Sten Höstfält
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Sten Hostfalt is a recent to current, as in past 25 years, faculty member, teacher, instructor, and lecturer at leading academic institutions for contemporary music and music education Columbia University's Teachers College, The City University of New York*, New World School of the Arts, Miami-Dade College FL, and KMH, The Royal College of Music, Stockholm. As an initially auto-didact composer-musician, come first-generation academic holding BM, GD, MM, and EdM degrees with awards, scholarships and honors from Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory and Columbia University he carries a pedagogic legacy as a facilitator of individually translated pragmatic creative applications of knowledge with a 21st-century view on music education. Reflective of an internationally documented four-decade active contribution to creative music and education alongside some of the most prolific musicians and artists of our time, on recordings, and at leading venues. As a composer, 6, 8 and 12-string guitarist, bassist, electronic music performer, band-leader, producer, record label proprietor, theorist, researcher, and educator, associated with leading press/media featured creative contributions to the music scene since 1995. Mr. Hostfalt's original work is, in the words of Jazz Review's Don Williamson referred to as genuinely innovative, and may be considered groundbreaking (2005). Showing just how far an instrument can be altered to meet experimental, adventurous needs, taking you on a journey to a place where anything is possible, according to John Kelman of All About Jazz (2004), and is described as one of the most riveting explorations of the microtonal world ever recorded by Larry Cosentino for Signal to Noise (2005). A NY State K-12 certified music teacher for the NYC Department of Education, having contributed to the DOE in various roles since 2006. And a music instructor at Columbia University's Teachers College, having taught at the institution since 2020. Mr. Hostfalt's contribution to, and membership of New York City's creative music community since 1994, activity on the U.S. East Coast scene since 1989, and internationally since 1981. Represents both informal and formal education, and multiple cultural traditions as manifested in a wide range of formats. From urban street performances, to the DIY progressive arts culture of the late 1970s and early 1980s, on to the world's most famous concert halls, and most prestigious academic institutions for education and the arts. Since first being introduced to the teaching profession in 1977, through a jr. high school vocational apprenticeship program, he has served as a guitar instructor at The Royal College of Music, Stockholm, at Queensborough Community College, CUNY the City University of New York*, and as a lecturer at New World School of The Arts, Miami FL, Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory of Music, and with Guillermo Klein's band at Colegio Ward and Centro Cultural San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In addition to teaching for New York Jazz Academy since 2009, at East Village's First Flight Music 2007-2015. And in 2022 as a NYC Department of Education teaching artist for Midori & Friends, an organization supported by The New York Council on the Arts, New York City Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment of the Arts. * DISCLAIMER: Neither Sten Hostfalt's Brooklyn NY registered proprietorship Sonus Rex, nor Sten's NYC Guitar Studio are affiliated with Queensborough Community College, or the City University of New York. |
Educator Philosophy Statement
Despite, or perhaps due to the rapidly
amassed, increasing public access to
information in the 21st century, much
of current education favors itemization
and commodification of content, with
a metric-quantitative focused mindset,
and in essence, the cerebral. Ironically
so, often by seeking validation through
exploitation of collective, inclusive,
inter-disciplinary, holistic concepts.
With ideals in a sales pitch for knowledge
as merchandise, and interactions valued
according to currency concepts.
Meanwhile our thoughts, ideas, imagination,
and real-time experiences remain true,
resonant, and crucial for communication,
understanding and development.
Alma Maters
Columbia University Teachers College
Master of Music Education Degree.
Internship at Fordham University at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Music in Early Childhood with Lori Custodero,
College Teaching with Jeanne Goffi-Fynn,
Electronic Music Technology in Education with James Frankel,
Comprehensive Musicianship with Marsha Baxter.
Classical guitar education with Richard Jacobowski,
Piano education methodology with Victor Lin.
City University of New York
Post-Masters Advanced Certificate in Music Education
awarded by CUNY BC with NYC Department of Education,
New York State K-12 teacher certification in Music Education
New England Conservatory
Master of Music Degree,
Jazz Composition Graduate Diploma,
Jazz Guitar Performance
NEC Honors Jazz Ensemble Member
Berklee College of Music
Bachelors Degree,
Professional Music Cum Laude,
Berklee Performance Dept.
Outstanding Musicianship Award
Students
Through the private studio, or other schools
or organizations, for the past thirty years,
instructional assistance has been provided
to students enrolled at academic institutions
including: Juilliard School of Music,
Columbia University,
NYU New York University,
Rockefeller University,
The Royal College of Music, Stockholm,
Fiorello LaGuardia High School for The Performing Arts,
City University of New York CUNY,
Mannes School of Music,
Brown University,
Boston University,
Berklee College of Music.
Students have been accepted
into performing arts programs at:
Manhattan School Of Music,
Eastman School of Music,
The New School for Social Research,
SUNY Purchase,
State University of New York,
University of Michigan School of Music,
The Special Music School at
Kaufman Center New York City
Bard College,
Frank Sinatra High School for the Arts,
The Jazz Academy at
Jazz at Lincoln Center NYC,
Western Illinois University WIU
Berklee College of Music
Publications featuring/representing
Sten Hostfalt's pedagogical work:
* Fresh Music:
Explorations With The Creative Workshop
Ensemble for Musicians, Artist and Teachers.
by Jon Damian, YO 2015. ISBN 978-0-9863105-0-8.
Library ofCongress Control Nr. 2015901154.
* Dictionnaire des musiques microtonales (1892-2013)
Franck Jedrzejewski, L'Harmattan (France), 2014.
Professional Membership:
UFT United Federation of Teachers,
NAfME National Association for Music Educators,
NYSSMA New York State School Music Association,
MEANYC Music Educators Association New York,
AFM, American Federation of Musicians,
Local 802 Associated Musicians of Greater New York,
Guitar Foundation of America,
AES, Audio Engineering Society
Society for Research in Music Education,
SMT, Society for Music Theory,
JFA, Jazz Foundation of America,
BMI, Broadcast Music Incorporated.
Collaborative Work, Recordings
and Live Concert Appearances
Jimmy Giuffre, Paul Bley,
Bobby Shew, Rob McConnell,
Gary Burton, Peter Erskine,
and Clare Fischer.
Shared Concert/Festival Events
Johnny Griffin, Ray Brown,
Phil Woods, Tower of Power,
Woody Herman Big Band,
Niels-Henning Orsted-Pedersen,
MOBY, Keith Murray (Def Squad)
Lunachicks NYC, Therapy? (IR)
Principal instrument taught:
JAZZ GUITAR:
guitar/plucked string
instruments in improvised
formats including 6, 8 and
12-string guitars in standard
tuning, open (folk) tunings,
and microtonal tunings,
left-hand techniques for
interpretation of microtones,
two-hand (tapping) techniques,
prepared guitar techniques,
guitar with digital computer
-processed electronics, including
looping and guitar synthesis.
Familiarity with traditional and
modern forms of Jazz, Pop/Rock,
Metal, Funk/Soul/R&B, Reggae,
Folk, Progressive, Avantgarde,
Microtonal & Beyond Category,
Secondary instruments taught:
classical guitar
electric bass guitar
electronic/digital music production
(Pro Tools, Logic, Ableton, Reaper,
Harrison Mixbus, Universal Audio LUNA,
and Steinberg Wavelab. Knowledge
of ext. digital processing applications
include TC Electronics, SSL, PSP,
Universal Audio, HOFA, and Eventide.
Tertiary instruments taught:
mandolin
ukulele
piano/keyboard,
percussion/drums, voice,
WOODWINDS alto saxophone,
clarinet, flute and recorder.
Additional rudimentary
instrument understanding:
violin, viola, cello, trumpet,
trombone, recorder, oud.
Additional subjects or topics taught:
composition, arranging, music theory,
ear training, transcription techniques,
ensemble, improvisation, music history
and musicology, music notation (Dorico),
fundamentals of running an independent
record label, producing and publishing.
Composing-arranging for ensembles,
creative development of repertoires,
and curricular outlines, are features
of Sten Hostfalt's work as a musician
and educator. As exemplified by his
Teachers College Columbia University
internship at Fordham at Jazz at The
Lincoln Center, and the leadership of
his own original projects including
the 15-piece mixed winds, brass,
strings and dance ensemble
Dimensional States. As well as the
direction of youth big bands at jazz
festivals, and in competitions during
the 1990s, all of which draws on a
decade-long membership in Jazz
orchestras led by Phil Wilson, Herb
Pomeroy, and Guillermo Klein. In
turn relating to conducting studies
with George Monseur, (a student
of Bernstein and Stokowski) and
masterclasses with 20th century
composers Toru Takemitsu, and
Györgi Ligeti.
Educator philosophy:
The representation of a longtime
membership of the international
creative music community,
collaborators, and the innovative
traditions of pioneering mentors,
means carrying a legacy of pragmatic,
experiential, and transformative
processes of individual-collaborate
creativity through improvisation
and the power of imagination.