Grace M. Hofheimer (August 27, 1891 – September 1965) was an American pianist, composer, and educator, author of Teaching Techniques For The Piano (1954).

Grace Hofheimer
A young white woman with wavy dark hair, wearing a light-colored top with a square neckline
Grace Hofheimer, from a 1920 publication
BornAugust 27, 1891
New York City
DiedSeptember 1965
Occupation(s)Pianist, educator

Early life and education edit

Hofheimer was born in New York City, the daughter of Justinian Alman Hofheimer and Rose Clare Leonard Hofheimer. Her father was a physician.[1] She studied piano with Andre Benoist [ru],[2][3] and Isidor Philipp. At Columbia University she studied music theory under Daniel Gregory Mason.[4]

Career edit

Hofheimer was a concert pianist, based in New York City.[5][6][7] In 1918, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported that "Miss Hofheimer, who has devoted her time to teaching, possesses an abundant technique and a straightforwardness of interpretation," while noting "a mechanical lack of variety of tone and color, that precluded the expression of the inner essesnce of the compositions."[8]

Hofheimer toured for the Edison Company during the 1920-1921 season.[2][9] She was head of the piano department at the Chase School in Brooklyn,[10] and gave private lessons from a studio at Steinway Hall.[11][12] In 1923, she played on a radio broadcast,[13] and taught a summer course in New Jersey,[4] Among her students were mathematician Raymond Smullyan[14] and music professor Morton Schoenfeld.[15]

Later in life, Hofheimer was chair of the Greater New York Guild of Piano Teachers.[16] She adjudicated auditions for the National Guild of Piano Teachers[17] and the Mid-South Piano Scholarship Association,[18][19][20] and spoke to music teachers' organizations.[21][22] Hofheimer wrote Teaching Techniques for the Piano (1954).[23] She also composed piano pieces suited for teaching.[24]

Publications edit

  • "Reasons for Counting Aloud" (1926, article)[25]
  • Birthday Greetings (1926, compositions)[24]
  • Teaching Techniques for the Piano (1954)[23]

Personal life edit

Hofheimer died in 1965, at the age of 74.[26]

References edit

  1. ^ Chamberlain, Joshua Lawrence (1903). New York University: Its History, Influence, Equipment and Characteristics, with Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Founders, Benefactors, Officers and Alumni. R. Herndon Company. pp. 296–297.
  2. ^ a b "Grace Hofheimer to Tour". Musical Courier. 80: 32. May 27, 1920.
  3. ^ "Miss Hofheimer's Concerts". Musical America. 22: 36. June 26, 1915.
  4. ^ a b "Grace Hofheimer Returns to New York". Musical Courier. 87: 53. October 11, 1923.
  5. ^ "Grace Hofheimer, Pianist". Musical Courier. 80: 46. January 22, 1920.
  6. ^ "Grace Hofheimer's Art Admired". Musical Courier. 80: 56. May 27, 1920.
  7. ^ "Grace Hofheimer in Recital". Musical Observer. 25 (11): 43. November 1926.
  8. ^ "Another Pianist in Recital". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1918-10-24. p. 13. Retrieved 2022-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Great Recital". Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. 1920-11-09. p. 6. Retrieved 2022-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Piano Recital by Pupils of Grace M. Hofheimer". Musical Courier. 73: 8. July 6, 1916.
  11. ^ "Grace Hofheimer at Steinway Hall". Musical Courier. 80: 33. May 13, 1920 – via Hathi Trust.
  12. ^ "Grace Hofheimer Pupil Honored in Leipsic". Musical Courier. 87: 50. November 8, 1923.
  13. ^ "Grace Hofheimer's Playing Broadcasted". Musical Courier. 87: 35. October 25, 1923.
  14. ^ "Remembering Raymond Smullyan". Dover Math and Science. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  15. ^ Wilks, Flo (1971-11-28). "Schoenfeld to Solo with UNM Symphony". Albuquerque Journal. p. 31. Retrieved 2022-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "New York Guild Meeting Presents Keyboard Notables". Musical Courier. 147 (3): 11. February 1, 1953 – via Internet Archive.
  17. ^ "WQXR Broadcasts Interview of Grace Hofheimer". Piano Guild Notes. 7 (4): 2. November–December 1958 – via Internet Archive.
  18. ^ "A Piano Lesson". The Memphis Press-Scimitar. 1954-04-30. p. 13. Retrieved 2022-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Piano Students Have Audition". The Edwardsville Intelligencer. 1958-04-08. p. 5. Retrieved 2022-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Grace Hofheimer Discusses Guild Grading System". Piano Guild Notes. 2 (3): 3. September 1952 – via Internet Archive.
  21. ^ "Music, Speech Teachers Hear Miss Hofheimer and Name Officers for Year". Corsicana Daily Sun. 1954-05-13. p. 7. Retrieved 2022-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Piano Group Ending Season". The New York Times. 1938-05-29. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  23. ^ a b Hofheimer, Grace (1954). Teaching Techniques for the Piano. Belwin.
  24. ^ a b "Grace Hofheimer Resumes Teaching". The Huntsville Times. 1926-11-28. p. 3. Retrieved 2022-10-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Hofheimer, Grace (June 1926). "Reasons for Counting Aloud". Musical Observer. 25 (6): 10.
  26. ^ Grace Hofheimer, U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 [database on-line]. via Ancestry.