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Welcome to Hochstein's Creativity Lab!

Have you always dreamt of writing music, making visual art, or writing stories, but find yourself intimidated by the act of creation? Well, here’s your chance to discover that creativity is a skill that can be cultivated and practiced like any other skill! Hochstein’s Creativity Lab is dedicated to exploring a variety of creative practices and cultivating the next generation of makers and innovators.

Hochstein’s Creativity Lab will offer lessons and workshops focusing on fundamentals like music theory, the basics of drawing, or the essential elements of improvisation. Beyond that, more advanced studies include subjects such as making comic books and graphic novels, composing music in a variety of styles, advanced songwriting/demoing, and advanced jazz improvisation. 

If you are looking to explore a topic not listed here, please reach out and ask. Hochstein also offers Independent Study on a variety of topics. Mastery of one discipline tends to effectively ease open doors into other disciplines. 

Lessons or classes in the Creativity Lab can also give students a much-needed outlet for self-discovery, providing a safe space for students to find their own personal means of healthy expression. 

                                                - Dr. Dave Chisholm, Director

Creativity Lab Open Hours

Tuesdays, 4:00-6:00 pm

Saturdays, 9:30-10:30 am

Drop in and try out the space or discuss your big creative ideas. Additional hours available by appointment – just ask: dave.chisholm@hochstein.org

About the Creativity Lab

Hochstein’s Creativity Lab is outfitted with 8 linked iMac computers with piano keyboards, plus the teacher station. On the computers, students will be able to access music notation and digital audio workstation applications that easily adapt to just about every genre of music. 

Throughout the school year, Dave Chisholm will host monthly Saturday afternoon pop-up events, ranging from easy group creativity challenges to fun, pop-culture-centric lectures. 

Short-run workshops – one or two sessions max – offer another opportunity to explore your creativity on a specific topic.

There are also open lab hours where you can drop in and try out the space or discuss your big creative ideas with Dave.

See the schedule of pop-up events and workshops below. For more information about our year-round Music Theory classes, click here.

Saturday Creativity Lab Pop-Ups

Ages 12 to adult
Free, no registration fee.

Note: Space is limited as noted for each class. To sign up, stop by the Front Office to be added to the list, or call 585.454.4596. Register early - and we will create a waitlist if needed.

 

 

Creativity Lab Workshops

Ages 12 to adult
$30 for each workshop, no registration fee.

Note: Each offering is limited to 8 people max. So register early - and we will create a waitlist if needed. For more information, call 585.454.4596.

 

 

Workshop 6: Comic Book Bootcamp

2 Saturdays, April 13 & 20, 2024; 1:00-2:30 pm; Fee: $30
Limit: 8  
Click here to register or call 585.454.4596.

So you want to make comics? Show up to this session and get ready to draw. Creativity Lab Director Dave Chisholm – a graphic novelist and comic artist with more than 1,400 pages of published comic art – is going to show up with a script (or two or three) ready for you to draw. In the process of bringing this script to life, you’ll confront the variety of problems comic artists solve daily, and you’ll end up with some fantastic pages of comics for you to share (or add to your portfolio). You are also welcome to bring in your own story to draw if you’d like!