Faculty, students, and alumni of the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music will be featured at several venues in and around downtown Rochester during the 14th annual ESL Rochester Fringe Festival (Fringe), running from September 9-20, 2025. Additionally, Eastman’s venues will play host to several events.
The schedule of Fringe shows taking place at Eastman includes:
Mark Watters: A Life in Music | Tues. Sep. 9 at 7:30 p.m. | Kilbourn Hall
Mark Watters is a six-time Emmy Award-winning composer and conductor whose diverse career spans 400 television episodes, feature films, DVDs, and video games. He holds the distinction of serving as music director for two Olympics (’96 & ’02) and, in 2002, John Williams invited him to co-conduct the Academy Awards. Watters is director of the Beal Institute for Film Music and Contemporary Media, named for Eastman alumnus and Emmy-winning composer Jeff Beal. Free, non-ticketed
9/11 Memorial Concert | Thurs. Sep. 11 at 11:30 a.m. | Kilbourn Hall
The prestigious Eastman Horn Choir was founded in 1968 by Verne Reynolds, professor emeritus of horn at the Eastman School of Music, who served as its director until his retirement in 1995. Since its inception, the choir’s mission has been to provide horn students an expanded ensemble experience, acquaint them with the breadth of quality repertoire within our musical culture, and encourage contemporary composers to write original works for multiple horns. Directed by Peter Kurau. Free, non-ticketed
Songs by David Temperley | Thurs. Sep. 11 at 6:30 p.m. | MC 5 (Miller Center, 1st Floor)
David Temperley, Professor of Music Theory at Eastman School of Music, has written more than 100 songs in his spare time. His style is a unique blend of rock, classical, and cabaret, with engaging melodies, witty and touching lyrics, and intricate piano accompaniments. The songs will be sung by three talented local singers—Lauren Gibson, Konstantina Gotouhidis, and Erin Teasdale—with Temperley at the piano. Tickets: $10
Eastman Percussion Ensemble | Fri. Sep. 12 at 6:30 p.m. | Kilbourn Hall
The Eastman Percussion Ensemble, directed by Michael Burritt, is a two-time winner of the Percussive Arts Society International Percussion Ensemble Competition, with international performances in 2013 and 2017. The ensemble has commissioned and premiered works by Alejandro Viñao and John Psathas, and this year will be giving the world premieres by Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and composer Billy Childs and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Joseph Schwantner. Free, non-ticketed
RPO Performs “HQ” | Fri. Sep. 12 at 7:30 p.m. | Hatch Recital Hall
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
Chelsea Handler: ONE NIGHT ONLY! | Saturday, Sep. 13 at 8:00 p.m. | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
Join comedian, TV host, and seven-time New York Times best-selling author Chelsea Handler as she headlines the Fringe—for ONE NIGHT ONLY! A celebrated voice in entertainment and pop culture, Handler’s humor and candor delighted audiences in a seven-year run of E!’s Chelsea Lately. She has penned seven best-sellers, including her recent, I’ll Have What She’s Having, and currently hosts the hit iHeartRadio podcast Dear Chelsea. She can also be seen in a Las Vegas residency at The Cosmopolitan. Tickets range from $53-$187
Faculty Artist Series: Justin Benavidez – Tuba | Sun. Sep. 14 at 6:30 p.m. | Kilbourn Hall
Hailed by Fanfare magazine as “a true virtuoso of his instrument,” Justin Benavidez joined the Eastman School of Music faculty in 2023 as associate professor of tuba and euphonium. He is principal tuba of the Syracuse Orchestra and spends his summers on faculty at the Round Top Music Festival in Texas and as principal tuba of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, CA. Free, non-ticketed
Eastman Wind Ensemble | Mon. Sep. 15 at 7:30 p.m. | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
The Eastman Wind Ensemble (EWE) is America’s first and leading wind ensemble. Its core of about 50 performers includes undergraduate and graduate students from the Eastman School of Music. Since its founding, the EWE has been at the forefront of promoting and expanding the wind repertory and elevating performance standards through commissioning new works, producing professional recordings, and touring. Free, non-ticketed
Eastman Wind Orchestra | Wed. Sep. 17 at 7:30 p.m. | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
The Eastman Wind Orchestra (EWO) includes first- and second-year woodwind, brass, and percussion students at the Eastman School of Music and is the first component of the large ensemble rotation system. The EWO actively commissions new works and world premieres, regularly performs with community and public school ensembles throughout the Rochester region, and has been featured at the New York State Band Directors Association Conference in Syracuse, NY. Free, non-ticketed
The following Fringe events will feature Eastman performers—faculty, students, and alumni—in off-campus venues:
L’homme DĂ©sarmĂ© (The Disarmed Man) | Tuesday, Sep. 9 at 7:00 & 8:00 p.m. | The Spirit Room’s Conjure Box
SYNAMBIENT, the duo of composers James Tabbi and Gerry Szymanski (Reserves and Digital Services Librarian at Eastman), interprets the medieval song L’homme armĂ© through ambient soundscapes that blend electronics and prepared acoustic instruments to create L’homme DĂ©sarmĂ© (the Disarmed Man). This sonic meditation confronts the enduring specter of armed conflict, from historical echoes to contemporary crises. A poignant reflection on resistance and the urgent need for peace in a world still shadowed by the armed man. Tickets: $14
Bloom – A Multisensory Percussion Experience | Thursday, Sep. 11 & Saturday, Sep. 13 at 7:35 p.m. | The Hochstein School Performance Hall
pax duo—comprising Tristan Swihart ’21E and Micah Detweiler—blends percussion, live electronics, and immersive light projection to create an original 50-minute multimedia concert experience. Featuring all original works, custom commissions, and arrangements, the show highlights the duo’s collaborative approach. Based in Goshen, IN, and Madison, WI, the duo merges elements of contemporary classical music with indie, hip-hop, and funk—exploring new ways sound, technology, and visuals come together during performance. Tickets: $15
New Horizons Jazz Ensemble | Saturday, Sep. 13 at 4:30 p.m. | CenterStage Theater at the JCC: Hart Theater
The Eastman Community Music School’s New Horizons Jazz Ensemble—founded and directed by music teacher, bandleader, and percussionist, Don Sherman—is a dynamic and energetic group of 17 musicians. The ensemble plays a variety of jazz styles including Dixieland, Blues, Swing, Latin, Rock, Funk, Afro-Cuban, Pop, and Contemporary big band arrangements. Also featured are novelty numbers that encourage audience participation. Tickets: $20
Calon Arang | Sunday, Sep. 14 at 11:00 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. | Memorial Art Gallery: Sculpture Park Outdoor Tent
The story of Calon Arang is an ancient Balinese legend centered on a community’s struggle to overcome the dark magic of the powerful and fearsome Calon Arang. It is a tale of the balance of cosmic powers that underpins the philosophy of Balinese society and features vibrant music, dance, and an enigmatic cast of characters. Nusantara Arts, including members of the Eastman community, perform electrifying highlights from their one-of-a-kind show, featuring new music composed by master Balinese musician and guest performer Gusti Komin. Tickets: $20
Catch & Collide | Sunday, Sep. 14 at 11:30 a.m. & Saturday, Sep. 20 at 1:30 p.m. | School of the Arts: Allen Main Stage Theatre
Catch & Collide brings together some of the region’s most inventive choreographers, sharing new dances by Rose Pasquarello Beauchamp, Elliot Reza Emadian, Ripp Greatbatch, Natalia Lisina, Missy Pfohl Smith, Mariah Steele, and Anne Wilcox. Join us as we catch, collide, topple, and turn in this extraordinary and thought-provoking contemporary dance collection featuring choreographic premieres and new music by Eastman doctoral student Floris Van der Veken ’23E (DMA). Tickets: $15
Wander & Wonder | Sunday, Sep. 14 at 4:00 p.m. | Rochester Museum and Science Center: Garden of Fragrance
Wander & Wonder is a site-specific performance that takes place outdoors on the beautiful grounds of the Rochester Museum & Science Center, curated by Ethan Beckwith-Cohen and Missy Pfohl Smith/BIODANCE. Audiences delight in the work of local dance and music artists (including Eastman doctoral student Floris Van der Veken ’23E (DMA)) companies, and choreographers, which interacts with nature and the environment in a walking tour of dances. Free, non-ticketed
Dave Rivello’s DRE | RED | Sunday, Sep. 14 at 8:00 p.m. | Bop Shop Records
What happens when the 13-member Dave Rivello Ensemble plugs in? DRE | RED! Sharp angles contrasted with smooth textures and combined with dynamic solos make for an evening of continuous color. As an extension of the Dave Rivello Ensemble, DRE | RED! continues to be Rivello’s vehicle for his original work and his main orchestral voice. From the beginning, this ensemble has blurred lines and crossed genres—come get lost in DRE | RED! Tickets: $20
Somnia in Musica | Monday, Sep. 15 & Tuesday, Sep. 16 at 5:30 p.m. | The Spirit Room: Bar Room (Elephant)
Somnia, or “dream shapes” in Roman mythology, were thought to be the thousand sons of Somnus, the god of sleep. Where do we go when we dream? What happens when the light inside our mind clicks off until our next daily cycle? Questions like these ignite the imaginations of artists, and this solo guitar program will give form to some of these dream-shapes from the minds of Britten, Dowland, Tedesco, plus the world premiere of a new suite by guitarist Tom Torrisi ’18E (DMA). Tickets: $15
RĂłisĂn Dubh | Sunday, Sep. 15 at 8:00 p.m. | CenterStage Theater at the JCC: Hart Theater
RĂłisĂn Dubh (“ro-sheen dove,” The Black Rose) is a unique school music program created by Eastman alumnus Mark Gowman ’07E (MA). Now celebrating their 25th year, these young musicians continue to bring their unique style of high-energy Irish music to the Rochester Fringe Festival and audiences across western New York and beyond. Heard on NPR’s famous Thistle & Shamrock, RĂłisĂn Dubh has performed nearly 500 times, released five albums, and shared the stage with some of top Irish musicians from the region and around the world. Tickets: $12
Vocal Point with the YellowJackets | Friday, Sep. 19 at 6:30 p.m. & Saturday, Sep. 20 at 7:00 p.m. | CenterStage Theater at the JCC: Hart Theater
Join the University of Rochester’s Vocal Point and the YellowJackets both featuring students from the Eastman School of Music—for a night of fun a cappella music. Vocal Point is the university’s historically female, gender-inclusive a cappella group, established in 1969, while the YellowJackets are its all-male group founded in 1956. They perform a range of music including pop, rock, and classic favorites! They are excited to be performing again at Fringe this year, join them at CenterStage Theatre at the JCC. Tickets: $15
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Visit the Fringe website to learn more and purchase tickets to all events. Tickets can also be purchased by phone at (585) 957-9837 (additional fees apply), or in person—either at the venue door or at the One Fringe Place Box Office located at the corner of Main and Gibbs Streets.
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Media only: Lauren Sageer, Assistant Director of Public Relations and Digital Content,
(585) 451-8492, lsageer@esm.rochester.edu
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About the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival:
The 12-day ESL Rochester Fringe Festival, one of the nation’s largest fringe festivals, has also been recognized by the New York Times as “one of the country’s more prominent multidisciplinary events” and is the current winner of CITY Magazine’s Best of Rochester Award for Best Arts Event. Nearly a million people have attended more than 5,700 performances and events at the Fringe since its inception in 2012. The non-profit organization’s mission is to offer platforms for artists, new audiences for venues, and unparalleled public access to incredible art. It strives to be diverse and inclusive, as well as to stimulate downtown Rochester culturally and economically. The Fringe showcases the work of regional, national, and international artists from emerging to superstar.
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About Fringe Festivals:
In 1947, eight theatre groups showed up – uninvited – to perform at the newly established Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland. Although not listed in the official program, the groups performed anyway, at venues they found for themselves. The following year, a Scottish journalist coined the term “festival fringe” to describe these non-curated shows that began turning up annually. The Edinburgh Fringe is now the world’s largest arts festival and the third largest event after the Olympics and the World Cup. Today, there are more than 250 Fringe Festivals worldwide, with nearly 50 in the United States. The ESL Rochester Fringe Festival was the first in Upstate New York.
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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 comprised of 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 900 concerts to the Rochester community. Additionally, more than 1,700 members of the Rochester community, from young children through senior citizens, are enrolled in the Eastman Community Music School.
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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.