As 2024 draws to a close, we look back at some highlights of this past year for Hochstein’s Year in Review!
JANUARY: Hochstein Alumni Orchestra concert
Fifty former Hochstein students came from around the region to participate in the special Hochstein Alumni Orchestra concert. The program included music by Haydn, Mendelssohn, Wolf, and Hochstein alum Dave Kluge, along with a piece for bagpipes! Click here to see the full story. (Plus save the date for the upcoming Hochstein Alumni Orchestra concert on Friday, January 3!)
FEBRUARY: Hochstein singers selected for Choral Conference
Nine members of Hochstein Youth Singers, directed by Maryellen Giese, and their families travelled to Providence, RI, to sing in one of the conference’s prestigious honor choirs at the American Choral Directors Association Eastern Region Conference. These students were chosen from hundreds of applicants from Virginia to Maine. Click here to see the full story.
MARCH: Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra tour Italy during Spring Break
More than 100 students, family members, and friends of the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra (HYSO) left Rochester for a weeklong tour to Italy, with performances in Rome and Cremona during spring break week. The trip also included visits to historic and cultural sites in Vatican City, Florence, Pisa, and Milan. Click here to read more.
APRIL: Hochstein Gala is a magical evening
Hochstein’s annual gala included a participatory Latin Social Dance session, countless performances by students and faculty, and stories showing Hochstein’s impact. Attendees had a remarkable experience celebrating the school and the many things that make Hochstein one-of-a-kind. Read more event highlights and view photos from the evening. Save the date for the 2024 Gala on March 29!
MAY: Hochstein students win awards at Manolov Competition
Hochstein violin students Noah Busch and Joshua Lin performed in the final round of the Manolov International Music Competition in Garden City, NY on May 11. They each won a silver medal/second prize for their respective age groups! Click here to read more about their accomplishments and see photos.
JUNE: Three graduating seniors have been singing at Hochstein for years
Maeve Rosati, Luciano (Lucci) Pagano, and Ada Coté graduated high school this spring – and all three have been in Hochstein’s choral program, starting with Little Singers on up to Youth Singers and Hochstein Singers with director Maryellen Giese. That makes 10 years or more of making music together at Hochstein! Click here to read more.
JULY: Therapy dogs visit Summer Arts in Action camp
The second week of Hochstein’s weeklong Arts in Action Summer Camps had a theme of “Play Ball” and campers had a special visit from two RocDogs therapy dogs – Bailey and Cocoa. The students had a chance to pet the dogs and ask their owners questions. Click here to read more and see photos.
AUGUST: Suzuki Presto Strings perform at Seneca Park Zoo
Hochstein’s talented Suzuki Presto Strings – with their directors, Marcos Kreutzer and Michelle Walker – performed for patrons at the Seneca Park Zoo, playing four times throughout the day in front of red pandas, polar bears, elephants, and more. Click here to read more.
SEPTEMBER – Hochstein alum joins faculty
One of Hochstein’s newest Expressive Arts faculty members, Eliza Shriver began her love of the arts at the age of 2 when she was a student in one of Hochstein’s Music FUNdamentals classes taught by Barb Bonisteel. Now, in addition to leading music therapy sessions, she is a teacher for these engaging classes for young children – a true full-circle moment! Click here to read more about Eliza.
OCTOBER – Recognizing milestone anniversaries and Faculty Service Award
At the Hochstein All-Faculty Meeting, we recognized 12 members of the faculty and staff for milestone anniversaries with the School and tap dance instructor Cheryl Johnson received the Faculty Service Award. Hochstein’s dedicated faculty and staff are the lifeblood of the organization and we are grateful for all of their contributions. Click here to read more.
NOVEMBER – Hochstein welcomes Little Free Library
Hochstein welcomed its very own Little Free Library, thanks to the combined efforts of Girl Scout Troop 60105. Two members of the troop – Madalyn Gerard and Alison Henry – are students at Hochstein. We hope that students, staff, and faculty of all ages will enjoy exchanging books! Click here to read more.
DECEMBER: Hochstein student participates in guitar masterclass
Lillian Brickman, who studies guitar at Hochstein with Tim Shannon, was one of four students who participated in a masterclass with award-winning guitarist Marko Topchii, presented through a collaboration between Hochstein and Rochester Classical Guitar. Click here to read more and view a photo gallery.