ROC City Concerts recently concluded its second season of bringing live music to underserved communities across the greater Rochester area—a new initiative from the Eastman School of Music that began in 2024.
Launched by Associate Professor of Piano and Chamber Music Elinor Freer, who serves as Director, the series was created to celebrate music’s power to heal, uplift, and foster human connection, one note at a time. Supported entirely by the John and Mary Celentano Endowed Chamber Music Fund, ROC City Concerts sends Eastman students and faculty into the community in small ensembles, offering performances and conversations that invite engagement and emphasize music’s transformative and therapeutic potential.
This year, concerts took place throughout April and May. Locations included the Monroe County Children’s Detention Center where the ensemble played for minors aged 12 to 18; Downtown United Presbyterian Church; the Honor Unit at Monroe County Jail; and East House Alexander Commons, a half-way house for those recovering from addiction and other mental health issues.
Freer estimates that ROC City Concerts has brought live music to over 200 listeners so far since 2024. “Music is one of the best tools we have to help us get in touch with our feelings, recovering our sense of humanity and empathy,” Freer said. “The Eastman School of Music is honored to be part of the journey of healing and recovery for these listeners.”
Elinor Freer on piano with Uday Singh playing the saxophone at East House. Photo credit: Lauren Sageer.
Alongside Freer, the student and faculty performers from Eastman included Joshua Conyers, Assistant Professor of Voice; YooJin Jang, Assistant Professor of Violin; Uday Singh ’20E, ’25E (DMA), a saxophone player and teaching assistant at the Eastman Community Music School; and David Ying ’92E (DMA), Associate Professor of String Chamber Music.
Following the concerts, many in the audience wrote to Freer to express their appreciation.
“I went to the concert, and it was fabulous. I didn’t know what I was walking into, but I fell in love immediately. I was drawn into the music and felt the presence of the pieces they were conducting. It was extremely magical,” said one resident at Nielsen House (Spiritus Christi Prison Outreach).
Yoo Jin Jang plays the violin accompanied by David Ying on cello at East House. Photo credit: Lauren Sageer.
“It felt like everyone in the room could relate to something: the composer, the story, the sounds. It felt like the concert was designed for me,” said another resident at Nielsen House.
Elizabeth Martinez, Operations Administrator at Spiritus Christi Prison Outreach, wrote, “That night, it felt as though music was serving its purpose. It brought people together, it allowed us to communicate, and it allowed us to feel emotions in the company of others without the need for words. The way each song and its composer were described before each piece magnified this effect. For example, in the Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Dmitri Shostakovich: David Ying explained how Shostakovich had lost his friend during a time of war. I recall sneaking a glance at one of our clients who, just that week, had lost a friend to overdose. In the midst of the music, her eyes were closed, and small tears fell over her cheeks, but her mouth was smiling.”
“That was amazing. Hearing those melodies, the music that Eastman played today, it made me feel things I have never felt before,” said ‘Q,’ an incarcerated individual at Monroe Co. Jail. “I can’t even explain it in words right now. I didn’t expect to witness something so beautiful.”
“Today’s concert orchestrated a path towards holistic well-being, where every note resonates with purpose and every individual can find their unique rhythm of recovery,” said Lindsay Gozzi-Theobald, President & Chief Executive Officer at East House, which serves 1,250 people in recovery from mental health and substance use disorders every year. “We welcome this partnership with the Eastman School of Music to make our community a healthier, more accessible place to live.”
Professor Freer remains hopeful that ROC City Concerts will return in 2026, continuing to bring music to the community while expanding its reach through new partnerships. “This project has been so gratifying to work on, and all the community partners have been incredibly appreciative,” concludes Freer.
Click here to read more about ROC City Concerts’ inaugural year.