Editor’s Note: Hanukkah Hullabaloo—the Brothers Lazaroff’s beloved Festival of Lights extravaganza—returns for its 15th anniversary on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Grandel Theatre. This year, the Jewish Light is spotlighting the artists who help bring the Hullabaloo to life.
As the May 16 tornado approached midtown St. Louis, Mark Hochberg stepped outside St. Louis Strings, the Dogtown violin shop he manages.
“We watched that damn thing form, right around the corner of Clayton and Tamm Avenue,” said Hochberg, 51. “We’ve had multiple clients come to us since then needing repairs that are tornado related. We’ve done everything we can to minimize them having to put a bunch of money into repairs.”
Hochberg has also helped generate funds for tornado relief as the violinist for the Brothers Lazaroff. The group played a residency at Joe’s Café in June to raise money for 4theVille Emergency Hub. The 2025 Hanukkah Hullabaloo will benefit the same cause via Action St. Louis.
“We’ve done several things this year for tornado relief, because the north side has—besides getting destroyed by the tornado—they’ve just been shafted,” Hochberg said. “It’s been a blessing to be able to be a part of all of that in my performance career, specifically with the Brothers Lazaroff, and in my professional day job, and how those two things intertwine sometimes.”
If it’s an instrument with strings, Hochberg probably plays it. He can handle violin, viola, cello, upright bass and bass guitar. Central Reform Congregation members have likely seen him play in the house band. He started playing violin as a 4-year-old, but Hochberg family legend suggests that he was 2 years old and told his mother “There are songs in my head. . . and they are loud!”
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This will be Hochberg’s 10th time performing at Hanukkah Hullabaloo. He describes it with one word: mystical.
“It’s tied into all the intricacies and the mysticism of the holiday, but also doing the tributes to artists that have passed away and having a slightly different ensemble every single year,” he said. “It’s a mystical experience.”
Buy tickets to this year’s Hanukkah Hullabaloo here.
