"I feel extraordinarily lucky to have been educated at Eastman.  The Eastman School of Music is one of the premiere music conservatories in the world.  This indisputable statement could tempt the Eastman community to be boastful or self-satisfied, but what I remember most about my professors, beyond their world-class resumes, was their kindness.  They instilled in us the idea that a career in music, while always a difficult proposition, was never a "contact sport."  One student's success was not predicated upon another's failure.  I came away believing that as long as the craft and art of music were served, and as long as I strove toward my own improvement, then I would find a place in the profession. 

This is an attitude I have tried to adopt in my own career as a teacher, composer and performing musician...  "
-Bradley Ellingboe

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"From the time I set foot on ESM shores at my audition to this point, thirty years after I left Eastman to pursue DMA studies on the west coast, I count my ESM experiences among the richest of my lifetime. 

To this day, my life as collaborative pianist and teacher of its allied arts is informed by my years at ESM: first as undergraduate, then as graduate assistant, and eventually as teaching assistant to Robert Spillman, then head of Accompanying at the school. Professor Spillman was an example and mentor for me in all areas of musical collaboration.

Integrity is the word that most comes to mind when I think back on Eastman.  This was and is a school dedicated to the highest level of music making and overall artistic standards. To have studied and been influenced by so many fine performing artists who were also outstanding pedagogues, including pianist Maria Luisa Faini, was formative and enduring..."
-Dr. Arlene Shrut

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"One of the things that I have come treasure most about my Eastman experience was actually a source of great embarrassment at the time.  Like all newly arrived master's students, I had to take a theory placement test in order to determine whether I was ready to take a graduate level theory course, or if I needed to take the remedial class.  I took the test fully expecting not to get into graduate theory--I had only discovered singing and classical music two years earlier as an undergrad at a tiny liberal arts college in Iowa and was still struggling to learn how to read music.  Despite my very low expectations, I surprised myself at how badly I did on the test, and was even more surprised to be told that I was not even qualified to take remedial theory.  The theory department had decided to send me all way down to Freshman Theory!" ...
-Tom Meglioranza

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"While I was only at Eastman for a relatively short time, I have very lasting impressions. I was influenced first and foremost by the faculty: The wonder of Jan DeGaetani, and how every lesson or musical coaching with her turned into a lesson in life that will never be forgotten, the enthusiasm of Gerald Lee, who in role coaching was always 100% positive, the wisdom of Kenneth Merrill, who seemed to have a limitless amount of musical knowledge he always wanted to share, and the humor and intelligence of Robert Spillman, who seemed to know exactly what was right for my voice. I run into more Eastman alum that are achieving great things in music than by far any other music school, so there has to be a reason for that!"
-Jim Demler