 2000; a second full length album titled ‘Hooker’, released in October 2000; a third full length album titled ‘Alas Alack’, released in October 2002; and a fourth full length album of songs from the operetta 'Accidental Nostalgia' (see below) released in January 2005. ‘Five Songs’, ‘Hooker’, and ‘Alas Alack’ were all recorded by then bassist Chris Bonner and designed by then guitarist Tom Hopkins. All of their records are self-released.

In March 2008, the band released their most recent album, a recording of songs from the operetta Must Don't Whip 'Um. They are currently working on an album of love songs titled 'LOVE is gonna be my weapon and YOU are gonna be my first victim'

Gloria Deluxe is Cynthia Hopkins on accordion, guitar, and saw; Kristin Mueller on drums; Josh Stark on upright bass; Philippa Thompson on violin, washboard and spoons; Karen Waltuch on viola; and everyone on vocals. Live shows and albums have frequently featured Curtis Hasselbring on trombone and guitar, Ben Holmes on trumpet, and Tom Hopkins on guitar.

MS. HOPKINS:

Cynthia Hopkins is the proud recipient of the 2007 Alpert Award in Theatre, honoring her work as a writer, composer, musician, and creator and performer of unique music/theater projects featuring her band, Gloria Deluxe. These works include the operetta Accidental Nostalgia (2005 Bessie Award for Creation) and Must Don't Whip 'Um (2007 Bessie Award for Design; click on the titles for more information). She is currently at work on a new show titled The Success of Failure (or, The Failure of Success) (Part III of The Accidental Trilogy - of which Accidental Nostalgia is Part I and Must Don't Whip 'Um is Part II). More information about these shows can be found at the new website for Accinosco (the ensemble group responsible for The Accidental Trilogy).

In addition to her work with Accinosco, Ms. Hopkins has created and performed solo works including 'Tsimtsum' (commissioned by Dance Theater Workshop for the April 2006 'Sourcing Stravinsky' Festival); and composed many musical works including 'Song Before Love Songs (a post-apocalyptic requiem for the human race)', which was commissioned by Bang on a Can and given its premiere performance by the Bang on a Can All Stars in February 2005.

In addition to her work as a creator, Ms. Hopkins has composed and performed for many theater and film projects, including multiple productions with Big Dance Theater. She recorded an album of the songs composed for Big Dance Theater's Shunkin, a production based on a story by Junichiro Tanizaki called ‘A Portrait of Shunkin’. The album, called Devotionals (Songs for Shunkin), was released at that show’s opening in September 2001.

Ms. Hopkins co-founded the collaborative theater group Transmission Projects (with Tom Fruin, Anika Tromholt Kristensen, and Jeff Sugg) and co-created and composed several pieces with them, including Walk That Lonesome Valley, a piece using Tim Hawkinson’s Uberorgan (February 2001, commissioned by and performed at MASS MoCA).

She has worked on many projects with director/filmmaker DJ Mendel, including playing the lead role in a film called Planet Earth : Dreams, based on a screenplay by Richard Foreman, for which she also provided the music. She also composed music for Mr. Mendel’s film Make Pretend, which was first shown in August 2001, and Mr. Mendel has made music videos for many Gloria Deluxe songs, a dvd of which is available for purchase upon request.