HochStories

More than 100 students, family members, and friends of the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra (HYSO) are set to depart Rochester for a weeklong tour to Italy during spring break, March 30–April 7. For a preview, tune into 13WHAM ABC Friday morning during Good Day Rochester, and follow along on Facebook.

A Rochester native, Michael F. Rotondo, MD, started playing drums at the age of 6. Recognized early on for his musical potential, he received a scholarship to Hochstein, where he studied under the great jazz drummer Vinnie Ruggiero for nearly 10 years. He is still playing today – with an upcoming concert on Saturday, March 16. Read on to find out how he got there…

This week, nine members of Hochstein Youth Singers, directed by Maryellen Giese, and their families will travel to Providence, Rhode Island, to sing in one of the conference’s prestigious honor choirs at the American Choral Directors Association Eastern Region Conference, taking place February 29-March 2. 

Hochstein alum Epongue Ekille recently performed on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon with musical guest Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Roots house band, and fellow string players Tia Allen and Alexandria Hill.

It’s "National Love Your Pet Day,” so we asked Hochstein faculty and staff to send in photos of themselves and their companion animals. Cats outnumbered dogs this year and some of them even have musical inclinations! Read on to find out more about our people and their pets

Last week, Hochstein President & Executive Director Hilary Respass met with representatives of the Preservation League of New York State. The Hochstein School has received a 2023 Technical Assistance Grant from the Preservation League. Read on for more information.

On Sunday, January 28, Hochstein students performed at the Pittsford Barnes and Noble as part of our annual bookfair! There were chamber music ensembles from our Chamber Music Connection program, Suzuki students, adult ukulele players, individual violin students, and a jazz combo.

Last weekend, Hochstein alum James Gates had his conducting recital as part of his master’s degree program at the Penn State School of Music. The program included a new arrangement of a special work written by Jonathan T. Madden, another Hochstein alum and currently the Assistant Director for the Hochstein Youth Singers. Read more about these two musicians and their Hochstein connection.

Congratulations to Hochstein student Joshua Lin, who was named second place in NY state in the OPUS Music Competition.

Fifty former Hochstein students return to the Hochstein Performance Hall for a special concert by the Hochstein Alumni Orchestra on Friday, January 5 at 8:00 pm. Read on to find out more about the concert and bios for the director, composer, and featured soloists.