Inspiring Performances, New Horizons


Dear Hoff-Barthelson Community, 


As we step into spring, Hoff-Barthelson is alive with music, reflection, and anticipation. In this issue, we take a look back at our Baroque and Beyond Festival, where students and faculty brought the elegance of the Baroque era to life with historically informed performances and inspiring interpretations.


We also look ahead to one of our most anticipated events of the year: the Music of Our Time Festival in May, a celebration of contemporary music that underscores Hoff-Barthelson’s commitment to fostering musical curiosity, innovation, and engagement with today’s composers. Under the artistic direction of Peter Seidenberg, this year’s festival will feature student and faculty recitals, a Young Composer’s Recital, and the highly anticipated world premiere of a newly commissioned work by composer Kian Ravaei.


At HBMS, we believe it is essential for students to explore not only the masterworks of the past but also the music of their own time. Engaging with living composers and performing contemporary works gives our students the opportunity to connect with the creative process in a profound way. It teaches them that music is not just a historical artifact but a living, evolving art form. Through this festival, students experience firsthand how music reflects the world around them, challenges conventions, and invites new perspectives.


This issue also explores a unique piece of HBMS history—our collection of remarkable pianos, each with a story to tell. These instruments have shaped generations of musicians and continue to inspire our students today.


As always, we are grateful for your support and look forward to making music together in the months ahead!


With best wishes,

Gabriella Sanna

Executive Director

Hoff-Barthelson’s 2025 Baroque and Beyond Festival: A Celebration of Musical Heritage and Learning


Hoff-Barthelson Music School proudly concluded the 2025 Baroque and Beyond Festival, an eagerly anticipated bi-annual event that immersed students in the rich traditions of Baroque music and its lasting influence on later styles. This festival not only provided a platform for students to perform works from this defining period but also fostered deeper musical understanding through interdisciplinary learning experiences, special guest artist events, and ensemble performances.

Preparation and Performer Selection

Preparation for the Baroque and Beyond Festival began months in advance, with faculty carefully curating a repertoire that showcased the stylistic beauty and technical challenges of Baroque compositions. Student performers were selected for participation based on their commitment to their studies and their progress in instrumental and vocal training. Whether performing in chamber groups, orchestras, or as soloists, students embraced the challenge with dedication and enthusiasm.



Continue reading here.

Celebrating Contemporary Music: Music of Our Time Festival Returns


Hoff-Barthelson Music School’s annual Music of Our Time Festival returns this May, celebrating contemporary works composed from 1975 to the present. Under the artistic direction of HBMS faculty member Peter Seidenberg, the festival continues its legacy of highlighting modern compositions and fostering new music creation, a tradition started by Wilma Machover, who founded the festival in 1989.


A highlight of the festival is the Wilma Machover Residency and Commission, which annually engages an emerging composer to create a new work for a student chamber ensemble. This year, the festival proudly presents the world premiere of All the Sounds Around Her by composer Kian Ravaei (pictured above). Inspired by the life and legacy of the beloved children's musician Ella Jenkins, the work incorporates call-and-response singing, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and Jenkins’s signature multilingual counting games. The premiere will take place on Sunday, May 18, 2025, and will be performed by the HBMS Vocal Ensembles together with the Westchester Children’s Choir, and the HBMS Festival Orchestra conducted by Leandro Gazineo.


Continue reading here.

A Storied Instrument: The Epstein Piano at Hoff-Barthelson


At Hoff-Barthelson, we are fortunate to have not only extraordinary musicians but also extraordinary instruments that carry their own rich histories. Across the School, pianos with remarkable pasts provide students and faculty with a tangible connection to musical greats.

The Recital Hall boasts a Steinway Model C from 1882—an identical twin to the piano gifted by Steinway to Franz Liszt. It is one of several pianos at the school with only 85 keys. Though pianos of this size are not commercially valuable, they hold immense musical significance. Liszt himself wrote to Steinway describing his instrument as “a glorious masterpiece in power, sonority, singing quality and perfect harmonic effects, affording delight even to my old piano-weary fingers.” Today, Liszt’s piano resides in the Museum of La Scala, while its twin continues to inspire musicians at Hoff-Barthelson.


Continue reading here.

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