Eastman School of Music

Cellist Ariunenerel Gantumur of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (by way of Seattle) (L) and Brynn Cogger of Seattle (viola) pause for a photo before moving into the Student Living Center as first year students of the class of 2027 move in at the University of Rochester Eastman School of Music August 23, 2023.

Eastman School of Music

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Eastman School of Music

Eastman Chorale performing in Kilbourn Hall 2015-03-01

Eastman School of Music

Students Entering Lowry Hall on the first day of classes

Eastman School of Music

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Eastman School of Music

ESM - Hispanic Heritage Recital

Eastman School of Music

Two students at laptop, leaning on piano, in front of chalkboard. Student on the right has long, red curly hair; student on the left has short, black hair.

Eastman School of Music

News and Updates

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Eastman School of Music Save the Date

University Commencement Ceremony Friday, May 16, 2025 | 8:45 a.m. University Doctoral Ceremony Friday, May 16, 2025 | 2 p.m. Eastman’s Graduation Ceremony Saturday, May 17, 2025 | 9 a.m.

Kodak Hall best venue + ECMS best music school 2024

GWC series Spring 2025

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Faculty Artist Series Spring 2025 All Faculty Artist Series performances are TICKETED

Saturday, January 25 Alexander Kobrin, piano Kilbourn Hall | 7:30 PM Monday, January 27 Robin Scott, violin Chiao-Wen Cheng, piano Ahrim Kim, cello Kilbourn Hall | 7:30 PM Saturday, February 1 Eastman Virtuosi Kilbourn Hall | 7:30 PM sunday, February 2 Joseph Johnson, cello Kilbourn Hall | 3:30 PM

saturday, March 22 Andrew McCandless, trumpet Michael Wayne, clarinet Hatch Recital Hall | 7:30 PM saturday, March 29 Eastman Virtuosi Kilbourn Hall | 7:30 PM Wednesday, April 16 Nicholas Goluses and Friends: A 70th Birthday Concert Hatch Recital Hall | 7:30 PM

tuesday, February 4 Mikel Kuehn, composer Kilbourn Hall | 7:30 PM Wednesday, February 5 Christine Jensen, jazz composition and saxophone Hatch Recital Hall | 7:30 PM Sunday, February 16 Priscilla Yuen, piano Irina Lupines, piano Soojin Kang, piano Kilbourn Hall | 3:30 PM Monday, February 17 Mikhail Kopelman, violin Kilbourn Hall | 7:30 PM

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Music Theory Colloquium Series

Music Theory Colloquium Series

Music Theory Colloquium Series

Music Theory Colloquium Series

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Two Minutes with Dean Kate Sheeran

Black History Month Showcase 2024: WALKER — String Quartet No. 1

Eastman Faculty: An Inside Look with Kathryn Cowdrick

Eastman Presents: Titanic LIVE | February 21, 2025

Eastman Wind Ensemble: STRAVINSKY — Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments

Eastman Faculty: An Inside Look with George Sakakeeny

Eastman Horn Choir | Mendelssohn: "Mitten wir im Leben sind" (“Though in the midst of Life we be”)

Eastman Jazz Ensemble: MORTON — King Porter Stomp

Eastman Musica Nova Ensemble | Unsuk Chin — Graffiti (2013)

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The official Instagram of Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. #EastmanLife

TWO MINUTES WITH DEAN SHEERAN: In this video, Dean

TWO MINUTES WITH DEAN SHEERAN: In this video, Dean Kate Sheeran discusses elements of our school’s mission with a nod to Eastman’s future!

“We educate musicians to go out into the world and use music as a tool for anything that they dream about.”

Follow us on YouTube for more glimpses into life and learning at ESM: YouTube.com/EastmanSchool 🎞️

Eastman hit the slopes! ❄️ Rochester is COVERE

Eastman hit the slopes! ❄️ Rochester is COVERED in snow at the moment, so last weekend our Student Living Center hosted a ski trip! #EastmanLife

📸 @eastmanosa

TONIGHT the George Walker Center Recital Series pr

TONIGHT the George Walker Center Recital Series presents a celebration of Black History Month in Kilbourn Hall! “Peace and Reverie” highlights music written and performed by Black artists, featuring members of the Black Students Union at Eastman.

We hope that you will join us this evening! Until then, enjoy this excerpt from George Walker’s String Quartet No. 1 (Allegro), performed in last year’s showcase.

Our annual Black History Month recital is always free and open to the public. Join us in person or via livestream at 7:30 PM on February 19!

Thank you to WXXI Classical 91.5 for its media sponsorship of this series.

Program & livestream linked in bio, along with the full performance of String Quartet No. 1.

FACULTY APPOINTMENTS: JAZZ & CONTEMPORARY MEDIA |

FACULTY APPOINTMENTS: JAZZ & CONTEMPORARY MEDIA | Eastman School of Music is excited to announce that Otis Brown III has been named Assistant Professor of Jazz Drum Set and Marshall Gilkes is named Associate Professor of Jazz Trombone! Both will begin teaching in fall 2025.

Jeff Campbell, chair of the JCM department, is thrilled to welcome them to Eastman, expressing, “Otis and Marshall are both the epitome of artistry and innovation.”

To learn more about our new JCM faculty members, as well as the newly endowed “Ray Conniff Jazz Ensemble Series,” visit Eastman’s News Room (linked in bio).

We have officially reached the halfway point of ou

We have officially reached the halfway point of our Audition Days! 💫 As day three of five is underway, our Admissions Ambassadors wanted to share a virtual walkthrough of some of the spaces open to auditioning students. If you’re on campus and have any questions throughout the day, find someone in a blue jacket or visit the welcome table in Lowry Hall!

Hoping to audition next year? Visit esm.rochester.edu/admissions to learn about applying to Eastman!

Tomorrow may be Valentine’s Day, but today ESM f

Tomorrow may be Valentine’s Day, but today ESM felt all the love!! Thanks to everyone who stopped by Lowry Hall for ‘I 💛 Eastman Day’ to express appreciation for our donors and share your favorite things about our school! #EastmanLife

Many congratulations to this year’s Friends of E

Many congratulations to this year’s Friends of Eastman Opera Competition finalists—all are students from our Voice, Opera & Vocal Coaching department!

The final performance will be held on Friday, February 21 at 7:30 PM in Kilbourn Hall. The adjudicator for the competition will be acclaimed bass-baritone Christian Van Horn ✨

Details linked in bio!

Coming to Eastman on February 21, 2025: Titanic LI

Coming to Eastman on February 21, 2025: Titanic LIVE!

Nominated for 14 Academy Awards, “Titanic” (1997) remains one of the most loved films ever made, and on February 21 you can experience it like never before! Join Eastman’s Empire Film and Media Ensemble (EFAME) for a live to picture performance of James Horner’s timeless score, led by Emmy Award-winning conductor Mark Watters. To bring the sounds of this cinematic masterpiece to life, EFAME will be joined by the Eastman Community Music School’s Eastman Youth Chamber Singers, vocal soloist Alice Zawadzki, and Celtic instrumentalist Eric Rigler on Uilleann pipes and whistles.

Kodak Hall Series Presents: Titanic LIVE
Friday, February 21, 2025
7:30 PM | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
Purchase tickets at link in bio or EastmanTheatre.org

What better way to spend a wintry Saturday afterno

What better way to spend a wintry Saturday afternoon than in our beautiful Kodak Hall? Join the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra, led by RPO Assistant Conductor Jherrard Hardeman, TODAY (2/8) at 3:30 PM!

Hardeman has stepped in as one of our esteemed guest orchestral conductors this academic year, and shared that it has been “quite thrilling” working with Eastman orchestras. “Seeing the students grow from concert to concert has been one of the most satisfying parts of the experience as a whole.“

This concert is free & open to the public. Details & livestream linked in bio.

Two audition days down, three to go! 💫 Best of

Two audition days down, three to go! 💫 Best of luck to all auditioning students—those we’ve already seen, and those we have yet to meet!

At any point if you have questions about the auditioning process, please email Eastman’s Admissions team for support: admissions@esm.rochester.edu

IN ONE WEEK! On February 13 at 7:30 PM, Grammy Awa

IN ONE WEEK! On February 13 at 7:30 PM, Grammy Award-winning pianist Kevin Hays is joined by bassist Alex Claffy and drummer Eric Harland in Kilbourn Hall!

“There are plenty of talented pianists… but few have Hays’ melodic charms and sense of style.” —The New Yorker ‘Best of the Year’ list

Visit EastmanTheatre.org for tickets & details.

ALSO! Audience members are invited to mingle and meet at @thedailyrefresher following the concert ✨ Show your Kevin Hays Trio ticket to receive 10% off your total bill!

🎥 The Kevin Hays Trio performs an excerpt from Hays’ “Capricorn” at Chris’ Jazz Cafe. © MoMomma Media x @chrisjazzcafe

SECOND GRAMMY WIN FOR GAZAREK! Associate Professor

SECOND GRAMMY WIN FOR GAZAREK! Associate Professor of Jazz Voice Sara Gazarek (along with her vocal supergroup säje) and alumnus Jason Treuting ’99E (with Sō Percussion + Caroline Shaw) were winners in the 67th GRAMMY Awards last night!

Our congratulations to them and all ESM graduates who played on or contributed to winning performances!

Full press release linked in bio.

📸 Lauren Desberg (säje) // Anja Schütz (Sō)

Meet our Associate Professor of Violoncello Joseph

Meet our Associate Professor of Violoncello Joseph Johnson ‘95E! Johnson has been heard throughout the world as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator. Here he discusses why Eastman is a wonderful place to study, from the perspective of a faculty member and former student!

Learn more about studying cello at Eastman: esm.rochester.edu/academics

We may be early in the semester, but the Eastman W

We may be early in the semester, but the Eastman Wind Ensemble and Philharmonia are already making beautiful music in rehearsal!

Be sure to mark your calendars for the first EWE performance on 2/5 and Philharmonia’s on 2/10!

Details and other upcoming events can be found at esm.rochester.edu/events ✨

These frigid temps may be keeping folks inside, bu

These frigid temps may be keeping folks inside, but it’s wonderful having our students and faculty back on campus! ❄️ Enjoy your first weekend of Spring 2025, everyone… and stay warm! #EastmanLife

THIS FRIDAY! We kick off the spring 2025 semester

THIS FRIDAY! We kick off the spring 2025 semester with Visual Music 7.0 in Kilbourn Hall! On January 24, 2025, at 7:30 PM, this concert will feature a live to picture performance of the 1928 silent film “Laugh, Clown, Laugh,” presenting a new score composed, conducted and performed by students from the Beal Institute for Film Music and Contemporary Media.

In this video excerpt, Beal Institute director Mark Watters talks about what makes our students so special. To watch the rest of the video and learn more about the concert, click the link in our bio.

This event is free & open to the public!

🎥 @urochester

ALUMNI NEWS | Many of Eastman’s esteemed graduat

ALUMNI NEWS | Many of Eastman’s esteemed graduates go on to perform in various military ensembles. Recently, three alums participated in President Jimmy Carter’s funerals: Michaela Swan with the Navy Sea Chanters, Michael Aiello with the Air Force Singing Sergeants, and Caroline Nielson with the US Army Chorus.

Today, ten alums will perform at the Presidential Inauguration as members of “The President’s Own” Marine Band: Darren Lin, Michael Miller, Emma Shaw, Matthew Gregoire, Rachel Perry, Trevor Mowry, Lucia Disano, William Bernier, Matthew Harding, and Michelle Urzynicok. Founded in 1798, the band has performed for every U.S. President since John Adams.

Eastman Summer (formerly Summer@Eastman) is being

Eastman Summer (formerly Summer@Eastman) is being revitalized as a complement to Eastman’s degree programs!

Offering high-level music students a unique way to experience a day in the life at the Eastman School of Music, summer sessions bring people together to pursue their passions through education in performance and musicianship.

To apply for Summer 2025, visit our website: summer.esm.rochester.edu ☀️

Applications are due by April 13 and decisions will be released on May 2, 2025.

Link in bio to learn more!

To anyone who enjoyed the stunning, rain-soaked pe

To anyone who enjoyed the stunning, rain-soaked performance of Ravel’s “Jeux d’eau” by French pianist Alexandre Kantorow at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics… this post is for you!

On Thursday, January 30 this masterful artist—whose most recent album was deemed one of the best of 2024 by The New York Times—will perform in Kilbourn Hall at 7:30 PM as part of our Eastman Piano Series. We hope that you will join us!

Tickets are available for purchase at EastmanTheatre.org.

Video: @alexandrekantorow x @musiq3rtbf
Cover photo: @londonisburning

We are so proud of our Eastman students and gradua

We are so proud of our Eastman students and graduates for all of the incredible work that they do! Did you know that we now have a page dedicated to reporting their successes? Click the link in bio (or navigate from our homepage: esm.rochester.edu) to stay up to date!

Alums, we want to hear from you! Send your news to alumninews@esm.rochester.edu ✨

Pictured: Two of the newest faculty members at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music — Erin Hannigan ’96E, professor of oboe, and Elizabeth Freimuth ’96E, professor of horn. Not only did they both attend Eastman, they graduated in the same year! Who knew 1996 held such star power!

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