Over the years we at the Eastman School of Music have graduated thousands of wonderful musicians who in one respect or another have brought joy and happiness to millions through their art, but it is with greatest pride we, every once in a while, celebrate those musicians who chose to serve their country. One of…
This week, Eastman joins the worldwide 300th birthday celebrations for Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788) with daily events relating to his music. including lectures and performance of a wide variety of his keyboard sonatas and other pieces.While his music is relatively little known these days, C.P. E. (the eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach)…
Three current Eastman students were invited to perform at a gala dinner preceding the performance by soprano Renee Fleming (MM ’83) opening the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s season on September 12. The Lilac Piano Trio was formed in 2011 by violinist Gabrielle Monachino, an Eastman Community Music School graduate and now a student of Charles Castleman,…
Happy 200th birthday to Adolphe Sax (1814 – 1894), the Belgian musical instrument designer who invented the saxophone, which he patented on June 28, 1846. He is shown above next to a photograph of four of his surviving original instruments. In the ensuing 165 years, the saxophone has become an essential part of military…
Dominick Argento during a master class at Eastman in October 2004. Dominick Argento (PhD ‘58) has had a long, productive career as one of America’s best-known and most popular composers of music for the voice. That career began in the 1950s at Eastman, and continued through 14 operas and many vocal works that won him…
On Friday, October 17 and on Sunday, October 19, during Eastman Weekend 2014, the community, students, faculty, and visiting alumni were invited to two auspicious occasions celebrating our late, great Eastman Wind Ensemble director and founder, Frederick Fennell. The Friday afternoon session started with EWE director Mark Scatterday speaking about Fennell’s influence on him…
Photographs provided by Peggy Dettwiler: “This is the choir in the Mixed Youth Choir Category at the World Choir Games in Riga, where they received a Gold Medal and third place among 23 choirs from 14 countries.” Peggy Dettwiler (DMA ’91), director of choral activities at Pennsylvania’s Mansfield University, brought her Mansfield College Concert Choir…
For Eastman Weekend 2014, our next few Eastman blog posts will celebrate news of notable alumni. Ron Carter performing at Mezzrow, October 2014. Photo by Takehiko Tak Tokiwa . Spike Wilner, the owner of the new Greenwich Village jazz club Mezzrow, sent us this message about a recent appearance by the legendary jazz bassist (and…
For Eastman Weekend 2014, our next few Eastman blog posts will celebrate news of notable alumni. “Litch” Toland backstage at the Eastman Theatre, early 1960s. Adah Toland Jones (BM ’71, MM ’72). Professor of flute at Texas State University, contacted us after the recent death of her father, P. Litchard “Litch” Toland (BM…
Conductor of the world’s great orchestras, composer for the concert hall, opera house, movies, Broadway, and the West End, classical and jazz pianist, writer, and television personality, André Previn is one of the most celebrated, distinctive, and varied contemporary musicians in the world. Tonight, the Eastman Wind Ensemble will be celebrating Andre Previn and his…