Artist Biography — Diane Hoenzsch

The Early Years

iane was born and raised in Albany, New York. She grew up surrounded by music. Her parents, grandparents, brother Jon and Aunt Vivian had all encouraged her with music. Jon was a clarinetist and saxophone player. Like her brother she spent considerable time practicing her craft and was essentially self-taught in improvisation, jazz, blues and pop. Throughout her lifetime she continued experimenting and dabbling with improvisation in her performances and subsequent elaborate arrangements heard on her piano album. Throughout their younger years, she and her brother would often play duets together. She first began playing on her aunt's piano at 5 years old, and her grandfather, who came from Pinsk, Russia found time to accompany her on his guitar with a little Russian or Spanish piece. In fact, he made a deal with her that if she could learn the Spanish piece, “Maleguana”, he would pay her $5.00. She quickly earned her pay. Over forty years later, as a special tribute to her grandfather, Diane incorporated portions of the style of that piece into one of her large-scale arrangements, “El Shaddai” which is on her CD. When her parents surprised her on her 8th birthday with a new piano, she enthusiastically began taking formal classical lessons. While studying piano she continued experimenting with improvisation, and developed a style that people today recognize as her unique signature sound. In high school she would participate in assorted functions where some of her improvisational skills came in handy such as in the high school dance band, for example. One interesting side point — the high school dance band she played in, the “Jesters”, also included one very shy member who played tuba by the name of Fred Hoenzsch. Unbeknownst to either one of them at the time, they would one day reunite over 25 years later!

Developing Her Gift

Another one of Diane’s more serious musical pursuits was her 15 plus years of studies of the clarinet in which she participated in a variety of settings — school bands, assorted ensembles and solo work. But it was her improvisational work with piano that stood out in the performance arena. She and a couple of classmates would get together and frequently jam before school band practice. By the mid 1960’s she was to become the only female musician of a jazz-pop-blues band. This was considered rather unique and Diane was featured in a local newspaper article. While attending a local junior college she continued to do assorted engagements with the group and as a soloist, working on her craft both classically and in the improvisational venue. Although she considered attending one of several music colleges that she was accepted at, for a variety of reasons at the time, many of which had nothing to do with her love for music, she decided to study at a school that had a broader based educational emphasis in general studies, and was lesser known for music. Nevertheless, she seemed to find at this school some of the most knowledgeable, versatile and gifted artists in the field of music! It was from these individuals that she learned the majority of her craft. She insists that it can be one teacher, and not necessarily a school per se, that can have a profound influence on another individual. This was her experience. One brilliant piano teacher named Walter Wollman, for example, gave her the impetus to take her classical studies to a considerably higher level. She also got to know an interesting chap named Bob Solano who taught jazz classes at the school. He was fun and quite different from your average professor in spirit and intellect. In many respects, he encouraged her to “go for it” — to push the envelope with her style and her improvisational skills and love for experimentation. The combination of the classical discipline along with the experimenting with improvisation became the bedrock for an interesting and curious mixture that would never leave her. In fact that influence continues to be part of the driving force that still appeals to her bolder side to have the courage and audacity to try new things. Unbeknownst to these professors or even herself back then, they were all part of a special plan to help her develop that pursuit. Diane continues today to perform the great hymns of the faith and other contemporary works always challenged to try something special, unique and different in her arrangements.

Reaching Higher — the Masters and Beyond

Back to 1973 — Upon completing her undergraduate studies she traveled south intending to go to Miami University in Florida to study jazz and classical music. But, Hurricane Agnes drove her inland. Out of money, with a broken down car she remained in Atlanta, Georgia. She found a college there to pursue her studies of music that was again not as well-known for its music program, but nevertheless had a standard of excellence that was on a par with many conservatories for music! She enrolled part-time as a non-matriculated student initially at Georgia State University and at first took a few lessons and classes. Eventually after a year’s worth of concert preparation she was accepted into a Masters program in Piano Performance. She had the unique opportunity to study with several fine professors and renowned concert artists-in-residence who personally and profoundly affected her. In addition, she was able to develop her confidence and rounded out her musical education including advanced studies of music history, conducting, theory, form and analysis, and composition along with her regular classical piano repertoire. On the improvisational level she continued playing in a variety of interesting musical settings including a Dixieland band tour in Brazil, assorted combos and many other professional engagements around Atlanta.

From the Masters to the Messiah

While Diane was near completion of the Masters in Piano Performance the birth of her daughter Seana marked a new series of events that would dramatically change her life. She sensed a very strong awareness that she needed to leave music school even though she had completed nearly 95% of her Masters! Although it was a wrenching and agonizing decision initially for her, it proved in time to be the most positive decision she ever made. Not long after Seana's birth in August of 1978 Diane had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ which completely transformed her life in a most powerful way. Previously what little understanding and appreciation she had for her Jewish heritage while growing up in a nominal Jewish home was instilled by her grandparents. After meeting the Lord her understanding of what it meant to be a true Jew was heightened; she met The Messiah! She found the Scriptures in Romans 2:28-29 that spoke about what it meant to be a true Jew; one whose heart has become circumcised inwardly rather than an outward circumcision. Prior to her conversion her focus had always been toward the soulful and intellectual side of music. But after her encounter with the Lord a still greater dimension was added to the mix that changed her whole perspective and reason for performing — the realm of the Spiritual. Using her “bag of tools” and previous knowledge she began combining her jazz and improvisational background with the classical idiom and at times Jewish flavor to capture a larger concert style of playing Christian and Jewish Christian music. With her new found faith her desire was to work within the realm of the hymns and other Christian Contemporary music experimenting with new and imaginative ways of arranging and performing. With her transformation, in August 1978, she finally found what she was created to do. Her musical mission in life subsequently changed. No longer was music simply an enjoyable artistic and intellectual pursuit. It became the basis for her to express her profound love and devotion to Christ with the mindset of performing every work, on all occasions, to give highest honor and glory to God! This remains to this day her mission for which there is no greater calling or joy.

Back to Albany and the Tuba Player

But — how did she end up back in Albany and married to hymn show host Fred Hoenzsch?

Life took a complete turn for her while living in Atlanta and raising her daughter. Her husband at that time unexpectedly left her in 1982. As she was struggling to make ends meet while still living in Atlanta, her mother Vivian, meanwhile, was dying of cancer back in Albany, New York. Diane’s father sent her and her daughter plane tickets. She came back to Albany in time to be at her mother’s side before she died. After her mother’s passing she remained in Albany and went to work as a secretary for the State of New York to continue to support herself and her daughter. Though broken by life and many accompanying trials she continued to perform her music and to also teach piano privately on a part-time basis. She began playing in a variety of church settings continuing to develop her musical ideas and styling bringing with her a deeper spiritual presence from her difficult life experiences.

Grace Note Music

And finally, how did she wind up married to “Hymns To Live By” host Fred Hoenzsch? — that shy tuba player from high school? Let's hear it from Fred's perspective:

It all started with a tape. I found it in my station mailbox on a late October day in 1991. A long time listener of my “Hymns To Live By” show had sent me a cassette of her own piano arrangements of classic hymns and choruses. One week later I contacted Diane and shared my enthusiasm about her pieces and mentioned that I would like to use some of these works on some of my future shows. But now comes, as Paul Harvey would say, “the rest of the story”. I would subsequently meet this hymn show fan at a Bible study, and as I got to know her over the next few months, the Lord made it clear to us that we were brought together for a purpose. On September 26, 1992 Diane and I were married.

One of the fruits of their marriage was the birth of their own business to serve the Christian community — “Grace Note Music”. For the past 10 years they have continued to minister together throughout the Capital Region of New York State performing at various Hymn Sings, concerts, weddings, special events, and church services. With her album “Be Thou My Vision” Diane combines her vintage piano style with a mixed classical/jazz/Gospel flair. Her music is often featured on WHAZ's “Hymns To Live By” and “Regional Christian Artists," and on the “Sound of Life” radio program, “Reflections”. With the birth of this website Fred and Diane are currently pursuing a world wide goal — to get the ministry and the message out through the internet and to be available for more performing and ministry opportunities.