After freshman year, students at Eastman are encouraged to form their own chamber music ensembles. For those that aren’t able to find groups, or have only partial groups formed, the faculty will provide assistance in completing and forming groups.

Faculty also help guide repertoire choices and assign coaches for chamber music.

The audition, placement, and registration process differs for chamber music students in the string/piano, woodwind and brass areas. Please follow the link below for the different procedures for each area. 

“Chamber music (especially at Eastman) has been massive inspiration to me in ways that I didn’t expect. Arriving at Eastman I found it so unique that we had a woodwind quintet class for all incoming freshman (something I have found to be unique when I talk to friends at other conservatories). That course was a fantastic plunge into the world of chamber music, and I found that chamber performances quickly became some of my favorite playing.”  Harrison Short, bassoon, Sequoia Reed Quintet

The Dr. James E. Clark Chamber Music Residency was established in 2014 by Dr. Clark, whose daughter Jamie (BM ’12) was an enthusiastic participant in the chamber music program at Eastman. The first residency in 2015 brought the Juilliard Quartet to Eastman for two days of private coachings as well as a public masterclass and performance in Kilbourn Hall. The next three years of the residency followed a similar format with guest artists the Brentano Quartet, the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio and the Jupiter Quartet. These residencies fulfilled Dr. Clark’s goal of providing Eastman student ensembles intense, up-close exposure to both the playing and teaching of world-renowned ensembles. This is an endowed program and any contributions made are in support of the continuation of this residency.

Eastman’s thriving chamber music culture is anchored by the resident faculty ensemble, the Ying Quartet. Many other faculty also bring a wealth of experience to their chamber music teaching. Faculty coaches include current and former members of the Tokyo Quartet, Kopelman Quartet, Los Angeles Piano Quartet, Borodin Quartet, New Arts Trio, Peabody Trio, Rochester Philharmonic Brass Quintet, and others.

Music For All (MFA) is a community engagement program involving Eastman chamber music groups and local host venues around the Rochester metropolitan area. The main goal of Music For All is for various audiences and Eastman musicians to connect through a shared music experience and build meaningful relationships between the Eastman School of Music and the Rochester community. In addition to weekly coachings with our chamber music faculty, groups will receive guidance on preparing for a 40-minute performance from a guest professional chamber group, coaches, and the program director, Dr. Sylvie Beaudette. Community audiences include: schools, independent living facilities, libraries, community centers, food pantries, sensory-friendly venues, etc. The goals of Music For All are to support the highest level of playing while presenting the music in a manner that is most meaningful and impactful for each individual audience.

Frequent guests to the school take the time to interact with chamber music students in masterclasses, workshops, and/or private coaching sessions. Recent visitors include the Juilliard, Brentano, Miró, Takács, Pacifica, Danish, Daedalus, Dover, and JACK Quartets; pianists Peter Serkin, Joseph Kalichstein, Leon Fleisher, and Jeremy Denk; the Gryphon Trio; cellist Paul Katz; the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet; Alarm Will Sound; Roomful of Teeth; the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet; American Brass Quintet; Chicago Symphony Brass Quartet, and more.