Here are some select clippings from the past week showing the variety of hits/mentions identifying musicians and scholars as Eastman School of Music alumni, faculty or students. Note: Some links may have expired.)
Jam Fest quartet finds time to teach Victoria students (w/video)
(Victoria Advocate © 04/20/2014)
Elizabeth Caldwell, 15, listened from the front row of the Victoria Fine Arts Center as Break of Reality performed the theme song from “Game of Thrones” for her and her freshman orchestra friends Saturday morning.
“I’ve seen them every time they have come to Victoria,” Caldwell said. “They are the reason I play the cello.”
Break of Reality, which is composed of a percussionist from Victoria and three cellists, has infused classical music with rock ‘n’ roll and other genres for 11 years. The musicians met while attending the prestigious Eastman School of Music in New York.
Cynthia Johnston Turner joins UGA music faculty as director of bands
(Athens Banner-Herlad 04/25/2014)
Cynthia Johnston Turner, currently director of wind ensembles at Cornell University, has been named new director of bands at the University of Georgia.
Her doctoral degree in conducting is from the Eastman School of Music, where she studied under Donald Hunsberger, Mark Scatterday, Brad Ludman and Neil Varon.
Mark your calendar: Concerts
(Rochester Democrat & Chronicle © 04/21/2014)
Eastman School of Music faculty presents a Holocaust Remembrance Day concert A Time to Remember … at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in Kilbourn Hall, 26 Gibbs St. Renee Jolles, whose father, Jerome Jolles, had the task of burying victims of the Holocaust as part of a work detail in Romania, spearheaded the concert. Before he died, Jerome Jolles survived the war, studied music and composition at Juilliard and became a teacher and virtuoso accordion player. His “A Prayer for Peace” for clarinet and harp will be part of the concert, as will “The Dutch Louis Armstrong,” a piece by Eastman’s John Sneider that is a tribute to Louis Bannet, whose talent is credited with helping him survive the Birkenau camp.
Music Club to host pianist for Sunday performance
(Fredericksburg Standard Post © 04/24/2014)
Fredericksburg Music Club is presenting pianist LoAn Lin in concert on Sunday, April 27, at 3 p.m. at the Fredericksburg United Methodist Church.She graduated from the Eastman School of Music with a master of music degree, studying with Nelita True, and received her bachelor of music degree studying with Yoshikazu Nagai at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as the recipient of the Janet Rose Piano Scholarship, where she was awarded the Young Artist Award and won their piano concerto competition as the only freshman pianist in their history.
The Remarkable list, a never-ending work in progress
(Rochester Democrat & Chronicle © 04/22/2014)
More than four years ago, this column began compiling a list of Remarkable Rochesterians. The goal was to single out people, living or dead, who have done this area proud.
Maybe it’s the Eastman School of Music, maybe it’s lake effect, whatever it is, the list also shows that Rochester has produced a whole concert hall of incredible musicians. There’s David Hochstein, Cab Calloway, Renée Fleming, Lou Gramm, Chuck Mangione, Mitch Miller, William Warfield, etc., etc.
Soprano Ashcroft Presenting Concert
(Holland Sentinel 04/24/2014)
Soprano Sarah Ashcroft, a 2011 Hope College graduate, will perform in a 7:30 p.m. concert Saturday in Dimnent Memorial Chapel. The public is invited to the free concert.
The Holland native who is now pursuing graduate studies in music at Eastman School of Music, Ashcroft is currently completing her M.M. in vocal performance and literature at Eastman School of Music, where she studies with dramatic coloratura Rita Shane. Her concert at Hope will be a preview of her master’s degree recital, which she will present in Kilbourn Hall at Eastman School of Music on May 5. She will continue her doctoral studies at Eastman after completing her master’s degree.
Musicians explain their passion at Creative Conversations in Skaneateles
(Auburn Citizen 04/26/2014)
The couple, based in Rochester are world renowned musicians. Freer, a pianist, has performed all over the world and is on the faculty at the Eastman School of Music.
He would go on to study at the Eastman School of Music, where he and Freer first met, as well as Julliard.
Siebert wins RPO Educators Award
(Democrat and Chronicle 04/22/2014 blog)
Dr. Siebert was given a Special Award recognizing her tremendous commitment to music education in our area. She is one of five educators to receive an RPO award this year. Dr. Johanna J. Siebert is the Director of Fine Arts for the Webster Central School District, where she supervises approximately 60 teachers in the music and visual art programs. She received a B.S. in Music Theory from Nazareth College, and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Music Education from the Eastman School of Music.
Gemma Besson and Paul Vowles in concert at Bury Parish Church
(Chorley Citizen UK 04/28/2014)
Paul Vowles studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and Eastman School of Music.
Collins brings Striking Strings to Penn Yan May 4
(Penn Yan Chronicle-Express 04/27/2014 [blog])
Mitzie Collins, noted hammered dulcimer player, and The Striking Strings Hammered Dulcimer Ensemble of the Eastman Community Music School, which she directs, will give a program titled “Springtime Music for the Hammered Dulcimer” at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 4 at St. Michael Church, 312 Liberty St., Penn Yan.
Mitzie Collins has two degrees from the Eastman School of Music. She teaches Western music history and hammered dulcimer classes through the