Eastman School of Music Announces Sarah Rhee as Assistant Professor of Piano Pedagogy
Eastman School of Music, of the University of Rochester, is pleased to announce that Sarah Rhee ’01E, ’09E (DMA) has been named assistant professor of piano pedagogy, beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year.
“I’m delighted to welcome Sarah to our faculty,” states Alan Chow, chair of the Piano Department at Eastman. “As one of our distinguished alumni, she comes to us with an understanding of the great traditions here, but we are most excited about how her passion for learning and teaching will shape the future direction of piano pedagogy at Eastman.”
Recently serving on the faculty at Nazareth University, Dr. Sarah Rhee is a pianist and pedagogue who has performed internationally as both a recitalist and orchestral soloist. Her performance engagements include appearances with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rome Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra London, the Genesee Symphony Orchestra, and the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra.
Alongside her performing career, Dr. Rhee is an accomplished chamber musician and has performed in distinguished venues including Alice Tully Hall, the Ford Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, and Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. She is deeply engaged in piano pedagogy at the local, state, and national levels and is a regular presenter at national conferences, including the Music Teachers National Association. As a member of “Keys to Inclusion,” she contributes to initiatives that champion the music of underrepresented composers and broaden the scope of the traditional piano canon.
“I am thrilled to welcome Sarah Rhee back to Eastman,” shares Kate Sheeran, Joan and Martin Messinger Dean. “Her experience as both a performer and pedagogue, combined with her longstanding connection to Eastman, makes her uniquely suited to inspire and guide the next generation of musicians and educators.”
“I am deeply honored and excited to return to the Eastman School of Music as a member of the piano faculty,” says Rhee. “Eastman profoundly shaped me as a musician and educator, and the mentorship I received from my professors instilled in me a deep respect for artistic excellence, thoughtful pedagogy, and the importance of developing students both artistically and individually. Returning to Eastman is especially meaningful because it allows me to carry forward the legacy of the teachers who invested so deeply in me. I hope to foster an environment of rigor, creativity, compassion, and collaboration while helping train the next generation of pianists and educators. Eastman has long been a place where artistry and humanity flourish together, and I am thrilled to contribute to that vibrant community.”
Dr. Rhee maintains a distinguished record of teaching at both collegiate and preparatory levels and is a frequent adjudicator for regional, national, and international competitions. A committed leader in the field of piano pedagogy, she currently serves as president of the Rochester Piano Teachers Guild.
Dr. Rhee holds Doctor of Musical Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music, where she was awarded the prestigious Performer’s Certificate, and a Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School. Her principal teachers include Nelita True, Julian Martin, and Ronald Turini.
Media only: Jessica Kaufman, Executive Director of Marketing & Communications; (585) 278-4743, jkaufman@esm.rochester.edu
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About Eastman School of Music:
The Eastman School of Music was founded in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman (1854-1932), founder of Eastman Kodak Company. It was the first professional school of the University of Rochester. Mr. Eastman’s dream was that his school would provide a broad education in the liberal arts as well as superb musical training.
More than 900 students are enrolled in the Collegiate Division of the Eastman School of Music—about 500 undergraduates and 400 graduate students. They come from almost every state, and approximately 23 percent are from other countries. They are taught by a faculty comprising more than 170 highly regarded performers, composers, conductors, scholars and educators. They are Pulitzer Prize winners, GRAMMY winners, Emmy winners, Guggenheim fellows, ASCAP Award recipients, published authors, recording artists and acclaimed musicians who have performed in the world’s greatest concert halls. Each year, Eastman’s students, faculty members and guest artists present more than 1,000 concerts to the Rochester community. Additionally, over 1,700 members of the Rochester community, from young children through senior citizens, are enrolled in the Eastman Community Music School.
About the University of Rochester:
The University of Rochester is one of the nation’s leading private research universities, one of only 62-member institutions in the Association of American Universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University gives undergraduates exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by the Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art Gallery.