Violist, Writer, and Broadcaster Miles Hoffman has Died

Hoffman was the founder of the American Chamber Players and a beloved arts commentator on national radio

The American violist, writer, and broadcaster Miles Hoffman has recently passed away. Hoffman was violist, founder, and artistic director of the American Chamber Players, with whom he routinely undertook tours of the United States and Canada.

After studying at Yale University and The Juilliard School, American violist, writer, and broadcaster Miles Hoffman began his career as a violist by winning National Arts Club and Washington International Competitions. He then made his New York solo recital debut in 1979. Among other honors, Hoffman gave the American premiere performance of Penderecki's Cadenza for solo viola.

In 1982, Hoffman founded the Library of Congress Summer Chamber Festival, which he directed for nine years and which eventually led to the formation of the American Chamber Players. For the latter, he acted as the violist, founder, and artistic director and undertook many tours of the United States and Canada.

As a radio broadcaster Hoffman's work was extensive: he hosted NPR's "Performance Today" show for 13 years, before joining "Morning Edition" in 2002. He is the author of The NPR Classical Music Companion, which has been printed in ten different editions.

Hoffman was also well known for his regular segment on South Carolina Public Radio. Titled "A Minute With Miles", the longstanding segment challenged Hoffman to distill his pithy observations about the music world into just sixty seconds.

He was also a respected pedagogue and held a position as the Dean of the Petrie School of Music at Converse University — as well as being an Associate Professor of Viola and Chamber Music. In addition, he served as the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Chamber Music at the Schwob School of Music in Columbus, Georgia.

Hoffman received an honorary doctorate from the Centenary College of Louisiana in 2003.

Our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.