Eastman School of Music Posts and Musings
Apollinaire Habonimana recently opened a music school in his country of Burundi. At the invitation of Eastman student Matthew Langford, Apollinaire spent a few weeks in Rochester during the summer of 2014 in order to take classes and learn about teaching, planning courses, and administrating a music school. Summer@Eastman director Sylvie Beaudette gathered his thoughts…
Professor of Saxophone Chien-Kwan Lin During China’s Cultural Revolution, one of the world’s oldest civilizations tore itself apart, with an estimated 70 million deaths. One story from this terrible period comes from China’s remote Xiaoxiang region, where a widow avenged the death of her husband by tormenting his killer, a local Communist official. With no…
Last Sunday, April 19, the Eastman community was treated to an incredible performance given by the Empire Film Music Ensemble. EFME, as it’s colloquially known, has pushed the envelope before, putting on different types of audience-friendly shows, including music from superhero movies, and music from horror films, but this time they outdid themselves. I have…
Last Monday and Tuesday, April 13 and 14, Eastman’s horn studio hosted a residency by William VerMeulen, professor of horn at Rice University and principal horn of the Houston Symphony. Horn student Chelsea Nelson reflected on VerMeulen’s visit: “Cars, Body-builders, Salami, and Big Bands; these probably aren’t topics featured in your average conservatory master class.…
Last Thursday, April 16, the University of Rochester celebrated the 2014-2015 Students Employee of the Year nominees. This year Eastman had a remarkable five nominees, out of 25 from all areas of the University. They were Brandon Choi (Eastman Computing), Katrina Leshan and Andrew Psarris (Eastman Communications), Mary Russek (Eastman Admissions) … and the Student…
On Friday, April 17 at 3 p.m. in Eastman’s Ray Wright Room, Chris Lastovicka will reflect on her life as a composer and as a woman who is a member of the LBGT community. This conversation is supported by the Eastman Diversity Initiative and the Susan B. Anthony Institute for Gender and Women’s Studies. Lastovicka…
A student in the 2014 Choral Conducting Institute. Called by the Huffington Post “one of the most prominent conductors of choral music today,” Kent Tritle will be an honored guest at Eastman this July as part of William Weinert’s Advanced Choral Conducting institute. Summer@Eastman director Sylvie Beaudette interviewed Mr. Tritle for our blog. Your multi-faceted…
Andrew’s recital poster, designed by Karen Ver Steeg On Thursday, April 2, I had my senior recital. For most, that day was simply Rochester’s first nice Thursday of the year; for me it was terrifying — but exciting. Nothing can really prepare you to go out there and, in culmination of four years of hard…
On Sunday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. in Kilbourn Hall, Eastman School of Music faculty members and students will perform works by select Jewish composers to mark Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). This program will include powerful works by Gideon Klein, Wladyslaw Szpilman, Erwin Schulhoff, and Paul Schoenfield which honor those who perished, those who…
With reluctance, the Voice and Opera Department announces the retirement of Steve Crowley after almost 30 years as Eastman Opera Theatre’s Technical Director/Producer. Steve joined Eastman Opera Theatre in September 1985, working with Richard Pearlman, after a varied career with Trinity Repertory Theater in Providence, Rhode Island, American Place Theater in New York, and other…