Eastman School of Music Posts and Musings
Eastman trumpeters Andrew Psarris, Michael Kent, Steve Felix, Dovas Lietuvninkas, Samuel Huss Last weekend, March 19 through 21, I had the sincere honor of competing in the National Trumpet Competition with my fellow trumpet players. Every year we go down to this competition and we do well — but most important, we have a lot…
Tomorrow Eastman celebrates the 330th birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach by bringing this great composer’s music to the community. Starting at 10:30 a.m. and continuing until about 12:30 p.m., Eastman students will perform Bach masterpieces at Hart’s Local Grocers at 10 Winthrop Street, including two of the Brandenburg Concertos and other chamber pieces. Downtown Rochesterians…
Unto Thee I Burn: Song Settings of E.E. Cummings Poetry by North American Woman Composers is the title of a new CD being released by Presidential Scholar and Eastman alumna Eileen Strempel (BM’89) and Assistant Professor of Chamber music/ Accompanying and Director of Summer@Eastman Sylvie Beaudette (DMA’93). It combines the inspiring poems of E.E. Cummings…
I am not an organist. Four months ago, I couldn’t pronounce the word “diapason,” and I’ll admit that I’m still fuzzy on what it means. Nonetheless, I’ve collaborated with Eastman faculty and students this past year to present “Tuesday Pipes,” a free concert series at Christ Church, to the Rochester community. I’ve loved every minute…
In February 2005, Clark Terry performed with the Eastman Jazz Ensemble under Bill Dobbins. CT was a gem. Clark Terry had a resume that read like a history of jazz. He played with some of the most notable performers in America, including Count Basie and Duke Ellington’s famous bands. He recorded albums with Ella Fitzgerald,…
Composer Steven Stucky with Mark Davis Scatterday and the Eastman Wind Ensemble, December 2011 Tomorrow night at 8 p.m. in Kodak Hall, I have the pleasure of playing again with the country’s favorite wind ensemble. The program will be opened by Eastman’s Harmonie—a chamber ensemble of wind players — who will be playing the Serenade…
I have already mentioned how wonderful it was to audition here at Eastman, but I’d like to take a bit of a different approach to this entry. Assuming you’ve prepared for your audition — you know your rep; you know what to expect; you’ve taken good care of yourself; you are mentally going through what…
You have taught for Music Horizons in the past. What have you learned so far about being at the helm of the program vs. being on the faculty? I had the good luck to be involved with Music Horizons in many different capacities: at the very beginning, I was the official “disciplinarian,” the one who…
Have you ever dreamed of touring Europe? How about playing in or conducting a touring orchestra? Have you ever dreamed about playing in front of sold-out crowds in theaters with thousands of spectators? Have you ever dreamed of making an award-winning CD? No, this is not a TV ad or a get-rich-quick scheme, it is…
Last week I talked about the Eastman Orientation Committee and how wonderful they were in making my audition very special four years ago. Today I’d like to talk more about the process. Again, the audition period is full of anticipation. Every Friday when I am walking around the Cominsky Promenade I think to myself, “Wow,…