Music is arguably one of the most important things in life. It’s what drives us to school on groggy mornings, what dances with us at parties and what puts us to sleep on restless nights; all in all, it’s what moves us. This is a concept which Albany High music teacher Mr. Hoffman is no stranger to.

Mr. Hoffman got his start in the Albany City School District working at Eagle Point Elementary two days a week while in the process of getting his master’s degree. From there, he is now in his 10th year as one of the three music teachers at AHS, focused on vocal music, which is made of up numerous ensembles and choirs.

Recently, Hoffman starred in the renowned musical, Les Miserables, at the Cohoes Music Hall. He played the role of Marius, a young revolutionary who finds himself entangled in a disorganized love affair. On playing Marius, Mr. Hoffman said it was a natural fit. “I had a clear picture of who I thought he was… For me, ever since I had seen Les Mis on Broadway 16 years ago, I really connected with that show and I had a really strong desire to be doing what I was seeing on stage, in particular that role.”

Not only did Mr. Hoffman become Marius, but he excelled at doing so, receiving high praise from local publications such as the Times Union. However, he wasn’t always set on singing. Instead, he was pushed by an important figure in his life: his high school music teacher. “I can remember really first starting to seriously sing in high school,” said Hoffman. “My choir director was hugely instrumental in getting me to take myself seriously and he was the one who pushed me toward doing more and encouraged me to take private voice lessons and think about doing music as a career. He saw something in me and then pushed me towards that direction and encouraged me, which was so important, because it allowed me to believe that I could do it.”

When asked what he hopes to imbue on his students after four year stints with each of them, he said he wants them to realize what each and every one of them has to offer. “Sometimes it’s hard to figure it out. You go through so many different things, especially as a young adult in school, trying to find yourself and trying to figure out what it is that you’re going to do. Regardless of whether it’s music or anything, if I can continue to give people the realization that they have a lot to offer as an individual and that there are places for them to be involved, that they have that capability to do something incredible, they should always seek a place to do that.”