Paul Hoffmann

Lessons Offered

Where are Lessons Offered

About Me

Paul Hoffmann, pianist, conductor, and piano teacher for over 40 years at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, a part of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ.  A master of Austro-German and French repertoire, as well as 20th Century literature, he made his debut at the Vienna Konzerthaus in 1973 while on a Fulbright grant to Austria, and has since concertized extensively in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia.

He retired from college teaching in 2016 and moved to Florida, to The Villages in particular, because of the many activities that the area offered.  Since then he has performed ini a piano trio with members of the Villages Philharmonic in a number of concerts at The Sharon, various churches and other venues.  Since 2019, he has been organist and pianist at Hope Lutheran Church and began in 2021 as accompanist of The Village Voices 150-voice chorus which gives three soncerts a year at North Lake Presbyterian Church and locally.

Some reviews:
FRANCE
"Paul Hoffmann succeeded with a brilliant program for piano. While evoking a magic, transparent atmosphere, his touch proved to be sensitive, energetic, or coloristic, as the situation demanded." - La Nouvelle Republique
GERMANY
"Paul Hoffmann most brilliantly rendered Franz Schubert's 'Wanderer Phantasie.' His technique is admirable, his crystal clear touch absolutely accurate. At the same time, he knows how to express even the faintest and most delicate nuances. He carves out the individual voices like a sculptor." - Chiemgau Zeitung
AUSTRIA
"Regarding the interpretation of Scriabin's and Prokofiev's sonatas, the musician outdid the excellent technician." - Wiener Zeitung
NEW YORK
"'Yetzirah', by Morris Cotel, [is] rhythmicaly as well as harmonically enormously complex and dramatic . . . Hoffmann played it brilliantly." - Christian Science Monitor
RICHMOND
"Pianist Paul Hoffmann played the 'Concord' Sonata twice last weekend in Richmond. That he played this piece at all is noteworthy, that he played it extremely well both times is extraordinary . . . Hoffmann played with incredible technical assurance and great spiritual insight. [He] showed me things in the score I had not found even with the help of a number of recordings." Times-Dispatch
NEWARK
"a sensational performance!" - Star Ledger


Hoffmann studied with some of the world’s greatest pianists and pedagogues - Leon Fleisher, Cecile Genhart, Dieter Weber, Kurt Neumüller and Brooks Smith. His own piano students have won numerous awards in various local, national and international piano competitions and he is highly sought for his ability to teach the traditional classical and more modern repertoire equally well.

Paul Hoffmann has made over thirty recordings of solo piano and chamber music for Innova, Capstone, Orion, CRI, Northeastern, Composers Guild of New Jersey, Contemporary Record Society, O.O. Discs, Spectrum, and Vienna Modern Masters labels and has made numerous radio broadcasts in the U.S. as well as for Voice of America, National Public Radio, Radio Cologne, Radio Frankfurt, Radio France and New Jersey Public Television.

He is a U.S. judge for the 2013 International Piano Competition of the World Piano Teachers Association held in Novi Sad, Serbia. In the past, he has served on the jury of many local, national and international piano competitions including the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, and was the first U.S. judge to be invited to the prestigious Concours International de Musique Contemporaine pour Piano in 1983 and 1986. Recently, he has judged for the ENKOR international online music comnpetitions starting in 2001 

Professor Hoffmann has given masterclasses in Salzburg, Austria (Mozarteum), Halle, Germany (at the 2012 Euro Arts Festival), and in Torino, Italy (University of Turin), in Taiwan (National Sun Yat-Sen University) as well as many places in the U.S.

Mr. Hoffmann was named Professor Emeritous upon his retirement in 2016 from the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, where he taught piano, chamber music and directed the contemporary music ensemble, HELIX! New Music Ensemble, which he founded in 1990.

My Musical Education Background

DMA studies, ABD, Peabody Conservatory
Hochschule für Musik, Vienna, Austria
Hochschule für Musik, "Mozarteum", Salzburg, Austria
Master of Music, Eastman School of Music
Bachelor of Music, Eastman School of Music

Genres and Subjects Taught

Classical music piano performance (intermediate and advanced levels).
Music Theory.

Lesson Rates

FREE audition.
Lesson discounts available.
I teach privately in The Villages area at the address above. 
Contact me at (contact me) for further details.

Ages / Skill Levels Taught

Ages 13 through adult. Exceptions made for extremely talented younger students.

My Certifications and Awards

World Piano Teachers Association - current member and judge for the WPTA 2013 and 2014 International Piano Competitions, Novi Sad, Serbia.

Music Teachers National Association of Central Florida - current member and ocassional judge for piano competitions in the area.

Former member of the Piano Teachers Society of America - member and winning teacher for the past 30 years. As a result, his winning students have performed in Carnegie Hall.

Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Piano Teachers Society of America in Carnegie Hall, 2001.

My students have won local, national and international piano competitions for the past 20 years.

My Musical Influences

I studied with some of the world's greatest piano teachers and have been inspired by all of them in different ways:
Leon Fleisher at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland
Dieter Weber at the Hochschule fuer Musik in Vienna, Austria
Kurt Neumüller at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria
Cecile Genhart and Brooks Smith at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.
Also in masterclasses/lessons with Rudolf Serkin (Curtis Institute), Theodore Lettvin (New Hampshire and Rutgers University), and Jeanine Dowis (Aspen Music Festival and School).

Service Area

Mary H
DeKalb, IL

I would not be the pianist/musician I am today, nor have the career I do if it weren't for Prof. Hoffmann. I studied under him from middle school through college. He is the teacher I aspire to be. - applied artist of Northern Illinois University

Soh L
Mont Clare, PA

Prof. Paul Hoffmann is an excellent piano teacher with highly professional teaching technique and wonderful personality. His vast knowledge of piano literature in all periods and interpretation in various style inspire students to learn and seek more.

J.W.
New York, NY

My entire approach to the piano has changed significantly this year resulting in vast improvement.

T.K.
Princeton Junction, NJ

He has taught me so much, not only about piano, but also about persevering, and how to be a musician and an artist.