The Eastman-Rochester Chorus and Eastman Philharmonia Present Mendelssohn’s Beloved “Elijah”
On Friday, May 1, the Eastman-Rochester Chorus and the Eastman Philharmonia will perform Felix Mendelssohn’s beloved choral masterpiece Elijah, 180 years after its premiere. Led by Professor of Conducting & Ensembles Dr. William Weinert, the ensembles will join together with vocal soloist Joshua Conyers and 12 student soloists to present this powerful oratorio at 7:30 p.m. in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.
“Performing the title role in Mendelssohn’s Elijah is a dream come true,” exclaims Assistant Professor of Voice Joshua Conyers. “For any baritone, this work is the pinnacle—the music is exhilarating, the drama is real, and from start to finish it feels like an opera. I am truly honored to bring Elijah’s story to life.” Conyers is also excited to sing alongside Eastman’s “incredible student talent,” and shares that playing a part in Professor Weinert’s final performance at this institution “means everything.”
Sung in English, this masterpiece depicts events in the life of the biblical prophet Elijah, taken from the Old Testament. “Elijah has always been one of my very favorite works. It is full of completely transcendent moments that are guaranteed to lift you out of your seat or bring you to tears—or both,” says Weinert. “It is a gripping oratorio with a troubling and timely social message that is ultimately uplifting.”
Weinert is thrilled to welcome Conyers to the stage: “The opportunity to work with Joshua in a role that might have been written just for his voice was impossible to pass up.”
All performances by the Eastman-Rochester Chorus and Eastman Philharmonia are free and open to the public. Visit our website to learn more about these concerts and other upcoming events at Eastman.
Media Only: Lauren Sageer, Associate Director of Public Relations and Digital Content,
(585) 451-8492, lsageer@esm.rochester.edu
###
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.