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(Marc)

(b Cleveland, Aug 28, 1959). American composer, conductor, baritone, and editor. The child of Holocaust survivors, Hoffman studied at the Boston Conservatory, where he received the BM, magna cum laude, in 1981. He earned the MM from the New England Conservatory of Music in 1984, and he received the PhD from Brandeis University in 1993. His teachers included Arthur Berger, Martin Boykan, Hugo Norden, Chris Roze, Harold Shapero, Larry Alan Smith, and Yehudi Wyner. From 1990 to 1998, Hoffman worked as an editor at the music engraving company Scores International in Boston, and he was hired as an editor at ECS Publishing immediately thereafter.

Since the mid-1980s, Hoffman has composed a substantial body of choral music. Many of these pieces reflect his Jewish heritage, and his sacred works can be used in temple services. This music is also sung widely in churches, high schools, universities, and by professional choral ensembles. In addition, he has composed choral works using secular texts along with pieces for keyboard solo, solo voice, chamber ensembles, and full orchestra. Hoffman’s work has been commissioned by ensembles such as the Carolina Brass and ALEA III (a contemporary music ensemble). His piece ...

Member of Robinson family (ii)

(b Dublin, Aug 20, 1815; d Dublin, Aug 23, 1898). Irish baritone, conductor, and composer, brother of Francis James Robinson. He was a chorister at St Patrick’s at the age of eight. In 1834 he founded the Antient Concerts Society, which he conducted for 29 years. In 1837 he became conductor of the University Choral Society, founded by the students; at one of its concerts Mendelssohn’s music for Antigone was given for the first time outside Germany. He conducted this Society for ten years. He conducted music for the opening of the Cork Exhibition in 1852, and the Dublin International Exhibition in 1853. In 1856 efforts were made to revive the Irish Academy of Music, founded in 1848 but languishing for want of funds and pupils. Robinson and his wife Fanny Arthur joined as professors, and when, after 20 years, Robinson resigned, the institution had become stable and important. He also taught Stanford harmony. For the Handel centenary in ...

(Christian)

Member of Stockhausen family

(b Paris, July 22, 1826; d Frankfurt, Sept 22, 1906). German baritone, conductor, and teacher of Alsatian descent, son of Franz Stockhausen and Margarethe Stockhausen. He showed his musical gifts early and during his school years learnt singing and musical rudiments from his parents and the piano from Karl Kienzl, also having lessons on the organ, violin, and, later, the cello. In 1843 he visited Paris, where he was a pupil of Cramer for a short while. From 1844 he made Paris the centre of his musical education, spending some time at the Conservatoire (from 1845) but learning harmony from Matthäus Nagiller and singing from Manuel García outside the institution.

Stockhausen’s early concert successes were in Switzerland and England, beginning in 1848 with a performance of Elijah at Basle. In 1849 he followed García to London, and while in England he appeared before Queen Victoria. He sang again in Switzerland in the first half of ...