Here are some select clippings from the past week 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.)
(MPNnow.com 5/07/2016)
A CHEER … to Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik, who on Friday premiered his Jazz Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, written for RPO Concertmaster Juliana Athayde, at the Smith Opera House in Geneva. Tyzik, whose Grammy Award-winning career began years ago while he was a student at Eastman School of Music, is also principal pops conductor of the Dallas, Seattle, Detroit and Oregon symphonies, along with the Florida Orchestra. Tyzik is a true musical treasure.
(St. Helena Star, 5/4/2016)
St. Helena High School alumnus Tim Albright (Class of 1994) was name-checked by The New York Times in an April 27 review of a performance by him and the rest of the Argento Chamber Ensemble at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall. With a “technically impressive” (so proclaims the Old Gray Lady) Tim on trombone, the ensemble performed works by avant-garde Austrian composer Beat Furrer. Tim’s parents are Marilyn and Al Albright of St. Helena. According to Marilyn, Tim has been a New York musician since graduating from Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He just accepted a trombone professorship at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. Congratulations to Tim on sharing his talent with the world, and to his justifiably proud parents.
“The Most Important Musical Form.” – Blues Education at Eastman
(Blues And BG Music News 05/02/2016)
We’re happy anytime the blues gets proper acknowledgment and when younger audiences get shown the rope, so when we heard that the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester was killing two birds with one stone, it’s really difficult not to be thrilled.
Eastman, according to a press release, is introducing a free course entitled “The Blues: Understanding an American Art Form.” It will be featured on the Coursera learning platform and taught by Associate Professor of Jazz Studies and pianist Dariusz Terefenko.
Voice of the Met to speak at Eastman commencement
(Rochester Business Journal 05/06/2016)
A woman whose voice is heard around the world from the Metropolitan Opera will be the speaker at the Eastman School of Music’s commencement ceremony.
Mary Jo Heath, who received her Ph.D. at Eastman, also is to be presented with the school’s Distinguished Alumni Award during the commencement exercises May 15 for students receiving their bachelor of music, master of arts and master of music degrees.
(Aptos Times 05/09/2016)
Alexandra Leem, viola: Violist Alexandra Leem is a graduate of the Eastman School and Yale University. A recipient of the Yale University scholarship, she worked closely with the Tokyo quartet during her Yale residency graduate program. Alexandra was the Principal violist for the Concerto Soloists and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. She is currently a member of the Santa Fe Opera and San Francisco Chamber Orchestra and resides in California.
The Penfield Symphony Orchestra Ends Its 60th Season in a Big Way
(Democrat and Chronicle (blog) 05/04/2016)
David Diamond’s composition was my least favorite piece of the evening. In his own words, Mr. Diamond indicated that his intention for this work was “to convey as fully and yet as economically as possible” Shakespeare’s drama “without resorting to a large orchestra or a definite musical form.” How does one create a satisfactory composition without conveying fully the drama while, at the same time, being economical and avoiding a definite musical form? Mr. Diamond, a Rochester native, was born in 1915. He attended the Eastman School of music and he taught at the Juilliard School.
Winners of the PSO’s 35th Annual Joe Amish Young Artist Competition are as follows:
First place was won by Chie Xu, violin. She is a junior at the Pittsford-Mendon High School and is the first violinist of her string quartet at the Eastman School of Music. She also plays with the Rochester Youth Orchestra.
Third place was won by Anna Miller, flute. Anne is a senior at the Spencerport H.S. and she is a member of the flute section of the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and band. She is also a part of the Scholarship Flute Choir at the Eastman Community Music School.
New Horizons Band ice cream social, concert is May 18 in Mason City
(Globe Gazette 05/04/2016)
The first New Horizons Band was founded in 1991, sponsored by the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York.
Memmott: Do you speak Rochesterian?
(Democrat and Chronicle 05/04/2016)
Remarkable Rochesterians
Let’s add the name of this musician to our list list of Remarkable Rochesterians found at RocRoots.com:
Joe Locke (1959 – ): Considered the finest vibraphonist in jazz, he was born in California but raised in Rochester. After East High School, where he studied under Edwin Fleming, the father of opera star Renée Fleming, he went on to graduate from the Eastman School of Music before moving to New York City in 1981 and launching a career that’s seen him perform with a wide variety of artists and as a soloist. He has toured nationally and internationally, has recorded extensively, taught frequently, as well as composed. He is a member of the 2016 Rochester Music Hall of Fame.
The trio deal
(Oregon Coast Today 05/03/2016)
Cary Lewis is in constant demand as a collaborative pianist for soloists and chamber music groups. … He was a Fulbright scholar for two years in Vienna after earning degrees from the University of North Texas and a PhD and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. …
Atlanta Symphony Executive Reflects On First 100 Days
(WABE 90.1 FM 05/03/2016)
Jennifer Barlament is the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s new executive director, a position she’s held for just over 100 days.
Barlament went on to study clarinet at the Eastman School of Music, where she pivoted her career trajectory after c0-founding the New Eastman …
Out & About: Musical offerings a-plenty
(The Forecaster 05/02/2016)
Ying Quartet with Zuill Bailey
There’s only one adult offering remaining on Portland Ovations’ 2015-2016 calendar, his Saturday’s appearance by the Ying Quartet with guest cellist Zuill Bailey.
The Ying Quartet, formed in 1988, is an American classical touring ensemble. It is the resident quartet at the
Education news from Central Kentucky schools
(Lexington Herald Leader 05/02/2016)
The UK Trumpet Ensemble participated in the Getzen Trumpet Small Ensemble Division, and UK was the only public university invited into the final round. Performing UK faculty member Jason Dovel’s arrangement of Anthony Plog’s Four Sketches, the UK ensemble took second, with first and third prizes going to private conservatories (Curtis Institute and the Eastman School of Music, respectively).
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