Why do so many beloved musical works—by Mozart, Puccini, Leonard Bernstein, and other composers—evoke cultures and peoples that are distant and somehow “different”? In his new book, Musical Exoticism: Images and Reflections, Ralph P. Locke, professor of musicology at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, argues that Western attitudes about foreign cultures and stereotypes…
Eastman School of Music faculty, alumni, and students will play prominently in the line-up for the upcoming Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival. From faculty gigs and performances by Eastman Community Music School ensembles to a special jam session for aspiring jazz players, Eastman musicians will be appearing on various stages during the event June 12…
Again this summer, singers of all ages and abilities are invited to take part in Eastman School of Music’s “Eastman Summer Sings,” a popular series of choral music reading sessions. Held Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. in Kilbourn Hall beginning July 7, each program features one choral masterwork. Scores are provided at the door. Since…
Eastman School of Music alumnus Caleb Burhans, described by the New York Times as a “man of many talents” whose “name stands out on a roster,” has been awarded a Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Performing and Visual Arts. The prestigious and selective grant recognizes young artists—nominated by institutions invited to submit a candidate, in…
Jonathan Dunsby, professor and chair of the Department of Theory at the Eastman School of Music, has been elected president of the Music Theory Society of New York State. He will serve as president from 2009 to 2011. The Music Theory Society of New York State (MTSNYS) was established in 1971 to provide a forum…
A new work by award-winning composer Baljinder Singh Sekhon II, written to feature the Arabesque Winds quintet and graduating musicians from the Lyons Senior High Concert Band, will receive its premiere on Monday, June 8, at the band’s annual outdoor pops concert. Sekhon, who is pursuing a doctoral degree in composition at the Eastman School…
The Thirteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition gets underway Friday, May 22, and Eastman School of Music student Zhang Zuo will be taking the stage of Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth as one of the competitors. The preliminary rounds, in which each pianist will perform a 50-minute solo recital, are held from 1 to…
Eight members of the Eastman School of Music community will travel to China this month, meeting with their composing and performing counterparts to foster the promotion of new music written on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. The “China Connection” project is the brainchild of doctoral student Liu Liu, a pianist who has previously accompanied…
Musicians of all levels – from students to teachers and other professionals – can keep honing their skills over the summer with classes at the Eastman School of Music. Whether it’s a children’s choir for third-through-eighth graders, a middle school band camp, a high school wind ensemble workshop, or conducting and choral institutes for professional…
Music by Josh Reed, trumpet, and Daniel Aune, organ, will wrap up the spring season of “Eastman at St. Michael’s Series” concerts. The concert, part of a series of monthly recitals, will be presented at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 24, in the historic St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church. The concert, which will include jazz…