a conductor who faces the audience

Praised for his elegance and dynamism on the podium, Ian Niederhoffer — the winner of three prizes at the 2021 Khachaturian International Conducting Competition — stands out as a “charismatic, enthusiastic and articulate” leader, which, “together with his undeniable skills as a musician, makes for a winning combination” (New York Classical Review).

Named a Rising Star in BBC Music Magazine’s January 2024 issue, he is a confident and expressive communicator of music, context, and ideas; writing about his performance with Parlando of Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge, arranged for string orchestra, The Strad praised “the lyrical moments, [which were] played with shape and character.”

“Ian Niederhoffer makes good on [Parlando’s] motto: ‘Every concert tells a story’,” wrote The New York Times about Parlando’s program that featured Kaija Saariaho’s stunning violin concerto Graal Théâtre. “But smart, unusual programming on this level fosters a gripping narrative of its own, too.”

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Censored Anthems

Parlando’s debut album, Censored Anthems, explores music’s power as a tool of cultural resilience in the face of Soviet censorship.

The album opens with a selection from Dmitri Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, whose party-authored scathing review was the first high-profile instance of Soviet musical censorship.

Following is the Concertino for Violin and String Orchestra by Mieczysław Weinberg, whose career was shaped by persecution during Stalin’s anti-cosmopolitan campaign. The American violinist Aubree Oliverson, acclaimed as a “masterful” soloist (San Diego Story), and celebrated for her evocative lyricism and joyful, genuine approach, is the featured soloist.

Armenian Composer Edvard Mirzoyan’s Symphony for String Orchestra closes the album, a testament to the resilience of the Armenian people in spite of Soviet cultural erasure.

Inspired by Parlando’s mission of integrating performance with historical and cultural storytelling, Censored Anthems tells the story of Soviet censorship through speaking directly to audiences. The final three tracks on this album are narrated by conductor Ian Niederhoffer, a spoken program note underscored with the exact music it describes. These three narrated tracks add the weight of history to this wonderful music and paint a more vivid, complete picture of the story of Soviet censorship and cultural resilience.

Story Notes™

A series of performance-ready narrated orchestral concerts developed and conducted by Ian Niederhoffer.

What is Story Notes?

Storytelling at the Symphony. Part concert, part narration, part music appreciation, part history, Story Notes is a series of themed concert programs conducted and narrated by Ian Niederhoffer, each with a compelling narrative arc. Story Notes is ready to be adapted and presented by orchestras of all sizes. Target audience demographics are all ticket buyers who yearn to learn more in an unintimidating format, but all adults will enjoy the programming and presentation.

What Makes It Different?

Unlike traditional pre-concert talks or academic introductions, Story Notes’ format integrates storytelling into the orchestral concert experience. Niederhoffer warmly introduces each piece from the podium with anecdotes and historical storytelling, engaging audiences in an accessible concert without watering down the music.

Why Your Orchestra?

Whether your goal is to attract new audiences, reinvigorate existing subscribers, or elevate community engagement, Story Notes with Ian Niederhoffer offers a way to connect audiences more deeply to your orchestra.