Eastman School of Music Posts and Musings

A Pulitzer Finalist with an Eastman Connection

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…

Horn Lessons “Transferred” from A Master

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.…

“Eyes low, head low, heart open”

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…

A Time to Remember …

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…

Maestro Steve Crowley puts down his…hammer for his final Eastman Opera Theatre production

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…