Here are some select recent clippings showing the variety of hits/mentions identifying musicians and scholars as Eastman School of Music alumni, faculty or students. (Note: Some links may have expired.)
Making Classical New: Young musicians take an entrepreneurial approach to the canon
(The American Conservative 08/29/2014)
Take the Breaking Winds Bassoon Quartet, a group based at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York: they uploaded a video to YouTube video of their ensemble playing Lady Gaga covers and sent links to the clip to family members and fellow bassoonists. Slowly but surely, the video built a wider and wider audience—not primarily among Lady Gaga fans but among the musicians and music aficionados who appreciated this mixing of pop culture and classical culture.
Composer Kamran Ince, Present Music in harmony again
(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 08/22/2014)
Present Music’s season opener may be titled “Ince by Ince,” but might just as appropriately been called “New Music Among Old Friends.” Milwaukee’s new-music ensemble is taking a program of five pieces written and conducted by Turkish-American composer Kamran Ince to the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center in Brookfield on Aug. 30.
Ince recalled that it was composer Michael Torke, a Milwaukee native Ince met while in school at Eastman, who gave Ince’s name to Present Music artistic director Kevin Stalheim in 1990.
Lyric mounts sumptuous feast of piano music
(Philippine Daily Inquirer 08/25/2014)
Lyric Piano and Organ Corporation made its presence felt in the performing arts with a piano recital at the SkyVillas showroom in celebration of Lyric’s golden anniversary recently.
The concert featured young pianists Lorenzo “Enzo” B. Medel and Ma. Regina “Ina” Montesclaros, who are taking up studies for a bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music in the USA and the Royal College of Music in London, respectively; and pianist Hiyas A. Hila, who has earned a doctorate in Piano Performance from the School of Music of University of Minnesota.
More of The Ella Songbooks: Connie Evingson and Jon Weber at the Jungle, August 31
(Jazz Police 08/26/2014)
Son of pianist Thelma and late Minnesota Orchestra bassist Cliff Johnson, and brother of guitarist Jimmy Johnson (founder of Flim and the BBs), Gordon Johnson grew up in the Twin Cities, surrounded by music. His first instrument was the piano, followed by flute, which he continued to study through college at the Eastman School of Music, where Chuck Mangione needed his services as a Fender bassist.
Rider University piano professor finds way to continue performing after stroke
(NJ.com 08/25/2014)
Ingrid Clarfield has a waiting list of more than 25 pianists eager to audition for her, young musicians who long to become one of her 12 private piano students should a spot open up.
Born in Larchmont, N.Y., Clarfield attended the Julliard School before earning a bachelor of music degree from Oberlin College in Ohio and a master of music from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y.
(High Plains Public Radio 08/25/2014)
Jiyang Chen is the poster man for still waters run deep. You ask him questions, and his answers are thoughtful and honest; even through his reservation, he is warm.
Praised by critics for his poetic and lyrical style, Jiyang Chen made his concerto debut at the age of seventeen with the Ruby Mountain Symphony Orchestra and performed the Gershwin Piano Concerto with the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra as well as the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Reno Chamber Orchestra. He received his Master’s in Piano Performance from New York University, studying under the tutelage of Seymour Bernstein, and his Bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music where he studied with Barry Snyder as a recipient of the Howard Hanson Scholarship and the George Eastman Grant.
Eastman School of Music Welcomes New First-year Class
(WROC TV 08/25/2014)
Today was move-in day for students at the Eastman School of Music. The back-to-school season brings thousands of musicians and their instruments to the downtown Rochester campus.
First-years moving into the dorms today say they can’t wait to be a part of the Eastman community. “I’m looking forward to finally being in a place where everyone loves classical music and is excited about a thing you are, so I’m just looking forward to being a part of this community,” said student Maxwell Adler.
Jazz Composer & Teacher Fred Sturm Has Died
(WXXI News 08/25/2014)
Jazz composer, arranger and teacher Fred Sturm has died. Sturm died Sunday at the age of 63. He taught at the Eastman School of Music for more than a decade (1991-2002), serving as chair of Eastman Jazz Studies.
Presbyterian Church names new worship director
(Thousand Oak Acorn 08/28/2014)
Edward Rouse, artistic director for the Los Robles Children’s Choir, will join Emmanuel Presbyterian Church as the new interim worship director in September.
A native of California, Rouse earned a Bachelor of Music in music education from Biola University in La Mirada. He later earned a master’s degree in choral conducting from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester in New York.