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.)
John Hollenbeck is quite the catch for McGill’s Schulich School of Music
(Montreal Gazette 10/19/2015)
As if Montreal was not already punching above its weight when it comes to large-ensemble jazz, John Hollenbeck has come to town. The renowned U.S. composer, bandleader and drummer/percussionist began teaching at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music last month, although he splits his time between New York, Berlin, where he also teaches, and Montreal. Hollenbeck, 47, is a huge catch for McGill, given his acclaimed work in jazz and new music. He is best known for his colourful, refined music for his small band, the Claudia Quintet, and for the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, his twice-Grammy-nominated big band with a groundbreaking sound all its own.
Below, Hollenbeck, who studied percussion and jazz composition at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., discusses his future as a Montreal-based McGill professor and musician with a keen interest in the arts beyond music. (Also reported by Tchekesa News)
‘Aida’ pits two princesses against one another and captures the roiling emotions of rejection and disloyalty
(Albuquerque Journal 10/28/2015)
Opera Southwest will open its 43rd season with the tragic opera on Oct. 25 at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
For Albuquerque native Kirstin Chavez, the role of Amneris represents the dream of a lifetime.
Chavez lived here until she was 4 years old, but spent most of her formative years in Malaysia, where her parents worked as English and music teachers. She earned her bachelor’s of music degree from New Mexico State University. Her father gave her her first voice lesson when she was 16. Chavez attended the Eastman School of Music, debuting at the Metropolitan Opera in 2005.
Lee To Present Percussion Ensemble Concert Featuring Guest Artist Bobo Oct. 25
(The Chattanoogan 10/15/2015)
The Lee University Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Andy Harnsberger, will perform with guest artist Kevin Bobo on Sunday, Oct. 25. The concert will begin at 3 p.m. in Pangle Hall.
Dr. Harnsberger is an assistant professor of music and Percussion Coordinator at Lee University and is active throughout the year as a freelance percussionist and recitalist. Dr. Harnsberger earned his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he also received the prestigious Performer’s Certificate.
University of Minnesota Croookston: Guest artist to perform piano recital on historic Steinway
(Crookston Times 10/25/2015)
A solo piano recital featuring guest artist John McKay, D.M.A., will be held at the historic 1913 Steinway grand piano in Kiehle Auditorium at the U of M Crookston on Sunday, Oct. 25. McKay, whose career as a recitalist, collaborative musician, and soloist with the orchestra spans more than five decades, will be in concert beginning at 7 p.m
McKay is an American pianist and music educator of Canadian birth who has performed in concerts, recitals and on radio and television broadcasts throughout North America and Europe. Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, he graduated from McGill University. He earned graduate degrees at the Eastman School of Music where he studied with Eugene List and David Burge. McKay spent most of the sixties in Europe studying and concertizing widely.
Groups provide instruments, lessons to city school kids
(Democrat & Chronicle 10/24/2015)
Two outside organizations are expanding aggressively to fill that void. One, the Rochester Education Foundation, is celebrating its 10th year this month and has distributed nearly 1,200 instruments to Rochester children in that time, along with providing lessons and other services. The other, the ROCmusic Collaborative, is just in its third year of providing free lessons in city recreation centers, but already has expanded to a second site, with plans to add more grade levels.
Both programs have tight connections to the district and city as well as the Eastman School of Music, Hochstein School of Music and Dance and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, among other groups. They’re separate entities, but both are driven by the same inexplicable disconnect that first struck REF executive director Pat Braus when her organization began its work.
Journey from commercial composing brings saxophonist to Auburn
(Opelika-Auburn News 10/21/2015)
At noon on Thursday, saxophonist Michael Pendowski with pianist Laurelie Gheesling will perform a free concert at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn University as a part of the museum’s weekly series, “A Little Lunch Music.”
By the 90s, he had built a successful studio and ran his own jingle house. Among his projects was the ’95 Grammy-winning film, “Dead Presidents.” He said he also produced music for Electronic Arts’ Madden and NCAA Football video games. He remembered that Auburn wouldn’t let them use “War Eagle” for the game.
Pendowski said the attacks on 9/11 impacted the entertainment industry so much that he had to shut down. Just as his teaching career had crossfaded into composing, the same thing happened in reverse. He began teaching college-level music classes, and in 2011 earned his doctoral degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y.
Nov. 22 concert to celebrate 100th Year of the Music Club of Westfield
(NJ.com 10/20/2015)
The Musical Club of Westfield, a non-for-profit organization which encourages the musical arts through performance and scholarship support, will present a Centennial Scholarship Concert on Sunday, Nov. 22, 3 p.m., at The First Baptist Church of Westfield, 170 Elm St., Westfield. The program will feature past and recent scholarship recipients. Among those scheduled to perform are Kathleen Bride, Jordan Hendy and Matt Sklar.
Bride, a graduate of The Juilliard School, is a professor of harp at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and visiting professor at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England. Prior to Eastman, she was chairman of the harp department at Manhattan School of Music.
Foodlink Teams Up with Area Musicians for Concert Fundraiser
(Time Warner Cable News © 10/19/2015)
The If Music Be the Food concert series opened its seventh season with musicians from the Eastman School of Music, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and other local professionals.
Any money that comes in all goes straight to Foodlink, and were really excited about that, Eastman School of Music Viola Professor Carol Rodland said. I think there’s a purity to that model when you don’t have a board, as wonderful that can be and all of that stuff. And everyone is just doing this because they want to.
The Rochester Flute Association presents Flute Fair 2015 Oct. 30 & 31
(Brighton-Pittsford post 10/20/2015)
World renowned flutist Paula Robison opens the Rochester Flute Association’s annual Flute Fair with a recital featuring Irina Lupines, piano, and special guest artist Bonita Boyd of the Eastman School of Music on flute. They will be playing music of Hue, Debussy, Widor, Doppler and Martinu at 8 pm on October 30 in Hatch Recital Hall, Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester. Ms. Robison’s appearance is co-sponsored by the Eastman School of Music.