Resources for Alumni and Families
Are you looking for materials from your time at Eastman—or researching the life of a parent, grandparent, or other relative who attended the school? The Eastman School of Music Archive contains many resources that may help, including school and student records, publications, photographs, and recordings. The FAQ list below summarizes how to access several frequently requested materials. For other inquires, contact the Special Collections Department.
Can I get a copy of my/my relative’s recital program(s)?
Yes. Programs for student recitals and ensemble concerts since the school’s founding in 1922 are preserved in the ESM Archive. Contact Archivist David Peter Coppen (585-274-1335) with the performer’s name and date of the recital(s) or concert(s), if known.
How can I get a copy of a recording of an Eastman performance?
Current ESM/UR faculty, staff, and students may access recent recordings of recitals and concerts (2018-present) through DiscoverUR. Access to audio and video recordings is restricted due to copyright. Faculty, students, and alumni may purchase a copy of a performance in which they participated as soloist, accompanist, conductor, instrument ensemble performer, voice ensemble performer, or composer. Pricing varies depending on the number of recordings and the quantity of media to be transferred. To request a recording made since 1988, contact Nana Stotz, Operations Coordinator for the Technology & Media Production department. (For more, see Recording Services.)
Performers may also request recordings from prior to 1988, but due to the earlier media formats, these requests will take more time to fulfill. Therefore, requests for pre-1988 recordings will only be processed during the summer months (June, July, and August). Inquiries should be directed to David Peter Coppen, Special Collections Librarian and Archivist (585-274-1335).
How do I access an Eastman dissertation or thesis?
Master’s theses and doctoral dissertations by Eastman students and graduates do not circulate, but many have been digitized. Eastman PhD works since 1963 and DMA works since 1970 should be available from ProQuest Dissertations Full Text, and recent theses and dissertations and DMA papers are available through UR Research. As a service to scholars and musicians, the Sibley Music Library may make digital copies of master’s theses and doctoral dissertations for personal use.
My relative attended Eastman. Do you have any photos of students?
The best source for finding student photos is the yearbook, The Score. All copies of the yearbook that have been preserved in the Eastman Archive have been digitized and are available online (1925–2013).
You can also search the Eastman School Photo Archive, which contains several hundred images of faculty, staff, students, administration, and alumni. These photographs have not been digitalized, but they are catalogued in the searchable Iconography Database. To request a copy of a photograph in the collection, contact David Peter Coppen, Special Collections Librarian and Archivist (585-274-1335). US Copyright regulations may apply to the use of these materials.
Can I get copies or scans of documents or photographs from the Eastman Archive?
We can provide reference copies or high resolution scans of material found in the Eastman Archive for a fee. For more information on reproductions and pricing, please consult Duplication Services.
Where can I find materials that document the history of the University of Rochester and the local community?
The Archives of the University of Rochester are held in the Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation (RBSCP) in Rush Rhees Library. The University Archives preserve the historic records of the university, including governance documents, university and student publications, directories, alumni records, and faculty, staff, and alumni papers. A full list of the collections in the University Archives is available online. RBSCP also holds many collections relating to local history.
At Sibley Music Library, the Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections holds a variety of resources pertaining to the history of music in Rochester from the late 19th century on, including collections from various local musicians, music societies, and ensembles. Many of these collections are described on the History of Music in Rochester page.