Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Hochstein School provides comprehensive music and dance instruction as well as therapeutic arts services to over 3,600 individuals annually from the City of Rochester, Monroe County, and surrounding counties. As part of Hochstein's mission, opportunities are provided to people of all ages, proficiency levels, ethnic backgrounds, and socioeconomic levels. We aim to nurture and inspire each individual, and to welcome all to our community of musicians, dancers, and audiences.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Music instruction
For children and adults, individual instruction – the most effective way to improve musical skills – is at the heart of our comprehensive music program. Lessons are available in all orchestral instruments, voice, guitar, and drum set. Classes for children emphasize fun, creativity, and movement, while classes for tweens, teens, and adults are tailored to their interests in specific topics. Ensemble opportunities include orchestras, bands, chamber music, rock and jazz combos, and choral groups.
Dance instruction
Hochstein's dance education philosophy emphasizes the joy of dance in a range of styles, grounded in a strong technical foundation. Offering a full range of sequential, guided instruction, our classes include creative movement, ballet, tap, jazz, African, Latin, and modern dance. Beginners of all ages – children, teens, and adults – are welcomed and encouraged to explore the enjoyment and art of dance, while a variety of levels provide the serious student advanced training.
Music Therapy
Music, Art, and Dance Therapies are well-established and researched healthcare professions offering therapeutic music, art, and dance interventions that address the physical, emotional, cognitive, communication, and social needs of individuals of all ages. Our Expressive Arts program offers individual sessions in music, art, and dance therapy, in addition to group offerings at the Hochstein building as well as many group homes, senior centers, healthcare facilities, and community centers throughout the greater Rochester region.
Choral and Orchestra Ensembles
Hochstein's ensemble program draws from a rich history that started with the original Hochstein String Quartet in the 1920s and has grown into the comprehensive program in existence today. Hochstein's ensemble program includes four student orchestras, three wind symphonies/bands, three vocal ensembles, jazz combos, rock and Dixieland bands, and a myriad of chamber and instrument-specific ensembles.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts - Member 1937
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of students who receive scholarship funds and/or tuition assistance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of hours of live broadcast
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Broadcast live from the Hochstein Performance Hall and hosted by Classical 91.5's Mona Seghatoleslami, Live from Hochstein is the longest running live broadcast concert series in Western New York.
Number of professional artists employed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of students enrolled
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The mission of the David Hochstein Memorial Music School is to provide people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities with access to excellent music and dance education in a community that nurtures and encourages personal achievement.
For children and adults, individual instruction – the most effective way to improve musical skills – is at the heart of our comprehensive music program. Lessons are available in all orchestral instruments, voice, guitar, and drum set. Classes for children emphasize fun, creativity, and movement, while classes for tweens, teens, and adults are tailored to their interests in specific topics. Ensemble opportunities include orchestras, bands, chamber music, rock and jazz combos, and choral groups.
Hochstein's dance education philosophy emphasizes the joy of dance in a range of styles, grounded in a strong technical foundation. Offering a full range of sequential, guided instruction, our classes include creative movement, ballet, tap, jazz, African, Latin, and modern dance. Beginners of all ages – children, teens, and adults – are welcomed and encouraged to explore the enjoyment and art of dance, while a variety of levels provide the serious student advanced training.
Music, Art, and Dance Therapies are well-established and researched healthcare professions offering therapeutic music, art, and dance interventions that address the physical, emotional, cognitive, communication, and social needs of individuals of all ages. Our Expressive Arts program offers individual sessions in music, art, and dance therapy, in addition to group offerings at the Hochstein building as well as many group homes, senior centers, healthcare facilities, and community centers throughout the greater Rochester region.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
• Our faculty help make up the richly talented and remarkably diverse community that is uniquely Hochstein. Faculty members are specialists in their area and draw upon their extensive performance and teaching backgrounds to share their knowledge, expertise, and love of music and dance to students of all ages and levels.
• Expressive Arts sessions improve the quality of life for persons who are well and meets the needs of children and adults with disabilities, disorders, illnesses, or learning differences. Interventions are designed to promote wellness, relieve stress, alleviate pain, express feelings, enhance memory, develop academic skills, improve communication, promote physical rehabilitation, and improve social development.
• The music FUNdamentals department at Hochstein offers the teaching methods of Carl Orff and Zoltan Kodaly, among others, and provides a nurturing environment for both children and adults to listen, move, sing, and play instruments together.
• Ensemble experiences not only take students' musical skills to the next level, but they instill confidence while building collaborative skills and camaraderie among our students.
• Music Theory is the study of the building blocks of music. A knowledge of theory is an essential tool for musicians and gives performers and listeners valuable insights into a composer's creative thoughts and technical methods. Students may take advantage of a curriculum–sharing partnership between Hochstein and Eastman Community Music School.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We employ a faculty of over 120 specialists in music, dance, and therapeutic arts who hold advanced degrees and are experienced teachers as well as active performers, in addition to an administrative staff of 25 (12 FT, 13 PT).
Our faculty help make up the richly talented and remarkably diverse community that is uniquely Hochstein. Faculty members are specialists in their area and draw upon their extensive performance and teaching backgrounds to share their knowledge, expertise, and love of music and dance to students of all ages and levels.
All Expressive Arts therapists are board-certified, and many have additional training in neurologic music therapy and performance wellness.
Through support from the community, including individuals, foundations, and corporations, Hochstein is able to continue to offer tuition assistance to those who qualify ensuring all who has a passion to learn can access our programs and services.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since its founding in 1920, Hochstein continues to be a great asset in our community.
It is unique in its depth and breadth of offerings -- extensive and varied music and dance programs for ages 6 months through 90+, large and small ensembles, as well as therapeutic arts (music, dance, art therapy). Hochstein will continue to serve our community in the future, attracting highly-skilled faculty and staff, while identifying partnerships that will increase access to our programs and services.
Below are some of Hochstein's accomplishments:
• Hochstein's ensemble program draws from a rich history that started with the original Hochstein String Quartet in the 1920s and has grown into the comprehensive program in existence today. Hochstein's ensemble program includes four student orchestras, three wind symphonies/bands, three vocal ensembles, jazz combos, rock and Dixieland bands, and a myriad of chamber and instrument-specific ensembles.
• On average, Hochstein awards more than $276,000 annually in need-based assistance to over 1,700 individuals ensuring our community has access to our programs and services.
• Hochstein partners with several other organizations to support ROCMusic, an after school program at the David F. Gantt and Edgerton Community Centers that brings classical music instruction and instrument lessons to city children in grades 1-12, free of charge.
• Hochstein also maintains a collaborative relationship with the YMCA that allows pre-school children from low income neighborhoods to come to Hochstein for tuition-free, sustained, hands-on learning that develops not only their musical skills but also their social and academic skills.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
David Hochstein Memorial Music School
Board of directorsas of 05/19/2022
Jenny Stenzel
Carlos Carballada
Charitable & Community Relations, M&T Bank/Hochstein Alum
Eric Logan
IT Infrastructure Manager, City of Rochester, Hochstein grandparent
Judith Ricker
Vice President, Market Probe
Christopher Shea
VP at Landmark Insurance, Hochstein parent
Sidney Sobel
Oncologist, community arts volunteer
Jenny Stenzel
Accounting professional
Allen Reeve
Attorney, Reeve Brown PLLC
Anthony Piazza
Partner, Barclay Damon LLP
Meera Sampath
Provost Fellow, The State University of New York
Virgil Joseph
Business Banking Relationship Manager, M&T Bank
Steven Morse
Principal, The Bonadio Group
Nancy Reale
Community Volunteer/Hochstein Parent
Aimee Jozic
CPA, The Bonadio Group
Neal Burns
Director, FCM LLC/Hochstein Alum
Laurie Coles
Corporate Counsel, Paychex/Hochstein Parent
Christopher Hasenauer
COO, Redcom Laboratories
Deborah Onslow
Retired Public Broadcasting Executive
Margaret Rachfal
Arts Consultant/Community Volunteer
Michael Reed
Marketing Automation Manager, Paychex/Hochstein Parent
Maureen Rutecki
Partner, EFPR Group LLP
Mary Steblein
Civil Engineer, LaBella Associates
Stephen Wershing
Principal, Focused Wealth Advisors/Hochstein Parent
Jeffrey Wright
Retired Attorney
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data