MARY HOFMAN  (violin, viola) » 

Biography
Mary Hofman studied violin with Krysia Osostowicz at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and won a full scholarship to study with Ida Levin in Los Angeles. Since her return to London she has pursued a varied freelance career as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician and teacher. Orchestral work includes first violin trials with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. She has also worked with John Eliot Gardiner's orchestra, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, Manchester Camerata and has led English Chamber Opera. As a student she was also leader of Cambridge University Chamber Orchestra (2003-5) and UCLA Philharmonic (2005-7)

As a chamber musician she has guest led the Edinburgh Quartet and performs regular sonata recitals with duo partner Anya Fadina, with whom she recently won an award from the Elias Fawcett Trust. Upcoming concerts include performances in the Kohn concert series in Cambridge and at Lauderdale House in London. Concerto performances include Haydn Sinfonia Concertante (Schoenberg hall, LA 2006); Mendelssohn violin concerto (West road concert hall, Cambridge, 2005); Bartok concerto no. 1 (Cambridge, 2004) and Mozart Sinfonia Concertante (Cambridge, 2003).

Mary is also experienced in teaching and outreach work. She held a teaching assistantship in the US and since her return has worked as an assistant violin/viola teacher at Cadenza summer school (2007-present) and deputy violin teacher at Trinity Laban, junior department.

Orchestral Work
Orchestras: Brandenburg Sinfonia, Chameleon Arts Orchestra, English Chamber Opera, English Chamber Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Trafalgar Sinfonia, Welsh National Opera Orchestra. Sessions: Face Music.

Mary's orchestral work also includes

• Royal Scottish National Orchestra, trial, first violin (June 2009-)
• Scottish Chamber Orchestra, trial, first violin (Dec 2008- Sept 2009)
• Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, first violin (2007-)
• English Chamber Opera, leader, (Sept 2009-)
• New London Soloists (2008-)
• Iford Opera (2009)
• Opera East (2009)
• Manchester Camerata, extra work (2008-)
• Session work at Universal, Sony and Big Brother Studios, Los Angeles (2005)

• Haydn Sinfonia Concertante, Schoenberg Hall, L.A. (December 2006)
• Mendelssohn Violin Concerto West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge (November 2004, June 2005)
• Bartok Violin concerto no. 1, Trinity Chapel, Cambridge (June 2004)
• Mozart Sinfonia Concertante, Great St. Mary's Church, Cambridge (June 2003)

• Sonata Recitals with duo partner, Anya Fadina, in London, Cambridge and Denmark

• Guest Leader of Edinburgh Quartet (August 2007)
• 6 concerts in California as a prize from Maestro Chamber Academy award (2007-8)
• 24 Concert performances across southern California as a member of Gluck fellowship programme (2005-7)
• Festivals visited include: La Jolla Chamber Festival, California (2008); Langvad Chamber Music Days, Denmark (July 2005, 2006); Redruth Chamber Music Festival, Cornwall (August, 2003); Palestine Bach Festival (December 2004); Hampstead and Highgate Festival (2003); Chelmsford Cathedral Festival (2003)

Education
Mary's graduate studies took place at Guildhall School of Music and Drama (2000 - 02, BMus) where he principal study professor was Krysia Osostowicz, and Trinity College Cambridge (2002 - 05, BA). Mary studied for an MMus at the University of California, LA (2005 - 07) where he principal study professor was Ida Levin.

Prizes and Awards

• Elias Fawcett Trust Award
• Maestro Foundation, Chamber Academy Award, leading to six concerts in the US (2007-8)
• First Prize in Kent-Atwater Concerto competition (2007)
• Gluck Chamber Music Fellowship (2005-7)
• First Prize in Mimi Feldman Scholarship Competition (2006)

Teachers: Krysia Osostowicz and Ida Levin.

Mary has participated in the International Musician's Seminar, Prussia Cove, and in Solo Masterclasses with Andras Keller (2005, 06, 07 & 09). She was invited to Open Chamber Music in Sept 2007.

Mary joined Morgensterns in October 2009

Mary's web profile was last updated 12th May 2012