Denise Hoff

Her music studies began in NYC, earning a Master's from Manhattan School of Music in NYC with further studies at Columbia University in composition. While at Columbia University she won a competition allowing her chamber orchestra composition to be recorded by the Riverside Symphony.

As a performer she spent ten years as principal clarinet with the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra where they regularly performed at Carnegie and Weill Hall. After three years with the New York City Opera US Tour as a clarinetist, she enjoyed time as a 'doubler' (flute/clarinet/sax) on Broadway with shows including Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, Scarlett Pimpernel, and The Secret Garden with Mandy Patinkin.

Her love of traveling was inspired by her first summer teaching with faculty from Manhattan School of Music at the Altenburg Music Festival in Germany. Hong Kong and Singapore were the next stops on the International tour of Phantom of the Opera.

Denise has recorded on multiple labels and was active in the contemporary music scene in NYC performing at The Kitchen, Threadwaxing Space, Merkin, and Weill Recital Hall.

In addition to teaching, she has had a successful UI/UX Design career creating web/mobile and interactive interfaces for Fortune 500 companies. Over the years she edited and authored lessons for the two main competing music programs used across the US public school system—Pearson's [Savvas] Interactive Music and McGraw-Hill's iMusic Studio. Thanks to an interesting career, Denise has been fortunate to live in Singapore, Hong Kong, and India, and travel to 23 countries.

Denise has been teaching piano and woodwinds for over twenty years.