The Hochstein School of Music & Dance: History, mission, and vision

The Settlement Movement of the late 19th and early 20 th centuries propelled the birth of community music programs in the United States. From the inception of the settlement school music programs, instruction was provided to students of all levels, all socio-economic backgrounds, and a wide range of ethnicities. The David Hochstein Memorial Music School (known today as the Hochstein School of Music & Dance) was founded in 1920 on these principles and has attempted to maintain a dedication to settlement school philosophy through the School's subsequent 90 years of operation. This project is a historical case study of the Hochstein School; the study is specifically focused through the lens of this overriding mission and vision. The primary research questions are: (1) Has the Hochstein School remained true to its original settlement school mission at different points in its history? If so, how did it maintain continuity and open access over time? (2) What characteristics of Hochstein's programs, as evidenced throughout its history, can provide a model for success in other community arts programs?;A review of the literature revealed that the open-access Settlement School mission was established through historical references, thus historical studies on other community music schools were described. Based on the review of the Hochstein School's archival records, I chose to examine the original principles established during the Hochstein School's first 8 years (1920-1928), and then compared these earlier years with two other decades, 1960-1970 and 1970-1980, periods of time for which the source materials were most plentiful. In addition to examining historical documents connected specifically to the Hochstein School, I conducted interviews with previous executive directors of the Hochstein School. The study identifies four overarching themes that provide the structure for Hochstein's success, and offers a similar model for other community arts programs to emulate: (1) consistency of mission; (2) visionary leadership; (3) innovation in programming; and (4) community connections.