Information about COVID-19

UPDATE: May 28, 2020

Summer Arts Program to Be Offered Online!

Dear HBMS Students and Families,

We are thrilled to inform you that we are putting the finishing touches on an online version of our popular Summer Arts Program (SAP)!

On Thursday, May 21, Governor Cuomo announced that schools across New York State would remain closed for in-person instruction this summer. HBMS will comply with this directive, moving all group instruction—including our Summer Arts Program for students entering grades 1 – 12 in the fall—online.

While we will dearly miss seeing everyone in person on campus, we promise you a program that is engaging, has flexible options that work well online, and that provides students and their friends the opportunity to participate in many of their favorite elements of SAP.

We expect to release details late next week. Please stay tuned!

Best,

Ken Cole
Executive Director

UPDATE: April 30, 2020

Dear Members of the HBMS Community,

OUR 75th ANNIVERSARY BENEFIT
Thank you to all those who joined us on Sunday evening for our first ever Virtual Benefit! Though we were not able to meet in person, we are grateful the HBMS community could come together to celebrate the School’s 75th Anniversary. That so many participated made it abundantly clear that everyone in the extended HBMS community believes that music has the power to unite, comfort, and inspire us, especially during these uncertain times.

We extend a special thank you to everyone who made this event possible including the Benefit Host Committee, HBMS Board members, faculty, staff, students, their families, and KSK Productions. If you were unable to tune in live, you may view a recording of the event here.

We greatly appreciate your continued partnership and support, and want you to know there is still time to double your donation. Thanks to a generous donor, all gifts made to the School before the end of the school year will be matched up to $50,000. Visit our website to make a gift to the School today!

ONLINE STUDENT RECITALS BEGIN MAY 2
We are happy to announce that online Student Recitals using Zoom will be held on the following dates:

Saturday, May 2 at 2:00 pm
Saturday, May 9 at 2:00 pm
Saturday, May 9 at 4:00 pm
Saturday, May 16 at 2:00 pm
Saturday, May 30 at 2:00 pm – Adult Students only
Saturday, May 30 at 4:00 pm

Recital dates can also be found here along with dates for Workshops and Informals.

These virtual Recitals, hosted by Associate Dean Kathy Jones, will provide students with the opportunity to perform for a larger audience. Students that wish to perform will still need to have participated in either an Informal or Teen Workshop beforehand. Family and friends are invited to join in the viewing of the Recital. Performances will not be recorded by the School, but parents may choose to record only their child’s performance using their home equipment.

We ask that students still wear Recital attire. A souvenir PDF document of the program will be emailed to each performer.

Important note regarding accompaniment: Students may now be accompanied by family members, or by pre-recorded tracks made by HBMS accompanists. Students may also play pieces without accompaniment if necessary.

EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC PROGRAM TO HOST WEEKLY SING-A-LONGS
Beginning on Monday, May 4, 2020, at 3:00 pm, students, families, and caregivers of students in the School’s Early Childhood Music Program, First Instrument Classes, and Beginning Musicianship: Listening and Learning in Action, classes are invited to join a new weekly sing-a-long led by HBMS Faculty Member and Dalcroze Certified Instructor Laura Barnet. Children will see friends and sing songs they know and love.

Families will receive a Zoom meeting link and password the Saturday before each sing-a-long. Please join the meeting between 3:00-3:10 pm. The sing-a-longs will begin at 3:10 pm and end at 3:20 pm.

Who can join this sing-a-long? Students from any of the following classes taught by any of our instructors: Guppies, Tunes for Twos, Seasons of Song, Saturday Songs, Getting to Know You, Piano Together, Beginning Ukulele, Suzuki Pre-Twinklers, and Beginning Musicianship: Listening and Learning in Action.

EVENT CANCELLATIONS
Regretfully, because of the extended closing of the campus through May 15, 2020, we have had to cancel the following events:

Wind Ensemble Final Concert – Wednesday, May 6
Jazz A to Z – Monday, May 11
The Contemporary Festival Large Ensemble Concert – Sunday, May 17
Trip to the Music Festival at Dorney Park for members of the Chamber Orchestra and the Young People’s Symphonette – May 22. (We are working on rebooking this trip for spring 2021. All who planned on joining the trip this year will be invited to do so next year. Funds raised for this trip will be carried over to next year.)

COMPOSE YOURSELF! PROJECT
Join us for Compose Yourself! Sunday, May 3, 3:30-5:00 pm on Zoom! This year’s event features guest artists Emily Koh and Jonathan Russ working with HBMS composition students and presenting their own work. The event begins at 1:15 pm with guest composers working with HBMS students. The public is invited to join us at 3:30 pm. Learn more here. RSVP to join the event here.

FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA AUDITIONS
Auditions for the Festival Orchestra will be held on Tuesday, May 12, Wednesday, May 13, and Wednesday, May 20, 2020. Complete audition information can be found here.

To schedule an audition, sign-up online here, or contact Mark Kushnir, Orchestra Manager.

In preparation for the audition, students are invited to send videos of their preliminary audition material to Music Director Jun Nakabayashi for his review and comments. Learn how to submit your videos here.

THANK YOU
As always, we are grateful to students, faculty, families and staff for keeping the teaching, learning and music alive during these challenging circumstances. Your creativity and perseverance are truly inspiring!

Sincerely,

Your Friends at Hoff-Barthelson Music School

UPDATE: April 17, 2020

Dear Members of the HBMS Community,

We hope that you and yours are in good health and keeping safe. As you know, Governor Cuomo recently extended the social distancing guidelines currently in effect through May 15. Our campus will therefore remain closed until that time as well.

We are grateful to students, faculty, families and staff for keeping the teaching, learning and music alive during these challenging circumstances. Your creativity and perseverance are truly inspiring!

Sincerely,

Your Friends at Hoff-Barthelson Music School

UPCOMING EVENTS:

HBMS VIRTUAL SPRING BENEFIT
Please join us online on Sunday, April 26th from 7:30 – 8:00 pm for a very special event celebrating the School’s 75th Anniversary. We are thrilled to bring the HBMS community together online to celebrate this historic milestone, the School’s impact on generations of students, and our exciting vision for the future.

Hosted by Executive Director Ken Cole and Board Chair Janet Korins, the event will feature performances by HB faculty and students, the premiere of a beautiful new video about the School, and a sneak peek at exciting plans for the 2020-2021 school year and beyond. No tickets are required and there is no charge to attend. Contributions will help sustain the quality of our programs, ensure financial aid is available to those who need it, and enable the School to navigate the difficulties posed by COVID-19 successfully. We hope to see you there!

If you are unable to attend but would like to support the School with a tax deductible donation, click here.

COMPOSE YOURSELF! PROJECT WORKSHOP – SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2020
The Compose Yourself! Project Workshop will occur online on Sunday, May 3, 2020, from 1:15 -5:00 p.m. Students interested in participating and who have not yet submitted their compositions—whether in-progress or completed—are encouraged to contact faculty member Derek Cooper. Submissions are due on Monday, April 27, 2020. View the submission guidelines here.

FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA AUDITIONS
Auditions for the Festival Orchestra will be held on Tuesday, May 12th, Wednesday, May 13th and Wednesday, May 20th. Complete audition information can be found here.

To schedule an audition, sign-up online here, or contact Mark Kushnir, Orchestra Manager.

SUMMER AT HOFF-BARTHELSON

Summer Arts Program –With summer just 2 ½ months away, we are developing plans to offer our popular Summer Arts Program, for students in grades 1 – 10, either in person, online, or a mix of both, depending upon the social distancing guidelines in place in late June and July. Details will be shared by April 30.

Summer Lesson Instruction – in-person and/or online – will be available immediately following the completion of our spring semester. Information about summer lesson sign up will be forthcoming.

EVENT CANCELLATIONS
Regretfully, because of the extended closing of the campus through May 15, 2020, we have had to cancel the Children’s Concert on May 3. Details on other events scheduled for the first half of May will be forthcoming.

YOUR FEEDBACK IS REQUESTED!
We welcome your input as we continue to develop our instructional offerings online. Please share your feedback with us here.

SHARE WITH THE HBMS COMMUNITY!
We would love to see how your online lessons are going! Please send us photos of you or your child practicing or taking online lessons for us to share on our Facebook page so that we can continue to stay connected. Send your photos along with the names of the individuals in the photo to hb@hbms.org

UPDATE: April 9, 2020

Dear Members of the HBMS Community,

We hope this note finds you and yours safe and well. As you know, Governor Cuomo recently extended the social distancing guidelines currently in effect through April 29. Our campus will therefore remain closed until that time as well. We are delighted to report, however, that, as of April 15, all classes and lessons will be conducted online, in a variety of forms.

We want to thank students, families, faculty and staff for working together to effect the transition from in-person to online instruction in such a short time. Your creativity, perseverance, and technical agility has been inspiring and we are grateful to each and every one of you for continuing to teach and learn under such challenging circumstances.

Please keep safe and stay well. We look forward to seeing you in person just as soon as it’s safe to do so.

Sincerely,

Your Friends at Hoff-Barthelson Music School

HBMS VIRTUAL SPRING BENEFIT
Please join us on Sunday, April 26th from 7:30 – 8:00 pm for a very special online event celebrating the School’s 75th Anniversary. While our original plans had to be postponed until next year, we are thrilled to bring the HBMS community together for our first ever Online Benefit celebrating the School’s impact on generations of students and highlighting our exciting vision for the future.

Hosted by Executive Director Ken Cole and Board Chair Janet Korins, the event will feature performances by HB faculty and students, the premiere of our new promotional video, a quick update on highlights from our recently completed strategic plan, and exciting announcements about big changes in store for the 2020-2021 school year and beyond! Stay tuned for the event link—we hope to “see” you there!

FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA NEWS
The Festival Orchestra will resume working on repertoire during online sectionals on Tuesday, April 14th and 21st, in preparation for sectionals coached by members of the New York Philharmonic on April 28th. Orchestra Manager Mark Kushnir will be in touch with members of the Festival Orchestra to share details.

Auditions for the Festival Orchestra will be held on Tuesday, May 12th, Wednesday, May 13th and Wednesday, May 20th. Complete audition information can be found here.

CHORUSES TO BEGIN MEETINGS ONLINE
Please expect a communication from your instructor regarding class meeting format.

Petite Chorus, starting Saturday, April 11.
Beginning Voices, starting Wednesday, April 15
Junior Voices, starting Wednesday, April 15

PIANO TOGETHER TO BEGIN ONLINE
Classes resume online beginning the week of April 13th using recorded videos (asynchronous instruction), a workbook for home use, and a weekly parent check-in with the instructor. Instructors will be in contact with parents to provide additional information.

SUMMER AT HOFF-BARTHELSON
Summer Arts Program –With summer just 2 ½ months away, we are developing plans to offer our popular Summer Arts Program, for students in grades 1 – 10, either in person, online, or a mix of both, depending upon the social distancing guidelines in place in late June and July. Details will be shared by April 30.

UPDATE: April 3, 2020

Dear Members of the HBMS Community,

As we continue to navigate all the uncertainties surrounding COVID-19, we hope that you and yours are in good health, staying safe, and successfully connecting with family and friends online.

We are pleased to announce that still more of our offerings will soon begin online, and want to remind you that we will be running a number of make-up classes next week (with the exception of Wednesday and Thursday, in observance of Passover), over what was to be our Spring Break. Many faculty members will also be conducting make-up lessons online next week. Details below!

Thank you for working with us to keep music playing and learning alive in these difficult times.

Sincerely,

Your Friends at Hoff-Barthelson Music School

YOUR FEEDBACK IS REQUESTED!
Having now completed four weeks of online instruction, we continue to be grateful to our students, faculty and families for leaning in and learning together. We welcome your input as we continue to develop our instructional offerings online. Please share your feedback with us here.

CLASSES TAKING PLACE DURING SPRING BREAK – WEEK OF APRIL 6
Please note that make-up sessions for classes, clubs and ensembles scheduled on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, will convene during the week of April 6 (Spring Break week). E-mail reminders will be sent to students enrolled in these classes.

CORRECTION
Make-up sessions for classes, clubs and ensembles scheduled for Wednesdays and Thursdays will conduct a make-up session on May 20 and May 21, respectively. The dates were incorrect in the communication sent on March 28, 2020.

FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA NEWS
The Festival Orchestra will resume working on repertoire during sectionals on Tuesday, April 14th and 21st, in anticipation of upcoming sectionals with members of the New York Philharmonic later this month, or in early May. Orchestra Manager Mark Kushnir will be in contact to provide additional information.

Auditions for the Festival Orchestra will be held on Tuesday, May 12th, Wednesday, May 13th and Wednesday, May 20th. Complete audition information can be found here.

CHORUSES TO BEGIN MEETINGS ONLINE
Please expect a communication from your instructor regarding class meeting format.

Petite Chorus, starting Saturday, April 11.
Beginning Voices, starting Wednesday, April 15
Junior Voices, starting Wednesday, April 15

EVENT UPDATE: COMPOSE YOURSELF! PROJECT WORKSHOP – SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2020
The Compose Yourself! Project Workshop will occur online on Sunday, May 3, 2020, from 1:15 -5:00 p.m. Students interested in participating and who have not yet submitted their compositions—whether in-progress or completed—are encouraged to contact faculty member Derek Cooper.

SUMMER AT HOFF-BARTHELSON!
The Early Bird Discount for the Summer Arts Program is April 15! We plan to run this popular program whether online or in-person. A variety of contingencies plans are being developed for how programming might be adjusted should social distancing continue through the summer months. Register here.

Summer Private Lesson Instruction – in-person and/or online – will be available immediately following the completion of our spring semester. Information about summer lesson sign up will be forthcoming.

UPDATE: March 28, 2020

Dear Members of the Hoff-Barthelson Community:

Yesterday, Governor Cuomo estimated that the apex of the COVID-19 outbreak in New York State will occur in approximately three weeks and ordered all schools in New York State to remain closed through April 15.

In light of these circumstances, we believe that it is in the best interests of our students and our school community to undertake online instruction for all private lessons beginning Monday, March 30^th. We will also launch online instruction for a host of additional classes and ensembles over the coming week—bringing the percentage of our group instructional offerings online by April 4 to over 95%.

We are inspired by the ingenuity, perseverance and technical facility shown by students and faculty alike over the past three weeks. Together, they’ve conducted well over 1,000 online lessons and classes. Not only are students continuing to be engaged in musical learning, they’re staying connected to their teachers and to each other.

To provide clarity for families and faculty as to how the School is handling lessons and classes disrupted by the closure of our campus, we have amended our make-up policies; details are shared below.

First, however, we’re excited to share updates on the many classes, clubs and ensembles launching online next week.

ADDITIONAL CLASSES & ENSEMBLES TO BE OFFERED ONLINE BEGINNING THE WEEK OF MARCH 30^th
The following classes and ensembles will begin meeting online via Zoom at their regularly scheduled days/times. Please look for an email either the evening before or day of your class that provides a link leading directly to the class meeting online.

K-12 OFFERINGS
The following group offerings will begin online via live (synchronous) instruction:

Elementary Musicianship Classes
Chamber Music Ensembles (not including Adult Chamber Music)
Instrument Clubs – Clarinet Club, Flute Club (Junior Flute Club, Flute Club, and Adult Flute Club), Viola Club (Beginning, Junior, Intermediate, and Advanced—the Junior, Intermediate, and Advanced Viola Clubs will meet at a time TBD.)
Young People’s Symphonette
Chamber Orchestra
Wind Ensemble
Performance program events: Informals and Teen Workshops.
Our schedule of Informals and Teen Workshops is here. As with our live performance workshops, faculty determine when a student is ready to perform and will submit the student to the workshop. We will confirm students’ participation via email from Student and Faculty Services.

EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC (ECM) OFFERINGS
The following class will begin online via live (synchronous) instruction:

Pre-Twinkle Violin class

The following classes will be taught online using recorded (asynchronous) lessons/activities and opportunities for families/students to meet with faculty (synchronous):

Guppies
Saturday Songs
Seasons of Song
Tunes for Twos
Getting to Know You
Beginning Ukulele
Beginning Theory

Orientation meetings for parents/guardians of students in these asynchronous ECM classes begin next week (parents unable to attend the meeting with their instructor are welcome to join the other meeting):

Meeting #1:
Monday, March 30, 9-9:30 am. Zoom meeting for Laura Barnet’s and Mindy Kay Smith’s students.

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/153272964?pwd=MGh4L0k0d0xjanRrcnRWNTc2bmFGdz09
Meeting ID: 153 272 964
Password: 378701

Meeting #2:
Tuesday, March 31, 3:30 am. Zoom meeting for Danielle Miller’s students.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/910091376?pwd=dnNPYVRPc01ncmFBRmJ6dGVxRzlaZz09
Meeting ID: 910 091 376
Password: 524667

CLASSES AND ENSEMBLES STILL IN-TRANSITION TO ONLINE
We are continuing to work on migrating the following offerings online and look forward to providing further updates soon:

Piano Together
Petite Chorus
Beginning Voices
Junior Voices
Festival Orchestra

ONLINE CLASS/ENSEMBLE/WORKSHOP FAQs

Q. How will I know how to join my class online?

A. Families and adult students will receive instructions from Registration Associate Chris Peña. The email will include links to instructional materials as appropriate.

Q. Who do I contact if I need support for joining online classes?

A. Please direct questions or requests for support to Christopher Peña.

EVENT UPDATES
Compose Yourself! Workshop Postponed, New Date TBA
Compose Yourself! will not occur as planned on April 4^th. Please stay tuned for the announcement of a new date. Students interested in participating and who have not yet submitted their compositions—whether in-progress or completed—are encouraged to contact faculty member Derek Cooper.

AMENDMENTS TO MAKE-UP POLICIES: IN EFFECT UNTIL THE SCHOOL IS ALLOWED TO RE-OPEN
As a reminder, students are entitled to three make-up lessons a year for excused absences:

For illness, if an email is sent to hb@hbms.org and the private lesson instructor directly by:

10:00 am the day of the lesson on weekdays
8:00 am on Saturday for lessons scheduled before 10:00 am
9:00 am. on Saturday for lessons scheduled at or after 10:00 am

Mandatory academic school events that are NOT extracurricular if a week’s notice is given.

For lessons cancelled by the teacher.

The following amendments supersede all prior amendments to the School’s make-up policies made since March 3, 2020:

Private Lessons: All private lessons will be delivered online beginning Monday, March 30 and until the School is permitted by the State of New York to re-open.

The School’s make-up policy will be amended as follows:

Beginning March 30, 2020, and for the duration of the closure necessitated by the State of New York, the School will deliver all private lessons online.

Online private lessons offered under the above-listed conditions but rejected by the student will not be made-up.
- The School will, however, consider exceptions in cases of significant hardship on the part of the student (e.g., s/he doesn’t have access to the necessary technology, has learning disabilities that interfere with online learning, etc.). Requests for exceptions must be submitted by the family/student via email to hb@hbms.org.

Once the School is allowed to re-open:
- If a faculty member is not able to conduct private lesson instruction in person due to COVID-19 related concerns (e.g., the teacher is in a high-risk group or has been exposed to COVID-19 and is under quarantine) the faculty member may deliver private lesson instruction online.
- If a student is not able to attend a private lesson in person due to COVID-19 related concerns (e.g., the student is in a home that remains under quarantine) the faculty member may deliver private lesson instruction online.

GROUP INSTRUCTION MIGRATED ONLINE
All group instruction migrated online will continue to be delivered online until it is safe for the School to convene the class/ensemble/club in-person. Some group instruction will, by necessity, take alternate forms online: orchestras, for example, may pursue shorter sectional rehearsals in lieu of full orchestral rehearsals; Early Childhood classes may shift to asynchronous instruction, rather than live classes.

K-12 and non-Scarsdale Adult School (SAS) classes, clubs and ensembles that missed only two sessions (weeks of 3/9 and 3/16) due to the closure will not receive make-ups.
K-12 and non-SAS Classes, clubs and ensembles that missed three sessions (weeks of 3/9, 3/16, and 3/23) due to the closure will receive one make-up session.
Early Childhood classes will receive three make-ups.
Make-up sessions for classes, clubs and ensembles scheduled on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, will convene during the week of April 6 (Spring Break week).
Make-up sessions for classes, clubs and ensembles scheduled for Wednesdays and Thursdays will conduct a make-up session on May 20 and May 21, respectively.
No make-up sessions will be given for classes that have been delivered online, synchronously or asynchronously.
After the School is able to reconvene in-person group-offerings, students who cannot attend an in-person group offering due to a COVID-related concern will be provided with the opportunity to participate in the group offering remotely.
After the School is able to reconvene in-person group-offerings, a faculty member who cannot provide in-person group instruction due to COVID-related concerns will have the opportunity to teach that group remotely; alternatively, in consultation with the faculty member, the School may appoint a substitute to teach the group until it is safe for the faculty member to return.

GROUP INSTRUCTION THAT CANNOT BE DELIVERED ONLINE
The School is continuing to work on the few remaining classes and ensembles (listed above) online after April 4. We anticipate that we will provide make-ups and/or alternative educational opportunities for the students in these classes. We look forward to providing further updates by Saturday, April 4.

SHARE YOUR QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK
Having now completed three weeks of online instruction at Hoff-Barthelson and, with more coming online every day, we are grateful to our students, faculty and families for leaning in and learning together to make all of this change possible. We welcome your input as we continue to develop our instructional offerings online. Please share your feedback with us at hb@hbms.org.

Thank you, and please keep safe!

Sincerely,

Your Friends at Hoff-Barthelson Music School

UPDATE: March 20, 2020

PLEASE NOTE: The list of classes being offered online this week was last updated on Monday, March 23, 2020 at 9:30 am

Dear Members of the Hoff-Barthelson Community:

As social distancing measures are being expanded and extended to protect public health, we have been working to keep teaching, learning and sharing music alive!

All HBMS private lesson faculty are now delivering lessons online and the vast majority of students have already participated in one or two.

Thank you all for your inspiring flexibility, commitment, creativity, and technical facility as we work to keep our community connected through a challenge without precedent in any of our lifetimes.

We are pleased to update you on our progress and plans for next week and beyond.

Classes & Ensembles to be Offered Online Beginning the week of March 23^rd
Next week, the following classes and ensembles will begin meeting online at their regularly scheduled days/times via Zoom:

All Suzuki Group Classes (except Suzuki Piano)
All Upper Elementary, Junior, High School (including AP Prep, AP, and Chopin to Ligeti), Sight Singing, and Adult Theory classes
All Composition Classes
All Music Technology classes
All Improvisation for Pianists classes
Chamber Choir
Jazz Theory
Jazz Ensemble
Time for Chimes (Grades 2-5)
Ring On! (Grades 5-8)
Ring Your Bell (Adult Group)
Pre-Twinkle (Combined Monday and Thursday class)

Families and adult students will receive the following information via email in advance of these classes:

Instructions for joining classes/ensembles online (e.g., a link to a Zoom meeting)
Guidelines for getting the most out of online class time
Instructions for sharing/submitting assignments.

Private lessons will continue using technology best suited to each student and instructor (e.g., Skype, Facetime, WhatsApp).

HBMS E-Learning Info Sessions
Join us online for previews of E-learning platforms and procedures, and to ask questions. These sessions are geared towards parents of children and adult students whose online classes begin next week.

Saturday, March 21, 2020, 11 am–12 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/183618474?pwd=cnpXN0ozTUlPRllITlVOaUova2VhQT09
Meeting ID: 183 618 474
Password: 326520

Sunday, March 22, 2020, 4-5 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/522955559?pwd=RDV3UEJSZ0YyVTNiaXczQmZYKzBZZz09
Meeting ID: 522 955 559
Password: 663053

Monday, March 23, 2020, 8-9 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/141638214?pwd=SGxBQkg5TEJjdlFKVUllbEdkUEFNdz09
Meeting ID: 141 638 214
Password: 823860

Our sincere thanks to faculty member Derek Cooper, who has provided invaluable support working with our deans, faculty, and staff to research and develop online resources and applications.

Musicianship students and faculty will have access to a number of e-learning and digital sharing/organization tools for online classes and ensemble instruction next week. These include:

UTheory – each class has a customized, at-home interface for unlimited student at-home music theory and ear training practice
Aurelia – for in-class or at home aural skills training
Sibelius music notation software
NoteFlight music notation software
DropBox
Google Docs

Support for online instruction is available!
Please direct questions or requests for support to Christopher Peña, cpena@hbms.org.

Classes and Ensembles Not Meeting Next Week
Beginning Musicianship, Beginning Ukulele, Beginning Voices, Chamber Music, Elementary Musicianship, Getting to Know You, Guppies, Instrument Clubs (Viola Club, Flute Club, Clarinet Club), Junior Voices, Orchestras (Chamber Orchestra, Festival Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Young People’s Symphonette), Petite Chorus, Piano Together, Saturday Songs, Seasons of Song, Tunes for Twos.

We are continuing to work toward moving many of the above-listed classes and ensembles online; however, some are not well-suited for such a move. We are continually monitoring social distancing requirements; if we return to in-person instruction in a reasonable time frame, we will offer make up sessions for these classes wherever possible. We look forward to providing more information at the earliest opportunity.

Online Informals & Teen Workshops to Begin the Week of March 30!
Our schedule of Informals and Teen Workshops is here. As with our live performance workshops, faculty will determine when a student is ready to perform and will submit the student to the workshop. We will confirm students’ participation via email from Student and Faculty Services.

Recordings of Piano Accompaniment Available by Request
Families may ask their private lesson teacher to request a recording of the accompaniment to one or more of the pieces a student is studying. Recordings will be “made to order.” While our accompanists are not able to record in a professional studio with optimal equipment and editing services, the opportunity to play along with recorded accompaniment can still be of value for home practice. As with live accompaniment during in-person lessons, there is no charge for this service. Please note that these recordings are for home study only; they may not be posted online or shared via social media.

Online Lessons
We’ve received wonderful feedback about online lessons over these past two weeks. A huge *THANK YOU* to all who have participated in online instruction. For those who have not yet taken your lessons online, give it a try! While the experience is necessarily different from in-person lessons, online lessons absolutely keep learning on track, help students grow as musicians, inform and inspire home practice, and keep students and teachers connected!

Special Events to Be Presented Online
The following special events will be conducted online—please click the links for additional information, and to learn how to RSVP:

Festival Orchestra Audition Workshop and Q & A
March 28, 3:30-4:30 pm

Compose Yourself! Masterclass
April 4, 1:15-5:00 pm

75^th Anniversary Benefit
April 26, 7:30-8:00 pm (note time change)
The Benefit program is being modified and unfortunately will not feature performances by student ensembles this year; however, exciting plans are in store. Stay tuned for further updates!

Event Cancellations
Regretfully, we have had to cancel the following special events:

Cello Master Class with Joel Krosnick – March 29
The Listening Eye: The Intersection of Art and Music: Lecture with Michael Boriskin – April 17
All-Beethoven Faculty Concert – April 17
Elaine Stamas Educational Residency – April 20
Chamber Music Concert with Members of the New York Philharmonic – April 20
Flute Master Class with Bart Feller – April 23
Music as Experience: Dalcroze Workshop for Adults – April 25
Piano Master Class with Roman Rabinovich – April 26

We are working to reschedule as many of these as possible for the 2020-21 school year.

The Power of Music
We’ve been inspired by the tremendous outpouring of artistic expression online since the beginning of this crisis and are reminded of music’s power to connect and comfort, even across distance. If you’ve not yet done so, we encourage you to tune into Yo-Yo Ma’s #SongsOfComfort on social media and to view this recent interview from the PBS NewsHour.

Sincerely,

Your Friends at Hoff-Barthelson Music School

UPDATE: March 16, 2020

Dear Members of the Hoff-Barthelson Community:

Earlier today, Westchester County Executive George Latimer announced that all public and private schools in the county will be closed through March 31. Hoff-Barthelson will follow this directive as well. While we hope to reopen on April 1, we are being told to expect that closures may need to continue on well past that date. We will continue to monitor developments and update you as we are able.

While our campus is closed, however, teaching and learning continue!

Last week, scores of HBMS faculty conducted hundreds of private lessons online.

This week, all HBMS private lesson faculty will deliver lessons online.

We are grateful to each of them and to all our students—and parents!—for your flexibility, commitment, creativity, and technical facility as we work to keep learning alive during a challenge of extraordinary scale and duration.

If you encounter challenges or successes as you delve into your online lessons, please don’t hesitate to contact Dean Christopher Kenniff (ckenniff@hbms.org) for assistance or simply to share your experience. We are continuing to work with faculty to address any issues that arise.

We are actively preparing to offer online instruction for selected group offerings next week and look forward to updating you later this week as to the specifics.

Note that we now expect to be able to conduct the Festival Orchestra Audition Workshop scheduled for 3:30 – 4:30 pm on Saturday, March 28^th, on Zoom. The workshop will orient students interested in auditioning for the Festival Orchestra to the process. Family members are welcome to participate as well. If you’d like to join us, please RSVP to hb@hbms.org.

As a reminder, the Parent Support Meetings on Thursday, March 19, 2020, from 8:00 – 9:00 pm and Saturday, March 21, 2020, from 2:00 – 3:00 pm with Piano Faculty member Vered Reznik, Flute Faculty Member Donna Elaine, Dean Chris Kenniff, and Associate Dean Kathy Jones will also be held online via Zoom. This is an open agenda meeting for parents to ask questions and share ideas about a wide variety of issues relating to music education, home practice, overcoming challenges, and strategies for success. If you would like to participate, please RSVP to hb@hbms.org and we will forward log-in instructions to you.

Thank you for staying the course with us during these challenging times. While COVID-19 is forcing us apart physically, it needn’t keep us apart in other ways. Let us continue teaching, learning and making music together through these trying times!

Sincerely,

Your Friends at Hoff-Barthelson Music School

UPDATE: March 15, 2020

Dear Members of the Hoff-Barthelson Community:

Given the ongoing developments relating to the spread of COVID-19, our campus will remain closed through Sunday, March 22, 2020. Our ability to re-open after that date is contingent upon a number of factors including information and directions provided this coming week by local, state, and federal government. We will continue to monitor the situation and update you as we are able.

Yet, while our campus is closed, teaching and learning continue!

Last week, HBMS faculty members conducted hundreds of private lessons online. We are grateful to each of them and to all the students who participated for your flexibility, commitment, creativity and technical facility!

We will continue to offer as many online lessons as possible this coming week. We encourage private lesson students who haven’t yet taken a lesson online to give it a go this week so as to avoid further disruption to your studies.

We are working with faculty providing online lessons to provide continuous support, learn from their successes, and to overcome any challenges.

We are eager to hear from students and parents who participated in online instruction, as well as anyone with expertise or experience in this area. Please don’t hesitate to share your suggestions, feedback, concerns, or praise with Dean Christopher Kenniff at ckenniff@hbms.org.

In the event that our campus must remain closed beyond March 22, we are working to enhance our online instruction/e-learning capabilities by providing faculty with training and technical assistance; upgrading our technology; and designing innovative programming to keep students engaged, learning, and sharing with their teachers and each other.

Should it be necessary, we will begin offering online group instruction as appropriate beginning March 23^rd. For those classes not well-suited to online instruction, we are developing plans to provide families and students with resources to engage, inspire, and further learning at home. More information regarding online group instruction will be forthcoming.

We will also spend this coming week:

Preparing to add additional recital dates for student recitals for the 120+ students who had prepared to perform last week and the scores of others who had been looking forward to performing this week.
Coordinating with large ensemble directors to determine the feasibility of rescheduling performances that had been planned for this weekend.

Regrettably, we have had to cancel the following events:

The Family Concert, scheduled for March 20^th
Viola Club Recitals, scheduled for March 21^st

The Parent Support Meetings on Thursday, March 19, 2020, from 8:00 – 9:00 pm and Saturday, March 21, 2020, from 2:00 – 3:00 pm with Piano Faculty member Vered Reznik, Flute Faculty Member Donna Elaine, Dean Chris Kenniff, and Associate Dean Kathy Jones will be held online via Zoom. This is an open agenda meeting for parents to ask questions and share ideas about a wide variety of issues relating to music education, home practice, overcoming challenges, and strategies for success. If you would like to participate, please RSVP to hb@hbms.org and we will forward log-in instructions to you.

Unfortunately, given the ban on large gatherings and the closure of the Performing Arts Center at SUNY Purchase, our 75^th Anniversary Benefit, scheduled for April 26^th, will have to take a different form. We’re putting our creative thinking caps on and working hard to conjure a very special way of honoring Dean Emerita Dr. Ruth Alperson and Drs. Rhonda Kost and Alfred Spector without being able to bring our community together in person. Please do keep the date saved on your calendars. We look forward to sharing our alternate plans with you soon!

Thank you for your flexibility, patience, perseverance, and understanding. We are mindful of music’s power to sooth, uplift, inspire, and bring people together—even across distance—during challenging times. With your continued support, we will continue to find ways to keep us connected.

Should you need assistance or have ideas to share, the best way to reach us is via email to hb@hbms.org.

Best wishes and good health to each of you,

Your Friends at Hoff-Barthelson Music School

UPDATE: March 9, 2020

Dear HBMS Student and Families:

As you may know, yesterday evening, the Scarsdale Public Schools (SPS) announced that a faculty member in one of their middle schools had tested positive for COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, they have closed all SPS schools until March 18 for continued cleaning, progress monitoring, and social-distancing. The spread of COVID-19 in our area is of great concern; detailed, accurate information about the illness and how best to protect our community continues to be in-development at the state and national level. At this time, we are supporting SPS’s efforts to contain the virus through social-distancing.

CAMPUS CLOSURE:
The health and safety of students, families, faculty and staff are our top priority at Hoff-Barthelson; therefore, our campus—as well as classrooms at the Scarsdale Community Baptist Church—will continue to be closed through Sunday, March 15.

POSTPONEMENT OF RECITALS / CANCELLATION OF ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCES:
Regrettably, this week’s student recitals will be rescheduled and the two ensemble concerts that had been scheduled for March 14 and 15 at the Community Unitarian Universalist Church in White Plains have been cancelled. We are exploring whether it might be possible to present some of these performances at a later date and will issue an update later this week.

MAKEUPS:
As shared yesterday, we are treating this closure as we treat closures for weather emergencies: lessons will be made up; classes and rehearsals will not; performance workshops will be rescheduled.

ONLINE INSTRUCTION: PRIVATE LESSONS:
Many, though not all, HBMS faculty members are able to provide online lessons during closures like these; in fact, many successfully delivered online lessons today. Although the campus is closed, online delivery of private lessons is approved for this week and going forward as needed during this outbreak.

Given the scale of this disruption, we have asked all faculty members able to teach online must contact their students directly by early afternoon on Tuesday, March 10.

Families are not required to accept an online lesson in lieu of an in-person make-up lesson nor are faculty required to provide online lessons at this time. However, online lessons in this situation can help minimize disruptions to learning and development and keep students on track. We are preparing to distribute information about how to get the most out of online instruction to students and families as soon as possible.

ONLINE INSTRUCTION: CLASSES & WORKSHOPS:
In the event the campus needs to remain closed beyond March 15, we are preparing to offer online instruction for suitable classes. We will be in touch with you this week with a list of classes and instructions on how to participate.

WHERE TO DIRECT QUESTIONS:
We continue to work on better understanding the challenges presented to our community by COVID-19. Again, our primary interest is the well-being of students, families, faculty, and staff. Please direct any questions as follows:

Students and/or their families with questions while the campus is closed are asked to email hb@hbms.org (monitored throughout the day).

Faculty members needing assistance with online instruction should contact Chris Kenniff and Mike Nelson jointly.

Staff members needing assistance with working remotely should contact Lucy Rosenberg.

Thank you for your understanding during these challenging circumstances. We look forward to returning to business as usual as soon as possible!

Sincerely,

Ken Cole
Executive Director

UPDATE: March 8, 2020

Dear HBMS Community

Earlier this evening, the Scarsdale Public Schools announced that a faculty member in one of their middle schools had tested positive for COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, they have closes all SPS schools until March 18, for continued cleaning, progress monitoring, and social-distancing.

The health and safety of students, families, faculty and staff are our top priority at Hoff-Barthelson; therefore, our campus will be closed tomorrow, March 9, as we assess the situation, consult with the health department, determine the next right steps in this developing situation, and update you by the end of the day tomorrow.

We are treating this closure as we treat closures for weather emergencies: lessons will be made up; classes and rehearsals will not; performance workshops and recitals will be rescheduled.

Many, though not all, HBMS faculty members are able to provide online lessons during closures like these. Last week, we began to compile a list of those who are able to provide online lessons. We are aiming to complete this work tomorrow; however, as the process is still unfolding, we have asked faculty members to reach out directly to students for the time being.

We are also working to enable certain musicianship classes to be conducted online but will need some time to make this possible in the event the closure must be extended beyond tomorrow.

Thank you for your understanding during these challenging circumstances. Should you have questions, the best way to reach us while the campus is closed is via email at hb@hbms.org.

Ken Cole
Executive Director

UPDATE: March 6, 2020

Dear HBMS Community,

In order to protect the health of students, faculty, staff and families from the threat of the novel corona virus COVID-19, we are amending our makeup policy as highlighted below and authorizing online lessons, when practicable, instead of in-person lessons for students and/or faculty unable to come to School for reasons listed below starting Monday, March 9. We are also working to determine which musicianship classes might accommodate online participation, and developing contingency plans for ensemble rehearsals and performances, should they be needed. We expect to be able to share further updates next week.

MAKEUP LESSON POLICY UPDATED SPECIFIC TO COVID-19 AS OF 3-6-2020

Students are entitled to up to three make-up lessons a year for excused absences, including illness. Given the threat posed by the emergence of the novel corona virus COVID-19, students who are living with someone exhibiting signs of respiratory illness and/or those who are under quarantine, are also eligible for make ups.

Students needing to cancel a lesson due to the above-listed reasons, should call the School at 914-723-1169 and leave a message in our voice mail by pressing “0” or by speaking with the receptionist by:

10:00 a.m. the day of the lesson on weekdays
8:00 a.m. on Saturday for lessons scheduled before 10:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. on Saturday for lessons scheduled at or after 10:00 a.m.

Should the School itself be subject to a quarantine, make-ups will be granted, just as they are when the School is closed for a weather emergency.

To minimize disruption to lessons for students who are well but unable to come to Hoff-Barthelson during this period, faculty members are authorized to deliver lessons online whenever practicable until further notice, using Skype as the School’s default application (arrangements to use other applications such as Facetime may be made directly between the faculty member and the student). Should you or your child meet the criteria listed above and wish to schedule an online lesson, please call the School as directed above.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and support of these changes during this rapidly developing situation.

Sincerely,

Ken Cole
Executive Director

March 3, 2020

Dear Hoff-Barthelson Students, Families, Faculty and Staff:

As you know, there is growing concern about the continuing spread of the latest coronavirus, COVID-19. Hoff-Barthelson Music School is closely monitoring developments and continues to stay on top of the most up-to-date information and take every step possible to keep our community healthy and safe.

At this time—in accordance with government guidelines for minimizing the spread of all respiratory viruses, including COVID-19—the School has:

Increased the frequency with which we sanitize all frequently touched surfaces (e.g., piano keyboards, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, handrails, elevator buttons, furniture in common areas, etc.) with anti-microbial cleaners throughout our buildings each day, and
Distributed hand sanitizer so that it is available not only in offices and teaching studios (as per usual) but throughout our buildings for all to use.

We also ask that all members of the School community:

Stay home if sick
Be fever free for 24 hours before returning to work or school
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and always…

…before and after lessons,

…after coughing or sneezing,

…after using the bathroom.

If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, such as are now distributed throughout the School
Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Cover coughs and sneeze with your arm or elbow, never your hands.

As a reminder, students are entitled to up to three make-up lessons a year for excused absences, including illness. Students needing to cancel a lesson due to illness, should call the School at 914-723-1169 and leave a message in our voice mail by pressing “0” or by speaking with the receptionist by:

10:00 a.m. the day of the lesson on weekdays
8:00 a.m. on Saturday for lessons scheduled before 10:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. on Saturday for lessons scheduled at or after 10:00 a.m.

For more information on Hoff-Barthelson’s make-up policies, please consult page 8 of our Student Handbook.

No specific changes to scheduled activities or events are currently planned. We will continue to monitor developments closely and will brief you should further actions become necessary.

Thank you for helping us keep our community safe. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact don’t hesitate to contact us at 914-723-1169.

Sincerely,

Ken Cole
Executive Director

News Items