Benjamin Hochman, Pianist & Conductor: The Balance and the Merging of Two Arts
Pianist Benjamin Hochman. Photo credit: Jennifer Taylor
While the idea of balancing a steady composure of differentiating between the life of a pianist and the life of a conductor on the brink of a burgeoning career might seem overwhelming, for Benjamin Hochman, it’s really quite simple.
“To me, music is music,” he said. “Playing the piano and conducting are similar in that sense.”
Benjamin Hochman, who’s often referred to as Benjy, is a Jerusalem-born pianist and conductor, a beautiful combination that he’s delicately balanced and merged together to create an impressive and acclaimed career. Notably, he blends eloquence with virtuous, artistic bravura with poetic interpretation—key features that don’t just excite the critics, but also engage the audience, trapping them in a mesmerizing trance as he takes the stage.
All of this should come at very little surprise. His years of training, studying, performing, and perfecting his craft are many—each and every one of them filled with dedication, impassioned persistence, and a love for the most important thing of all, the music.
Hochman first began his piano studies with Esther Narkiss at the Conservatory of the Rubin Academy and with Emanuel Krasovsky in Tel Aviv. Further, he’s a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music (where he studied with Claude Frank) as well as the Mannes College of Music (where he studied with Richard Goode). As a soloist, Hochman has performed in major venues spanning the globe, including (but certainly not limited to) Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Kumho Art Hall in Seul, Tivoli Theatre in Copenhagen, List Academy in Budapest, Louvre in Paris, and many more.
Pianist Benjamin Hochman. Photo credit: Jennifer Taylor
His passion for conducting, though, didn’t start quite as early on in his classical music pianist career, but his admiration for the rich orchestral repertoire led him to pursue conducting—a passion that’s become an integral staple in his classical music career. In 2016, he was appointed musical assistant to Louis Langrée, as well as to guest conductors at the 2016 Mostly Mozart Festival (including Thierry Fischer, Jeffrey Kahane, and Paavo Järvi).
As complex and demanding as both arts must be, for Hochman, the two passions seem to feed into each other, strengthening each side of the coin despite the very different skill sets needed to be successful in both roles.
“(Both) are about communicating the essence of the music truthfully and deeply,” Hochman said. “That said, there are very different skill sets required. To paraphrase my teacher, Alan Gilbert, conducting has many areas. Meaning, there are so many different kinds of knowledge and skills needed to conduct.”
Still, despite the differences, Hochman feels a deep connection between the two, remarking the challenges of balancing both and the pressure of understanding the intricacies of each could never outweigh the rich rewards of his dual profession.
“For me, conducting feels like a natural continuation, extension, and outgrowth of my life as a pianist. I love both the challenges and rewards of conducting. The biggest challenge is the responsibility towards the musicians, audiences, and of course, the music itself. The rewards are the richness of the repertoire, the thrill of the sound of the orchestra, and the joy of working with a large group that, when things go well, play as one.”
Hochman’s most recent foray into this natural continuation is his recently released recording with the English Chamber Orchestra, released by Avie Records. It features two of Mozart’s piano concertos—the joyful and lyrical No. 17 in G major and the dark, dramatic No. 24 in C minor—marking not only the first concerto recording of Hochman, but also his debut appearance as conductor.
The sharp juxtaposition of the two piano concertos in Hochman’s recording was no accident—he designed this recording and motivated his music selection on the idea of sunshine and darkness.
“(That choice) was a combination of things,” Hochman said. “This recording emerged as part of my immersion in Mozart’s music. Specifically, I am currently playing the complete Mozart piano sonatas, and the recording of the Concertos No. 17 & 24 came as a continuation of that. It was my first recording as a concerto soloist and also my first as conductor—so it brought together these two sides of my musical activity in a natural way.”
For Hochman, the joy of this recording was embedded in not just his dual roles, but also in the orchestral accompaniment that completed the richness of his vision.
“The English Chamber Orchestra was a joy to work with,” Hochman said. “They have this music in their DNA.”
Though Hochman’s dedication for his pianist-conductor career—which has earned him a vibrant, international music presence—is encompassing, it should come as no surprise that his duality isn’t the limit of his identity. Hochman is an enthusiastic collaborator, a dedicated advocate for contemporary music, and an inspiring mentor.
His current list of projects are, for lack of a better descriptor, pretty lengthy. What exactly is he working on, you ask?
“So much!” he said. “The Mozart Sonata Cycle. An interesting recital of Bach Toccatas interspersed with Frescobaldi, Ligeti, Busoni, and Berio. I just did Prokofiev 3rd Concerto, next up Schumann Concerto and two Mozart Concertos (12 and 14). A pairing I am excited about—Pierrot Lunaire and Janacek “Diary of One Who Vanished.” And lots of great chamber music: a Schubertiade including Harbison, a Faure Quartet and Franck Quintet, violin sonatas by Bartok and Enescu, and conducting Gubaidulina, Vivier, Schumann Schubert and Beethoven.”
