Hoff-Barthelson Music School to Present the 2026 MUSIC OF OUR TIME Festival

Hoff-Barthelson Music School will present the 2026 Music of Our Time Festival, a dynamic, multi-day exploration of contemporary music running April 16–19, 2026. Under the artistic direction of Grammy-nominated cellist and faculty member Peter Seidenberg, the Festival showcases a range of works written from 1976 to the present, highlighting the creativity of living composers alongside the artistry of Hoff-Barthelson’s students and faculty.

Founded by the late visionary composer and longtime HBMS faculty member Wilma Machover, and continuing through the support of the Wilma Machover Fund, the Festival has become a cornerstone of the School’s commitment to contemporary music, innovation, and artistic exploration.

The Festival opens on Thursday, April 16, with the Compose Yourself Project Recital, featuring original works by students in Hoff-Barthelson’s composition program. Throughout the weekend, audiences will experience a wide array of performances, including student recitals, faculty concerts, and collaborative projects that illuminate the richness and diversity of contemporary music.

A highlight of the Festival is the Composer Collaborations Recital on Friday, April 17, where students perform works by living composers with whom they have worked directly, gaining invaluable insight into interpretation and artistic intent. The same evening features an HB Artist Series Faculty Concert, presenting works by contemporary composers performed by distinguished members of the Hoff-Barthelson faculty.

Saturday’s programming includes themed student recitals exploring music of the Soviet era, works from 1976 to the present, and a special program celebrating women composers whose voices have shaped the musical landscape of the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

On Sunday, April 19, the Festival culminates in a series of concerts that embody its spirit of innovation and collaboration. The second annual Micro-Commissions Project, a partnership with the Manhattan School of Music, pairs Hoff-Barthelson students with emerging composers to create brand-new works tailored to each performer.

The Festival concludes with the world premiere of a newly commissioned work by composer Flannery Cunningham, recipient of support through the Wilma Machover Fund. Her piece, We long to wake, for mezzo-soprano and chamber ensemble, draws on poetry by Carl Sandburg and the traditions of Sacred Harp singing to explore themes of mortality, human experience, and the urgency of living with awareness and intention.

Festival Schedule of Events

Thursday, April 16, 2026

Compose Yourself Project Recital (7:00–8:00 PM) – Original student compositions created under the direction of Derek Cooper

Friday, April 17, 2026

Student Recital: Composer Collaborations (6:00–7:00 PM) – Students perform works by living composers with whom they have worked directly
HB Artist Series Faculty Concert (7:30–9:00 PM) – Faculty perform works by contemporary composers including Kian Ravaei, Derek Cooper, Brian Field, and others

Saturday, April 18, 2026

Student Recital: The Soviets, 1922–1988 (2:30–3:30 PM) – A program exploring music created under the Soviet regime
Student Recital: 1976–Present (4:00–5:00 PM) – A survey of contemporary repertoire across genres and styles
Student Recital: Women at the Millennium: 1976–Present (7:00–8:00 PM) – Celebrating influential women composers of the late 20th and 21st centuries

Sunday, April 19, 2026

Micro-Commissions Project Recital (1:00–2:00 PM) – New works created through a collaboration with the Manhattan School of Music
Flute and Viola Clubs Concert (3:00–4:00 PM) – Performances by HBMS ensembles featuring contemporary repertoire
Final Concert: Commissioned Work and Festival Ensembles (5:00–6:00 PM) – Featuring the world premiere of We Long to Wake by Flannery Cunningham and the announcement of the Wilma Machover Creative Development Fund recipient

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