Hotchkiss Philharmonic returns Nov. 2

The Hotchkiss School will kick off its 2024-2025 Philharmonic season on Saturday, Nov. 2, with a special performance headlined by internationally acclaimed violinist Siqing Lu. The concert will start at 7 p.m. and will run till 8:30 p.m. in the Katherine M. Elfers Hall.

The Hotchkiss Philharmonic was established in 2018 by Barbara Walsh Hostetter (class of ‘77) and Amos Hostetter to provide gifted young musicians with an opportunity to perform alongside successful professionals. The concerts remain free and open to all community members—no registration required.

The November Philharmonic will be marked by a solo from influential Chinese violinist Siqing Lu. With over five decades of experience, Lu made history in 1987 as the first Asian violinist to win the prestigious International Paganini Violin Competition. He has since served as the first Chinese soloist-in-residence with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2019-2020 and has been a judge for numerous prestigious musical competitions. He is currently the Artistic Director of both the National Center for the Performing Arts May Festival in Beijing and the Siqing Lu Shenzhen Futian International String Festival.

At Hotchkiss, Lu will perform Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 – one of the most popular violin concertos in solo violin repertoire.

Complementing Lu’s performance, Fabio Wirkowski, a head of the Hotchkiss visual and performing arts department and a founder of The Hotchkiss Philharmonic Orchestra, will conduct Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet and Mascagni’s Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, an Italian one act opera.

Hotchkiss student musicians, 22 in total, who are a part of the orchestra will play the two pieces along with local musical professionals and teachers.

The next performance as a part of the Philharmonic season will be orchestrated on April 3, 2025. The upcoming concert on Nov. 2 will mark the beginning of a season rich in musical excellence and inspiring performances at Hotchkiss.

Latest News

Classifieds - October 23, 2025

Help Wanted

Weatogue Stables has an opening: for a full time team member. Experienced and reliable please! Must be available weekends. Housing a possibility for the right candidate. Contact Bobbi at 860-307-8531.

Services Offered

Hector Pacay Service: House Remodeling, Landscaping, Lawn mowing, Garden mulch, Painting, Gutters, Pruning, Stump Grinding, Chipping, Tree work, Brush removal, Fence, Patio, Carpenter/decks, Masonry. Spring and Fall Cleanup. Commercial & Residential. Fully insured. 845-636-3212.

Keep ReadingShow less
School spirit on the rise at Housy

Students dressed in neon lined the soccer field for senior night under the lights on Thursday, Oct. 16. The game against Lakeview was the last in a series of competitions Thursday night in celebration of Homecoming 2025.

Hunter Conklin and Danny Lesch

As homecoming week reaches its end and fall sports finish out the season, an air of school spirit and student participation seems to be on the rise across Housatonic Valley Regional High School.

But what can be attributed to this sudden peak of student interest? That’s largely due to SGA. Also known as the Student Government Association, SGA has dedicated itself to creating events to bring the entire student body together. This year, they decided to change some traditions.

Keep ReadingShow less
Student initiatives shake up Homecoming
The poster promoting the Homecoming dance boasted the event would feature dancing, games and a bonfire. Reactions to the planned move outside were mixed, with some students excited about the changes and others expressing a desire for tradition.
Provided

The weekend of Homecoming at HVRHS was packed with events including rival games under the lights, senior night, and a new take on Homecoming that moves it outside — and it wouldn’t have been possible without the students of Housatonic.

Orchestrating was no easy feat, especially considering much of the work was left up to the students.

Keep ReadingShow less
Housy takes on Halloween
Housatonic Valley Regional High School
File photo

As the chilly breeze settles in, Halloween approaches and the community yearns for spooky festivities — HVRHS has answered that calling. An event held annually for the past eight years, the HVRHS haunted house has returned.

The event is organized by the current senior and junior year classes — 2026 and 2027 respectively — and held to raise money that goes toward the junior and senior class’s activities such as senior week, prom, the senior class trip, and more.

Keep ReadingShow less