At an early October opera rehearsal in the Eastman School of Music’s black box theater, Rihanna’s “This is What You Came For” blasts over the speakers and a group of opera singers are clapping, snapping their fingers, strutting, and using jazz hands to the beat in a mini dance routine. It was a warm-up exercise…
In a recent studio lesson, Eastman School of Music’s new Associate Professor of Tuba and Euphonium Justin Benavidez coached a student on the Eric Ewazen Concerto for Tuba. “Can you make it ring on every note?” Benavidez asked his student. Benavidez proceeded to demonstrate the ascending line with tones that rang out like warm bells.…
Happy 100th birthday to Gloria Mikialian ’45E! The Eastman alumna born in 1923, who graduated Eastman in 1945 as a pianist, just turned 100 on August 30th. Gloria remembers receiving a full scholarship, which she was thankful for because her family couldn’t afford to pay Eastman tuition. To pay her room and board, she worked…
We welcome 12 new full-time faculty members, who bring extraordinary talent and fresh perspectives to Eastman. As an introduction, we asked the nine studio faculty to answer a few questions about their appointments: Why do you want to teach at Eastman? What are you most proud of in your career thus far? Share an interesting…
When Eastman School of Music Professor of Piano Alexander Kobrin landed in Fort Worth, Texas for the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2005, it was his first time in the United States. Born and trained in Moscow, Kobrin remembers his father was watching a documentary on Texas ranches and cowboys back in Russia at…
Collaborative performances by OSSIA New Music, the student-run new music organization at the Eastman School of Music, and BIODANCE, a contemporary dance company based in Rochester, will examine the topic of climate change and the merging of technology and nature. Using movement, music, and interactive technology, the performances on August 23 and 24, both at…
A recent book by Eastman graduate Lauron Kehrer ‘11E (MA), ‘17E (PhD) explores queer and trans representation in hip hop and the place of such artists within a longer tradition of Black queer music. The book, Queer Voices in Hip Hop: Cultures, Communities, and Contemporary Performance, pushes back against the common notion that hip hop…
The Eastman School of Music’s LGBTQ+ community proudly displays its colors for Pride Month. Meet some of Eastman’s LGBTQ+ faculty and staff and hear what they have to say about Pride Month, allyship, and community resources. And remember that Rochester celebrates Pride in July, adding an extra month to the national festivities. Meet members of Eastman’s…
On April 8, 2024, Rochester will get a prime view of a rare total solar eclipse. It is an event unlikely to be repeated in Rochester during our lifetimes, as 375 years is the average number of years for a total solar eclipse to reappear over any specific location on earth.* To mark the occasion,…
In 1923, the promising composer Rebecca Clarke performed her Viola Sonata for George Eastman in his East Avenue mansion living room. That same work will get a reprise a century later—now 2023—in Eastman’s living room through the Performance Plus series on Sunday, May 21 at 3 p.m. In the 1920s, the British-American composer Clarke was…