Frank Hopson

Birth and Early Life

Frank was born on July 17, 1995 in the gorgeous Appalachian Mountains. He was born the 3^rd son and 4^th child of his family, having 2 older brothers and an older (by 2 minutes) sister.

While he may have been born a shy child, it didn't take very long for that to change. By age 4 Frank was as loud and lively as could be imagined, a trait he still maintains to this very day. Even throughout several dark hours in his early life, be they medical issues, the loss of loved ones, or a melancholy mixture of the two, Frank always strived to try and greet the day with a smile on his face.

School Years and Childhood

As Frank entered school age he would quickly come to fine an immense joy in education. From the moment he stepped foot in the classroom, there was no stopping him. School was a place that he found comfort, and solace. He may not have been the most athletic, or the most popular, but behind a desk or in the pages of a book he found his stride and more. Be it science, or math, or even grammar, he would always look forward to what more could be learned.

After a few years in school, Frank began to branch out into more than just academics, beginning his music education in the 6^th grade and taking up the euphonium for the first time. He, like most other people in the world, didn't know what a euphonium was at the time, but as soon as his lips touched the mouthpiece for the first time, he knew that it was something he was meant to play.

It wasn't until several years later that Frank would realy understand just how important of a role a euphonium played in a given ensemble, and it would be several years more before he realized just how poetic it was that, of all of the instruments in the world, he had found his way to that one. The great musician and composer John Philip Sousa said it best:

"A band is only as good as its euphonium section"

Musical Training

Music had been a part of Frank's life for as long as he could remember. Whether it was his father introducing him to The Beatles as a child, him singing along to cartoon opening themes, or even just tapping on his legs to a rhythm that he made up, he caught the music bug and he caught it bad. It wasn't until he was started in middle school band that he really learned what he could do with this talent. He learned how to play the euphonium, and how to read sheet music, and it was like an entirely new world had been opened up to him. He could finally put into notation what had been in his head for so many years.

After so many years of performing in concert band and marching band (his favorite) he learned how to conduct and began to really hone his musicianship to a degree he had never thought he could achieve before. It wasn't until he was accepted into an undergraduate music program that he was actually able to realize just how far he had come, and even moreso how much further he had to go.

College Education

Frank attended Virginia Tech for his undergraduate studies from August 2013 to December 2016.

Originally attending school to study music with the hope of becoming a band director, Frank obtained his Bachelor's of Science in Psychology (In just 3.5 years!). While this may have been his main course of study, his time in school was one rife with several varied and exciting experiences. He discovered a joy for writing poetry, discussing philosophy, and several other mildly pretentious things.

Aside from a stereotypical education, Frank's time in college also taught him a lot about himself. Things the he loved about who he was, things that were new, and things that made him squirm a bit when he looked at himself in the mirror. This is where he came into his own as a young queer man. Where he discovered his polyamorous nature and learned just how quickly and intensly he can love. Unfortunately its also the place where he learned just how intense the darkness inside of him could truly be, and how much work he needed to do to learn to calm it.

Post College

While Frank did originally intend to pursue a doctoral degree after graduating with his BS in Psychology, he would ultimately decide to hold off on this plan to try and establish himself in the world. He moved to Houston, TX in order to see more of the world and to distance himself from where he grew up. Despite not continuing on to higher education, Frank's adult life would be a constant stream of learning new things: things about life, about love, and about himself.