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Honors Certificate Program

The Hochstein Honors Certificate Program is a multi-year, rigorous program designed for the talented, motivated student who is interested in a concentrated musical education and involves individual lessons, a clearly designed curriculum of an advanced level course of study for each discipline, music theory and history courses, annual juries before a faculty committee, and the presentation of a senior recital. 

 

Auditions are held twice annually, usually in February and May. Intermediate to advanced level students in grade 8 through adult (grade 9 through adult for vocal) are eligible to audition.

 

Tuition Charges:  Students accepted into the Honors Certificate program continue to pay individual lesson fees, but music theory and history
coursework is provided tuition-free (one class per school-year until program requirements are met). In addition, accompanying support for the initial audition, annual HCP juries, and Senior Recital are provided by Hochstein. 

 

Hochstein greatly appreciates the significant ongoing support for this program from the Donald F. and Maxine B. Davison Foundation!

 

Admission auditions, juries, and performances will be judged by the Honors Certificate Program Committee, which will include:

  1. President/ Executive Director of the School
  2. Assistant Director & Dean
  3. At least two faculty members from different departments

 

Students must be currently enrolled lesson students at Hochstein, and entry into this program is by teacher recommendation.
Once a recommendation has been received, the specific requirements for each discipline will be sent to the student.

Be sure to read the basic requirements for the program (listed below).

 

The following are eligible to participate in the Honors Certificate Program:

  • Bassoon
  • Cello
  • Clarinet
  • Composition
  • Flute
  • French Horn
  • Guitar
  • Harp
  • Oboe
  • Piano
  • Saxophone
  • Trombone
  • Trumpet
  • Viola
  • Violin
  • Voice

For specific program requirements for each instrument, contact Gary Palmer, Assistant Director & Dean, at gary.palmer@hochstein.org

 

 

 

 

Basic requirements of the program:

Eligibility

  • Recommendation of individual lesson teacher.
  • At the commencement of the program, instrumental applicants must be in at least 8th grade. Vocal applicants must be in at least 9th grade. 
  • Performance ability of at least intermediate/advanced level. The applicant will be judged on all aspects of musicianship: tone quality, phrasing, expression, rhythm, technical accuracy, and flexibility, etc. Students auditioning in composition will also be presenting scores.
  • Ability to complete the program in 2-4 years or by completion of high school. Students entering in their junior year will be required to play a minimum of 3 juries before being approved for performance of the Public Recital in the senior year (or end of program for adults). 


For specific program requirements for each instrument, contact Gary Palmer, Assistant Director & Dean, at gary.palmer@hochstein.org

 

Audition Requirements

  • Instrumental: The audition will be a maximum of 15 minutes. Three contrasting compositions/movements representing 3 different composers from different musical; representative scales, arpeggios, and abstract technique. 
  • Vocal: The audition will be a maximum of 10 minutes. Piano accompaniment is required. Three pieces of differing styles and language. Memorization required; sightreading comparable to NYSSMA Levels 1-3.
  • Composition: The audition will be a maximum of 20 minutes. 
  • Two contrasting selections of vocal or instrumental music of at least a NYSSMA level 4 to be performed by the applicant. Piano accompaniment is required. Selections do not need to be memorized; One composition in the style of an established composer for any instrumentation/vocal setting; One composition in any style for any instrumentation/vocal setting

For additional details about each program area, please contact Assistant Director & Dean Gary Palmer at gary.palmer@hochstein.org.

 

Participation and Completion

  • Annual Jury: 20-minute performance in the spring of each year that the student is in the program.
  • Piano accompaniment is required.
  • At the time of the jury, each student must submit a complete list of works studied that year.
  • For additional completion requirements for each program area, please contact Assistant Director & Dean, Gary Palmer at: gary.palmer@hochstein.org

 

Course Requirements:

Track #1: All Coursework at Hochstein or Eastman Community Music School (ECMS)

  • Basic Music Theory or the equivalent. Classes are offered at Hochstein or Eastman School. Note: Applicants who have previous theory study can pass out of Basic Music Theory by successfully completing the Theory Placement Exam. Please contact Gary Palmer, Assistant Director & Dean, at gary.palmer@hochstein.org
  • AP Theory I: Form and Harmony. Classes are offered at Hochstein and Eastman School. Students are encouraged, but not required, to supplement their theory studies with a Solfège and Aural Skills course. 
  • Survey of Music History – Hochstein course only (ECMS and high school history courses do not fulfill requirement).

 

Track #2: One Theory Course at Student's High School, remaining requirements at Hochstein or ECMS

  • One music theory course (Basic Music Theory or AP Theory or equivalent) at student’s high school (curriculum must be approved in advance).
  • One music theory course (Basic Music Theory or AP Theory I) at Hochstein or ECMS.
  • Survey of Music History – Hochstein course only (ECMS and high school history courses do not fulfill requirement).

 

Track #3: All Theory Requirements through High School, remaining requirements at Hochstein

  • Basic Music Theory or equivalent at student’s high school (curriculum must be approved in advance).
  • AP Theory I or the equivalent at student’s high school (curriculum must be approved in advance).
  • Survey of Music History – Hochstein course only (ECMS and high school history courses do not fulfill requirement).
  • One elective area from the following categories:
    1. Independent Study – in coordination with individual-lesson teacher at Hochstein. Requires a write-up of a proposal, outline of what topic(s) are to be covered, and final paper/possible public presentation.
    2. Two short-course electives from Music Lab (e.g. Composer’s Club, Music Business, Finale/Sibelius, other courses as offered) OR one full-course elective from Music Lab (e.g. Piano 101 [18-week class]).   
    3. Pre-Professional Internship – in coordination  with one of Hochstein’s departments – Music Therapy, FUNdamentals, or Music Lab. Students attend weekly, 1-hour class and work with a mentor-teacher in the area of study. Student actively engages in helping teach the class and write a reflective paper to document the insights learned; public presentation is also possible. Specifics of each internship curriculum to be discussed/developed with Department Chairs. Special internships with experts outside of Hochstein (e.g. musical instrument repair, piano tuning, etc.) will also be considered on a case-by-case basis.
    4. Chamber Music at Hochstein (at least three 9-week quarters of participation).

 

Ensemble Requirements

  • Students are required to have at least one year of participation in a musical ensemble, preferably at Hochstein.
  • Those students not able to fulfill the requirement through Hochstein must provide documentation to the Assistant Director & Dean that appropriate ensemble participation has been fulfilled through another organization (RPYO, ECMS, high school). NOTE: Ensemble requirements can be fulfilled by participation on a secondary instrument or interest area (i.e. instrumentalists can be in a chorus or pianists could be in orchestra or chorus). 

 

Public Recital

  • Minimum 30 minutes (15 minutes for voice students). Performance given usually in the spring. This performance may not precede the final jury. 
  • The Final Jury must be scheduled for the February jury date of the student’s senior year.
  • The Public Recital program must be submitted to the Assistant Director & Dean 6 weeks prior to the Public Recital.
  • Student must write program notes for the Public Recital program. The Music History Survey teacher is available to advise and assist with this endeavor.
  • For repertoire, memorization, etc., please contact Gary Palmer, Assistant Director & Dean, at gary.palmer@hochstein.org for specific instrumental, vocal, and composition requirements.