Eastman School of Music musicians — current students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as students and faculty from the Eastman Community Music School (ECMS) — will be appearing throughout the 2018 Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival (XRIJF).
This year’s festival runs June 22 through 30 at 17 venues, including the school’s Hatch, Kilbourn, and Kodak Halls. Most of the other locations are within a short walking distance of the School’s campus on Gibbs Street, which gets renamed “Jazz Street” during the event. Eastman has been involved in the festival since it was founded in 2002.
For detailed information on tickets and venue locations, check the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival website rochesterjazz.com.
For more information on Eastman jazz programs, click on: Eastman Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media. Jazz fans will be able to catch Eastman musicians throughout the Festival and on different stages:
Every night
10:30 p.m.: Since the launch of the festival, guitarist and faculty member Bob Sneider and his Trio close out each night with a jam session, The Street Craft Kitchen & Bar– Hyatt Regency Rochester Hotel (Karl Stabnau, saxophone, and Eastman School of Music alumnus leads the Jam sessions 6/22, 6/23, 6/29 and 6/30)
Bob Sneider will also be hosting Student Workshops in the Rayburn Wright Room (Eastman School of Music) with Guest Artists Monday 6/25 through Friday 6/29 from 1-2:30 p.m. Open to all students / ages
Friday, June 22
6 p.m.: Bob Sneider’s Eastman Community Music School (ECMS) Jazz Performance Workshops – City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage
8 p.m.: Charles Pillow, faculty member, performing with Seal – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
Saturday, June 23
6 p.m. and 10 p.m.: Doug Stone, faculty member, presents The Doug Stone Quartet featuring rapper Josiah Wiliams–Wilder Room
6 p.m: Eastman- RCSD Jazz Ensemble & Mike Kaupa Jazz Performance Workshop– City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage
Sunday, June 24
5:45 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.: Bill Dobbins, faculty member – Hatch Recital Hall at Eastman School of Music
6 p.m. and 10 p.m.: Jeff Campbell, Rich Thompson, and Charles Pillow, faculty members, perform as “Triocity”, promoting their CD they recorded last fall – Wilder Room
6 p.m.: Colin Gordon Band, featuring new ECMS jazz saxophone instructor (and Eastman alumni) Colin Gordon, saxophone (’12); Chris Potter, guitar (ECMS former student) and Tyrone Allen on bass (’17)
Monday, June 25
6 p.m.: Nathan Kay Quintet, featuring Eastman student Nathan Kay (’19) – City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage
8 p.m.: German National Youth Jazz Orchestra (BuJazzO), a big band of collegiate performers, will share the stage with the Eastman Jazz Ensemble. The German big band will perform a film/ music concert with new scores for archival treasures from George Eastman Museum. The program was curated by Eastman Humanities professor Reinhild Steingröver and celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus movement. The performance will include a new score by Bill Dobbins, who has conducted the BuJazzO in the past. German Consul General David Gill will open the concert with welcoming remarks on behalf of the German government, who funded the visit in Rochester. Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.
Tuesday, June 26
12 p.m.: Faculty members Bob Sneider and Doug Stone perform with ECMS drum instructor Mike Melito’s Quartet – Rochester Central Library
5:45 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.: Eastman faculty, Gary Versace Trio –Hatch Recital Hall at Eastman School of Music
6 p.m.: ECMS New Horizons Big Band Directed by Priscilla Todd Brown – City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage
6 p.m. and 10 p.m.: Faculty Members Jeff Campbell, Bob Sneider, and ECMS Jazz Drumset instructor Mike Melito perform with Dmitry Matheny Jazz Noir – Wilder Room
6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.: BuJazzO (German Youth Orchestra), together with Eastman Jazz Ensemble students will repeat their Kodak Hall concert at Xerox Auditorium. BujazzO students and Eastman Jazz Ensemble students will engage and exchange experiences during workshops and masterclasses with Eastman Jazz Faculty and social events.
Wednesday, June 27
12 p.m: Eastman alumni Brendan Lanighan (’15) – Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County
5:45 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.: Faculty member Harold Danko – Hatch Recital Hall, Eastman School of Music
6 p.m.: ECMS New Horizons Vintage Jazz Band Directed by Don Sherman – City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage
Thursday, June 28
5:30 p.m.: School of the Arts Jazz Ensemble, Directed by Doug Stone– City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage
6 p.m.: ECMS Junior High Jazz Ensemble, directed by Mike Kaupa– City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage
7:00 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.: Jazz Goes to the Movies with Mark Watters. Eastman Faculty members involved include: Mark Watters, Rich Thompson, Clay Jenkins, Bob Sneider, and many other faculty and students –– Temple Building Theatre
Friday, June 29
6 p.m. and 10 p.m.: Rochester Jazz All Stars, featuring Eastman faculty members: Bill Dobbins, piano; Vince Ercolomento, sax/flute; Mike Kaupa, trumpet (ECMS Jazz trumpet teacher); Dan Vitale, bass; Mike Melito, drums (ECMS Jazz Drumset teacher); Bob Sneider, Guitar – Wilder Room
6 p.m.: The Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra, Directed by Doug Stone – City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage
Saturday, June 30
6 p.m.: Abe Nouri Quartet, including: Matt Bent, Drums (’18); Ryder Eaton, Bass (’18): Rowan Wolf (’19); Tenor Saxophone; Abe Nouri, Trombone (’18) – City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage
6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.: Faculty member Doug Stone will perform with Gap Mangione Big Band — Xerox Auditorium
7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.: Music Educator’s Big Band– City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage
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About the Eastman School of Music:
The Eastman School of Music was founded in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman (1854-1932), founder of Eastman Kodak Company. It was the first professional school of the University of Rochester. Mr. Eastman’s dream was that his school would provide a broad education in the liberal arts as well as superb musical training. The current dean is Jamal Rossi, appointed in 2014.
About 900 students are enrolled in Eastman’s Collegiate Division—about 500 undergraduate and 400 graduate students. Students come from almost every state, and approximately 20 percent are from other countries. They are guided by more than 95 full-time faculty members. Six alumni and three faculty members have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music, as have numerous GRAMMYÒ Awards. Each year, Eastman’s students, faculty members, and guest artists present more than 700 concerts to the Rochester community.