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.)
Eastman, African school connect through music
(Rochester Democrat & Chronicle © 08/06/2014)
Matthew Langford has enjoyed a lifetime of top-notch musical instruction, most recently at the Eastman School of Music. What he heard during a mission trip to Burundi four years ago put that experience in some perspective.
During a visit to a church, he was impressed by the singing of the pastor, Apollinaire Habonimana, and the playing of the church band. He was further impressed to learn that Habonimana had written the songs himself, and that none of the band members – indeed, hardly anyone among 10 million Burundians – had ever received any formal musical training. There were no music schools in the entire country.
This summer, Langford coordinated with the Eastman school for Habonimana to come free of charge for a two-week course in music education, taught by professor Christopher Azzara.
Ely Cathedral to play host to rising star
(Ely Standard United Kingdom 08/07/2014))
Nathan Laube’s recital at Ely is part of a European concert schedule which also includes visits to Truro Cathedral and Southwell Minster in the UK and concerts in France and Germany. His programme includes music by Widor, Mendelssohn and Saint-Saëns, concluding with Duruflé’s virtuosic Suite for organ. Away from his live performances, Nathan is Assistant Professor of Organ at the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.
City freebies don’t stop with events center music
(Sioux Falls Argus Leader 08/04/2014)
Jeffrey Paul II, the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra’s principal oboist, used Facebook to post his thoughts on the no-pay-for-play proposal. Paul, a graduate of Eastman School of Music and the University of Southern California, has the credentials to back up his statement.
Featured Artist Promises Fun at Cathedral Organ Festival
(The Catholic Key Online 08/07/2014)
The final piece of the festival comes from the mind and pen of Joseph Bonnet, who was forced to flee France at the outset of World War I for the United States where he established the organ department of the Eastman School of Music.
Birch Creek Jazz in Sunset Concert Series
(Green Bay Press-Gazette 08/05/2014)
The orchestra features faculty members and students from the Big Band Jazz sessions at Birch Creek Music Performance Center in Egg Harbor, under the direction of program director Jeff Campbell and featuring the music of Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and other big band favorites.
Campbell, who teaches at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., is in his 26th year with Birch Creek, where he recruits the world-class professionals who teach and perform during the jazz sessions.
Skaneateles Festival co-artistic directors reflect on 10 years of leadership
(Syracuse Post Standard © 08/04/2014)
Skaneateles Festival begins its 35th year. In the first week, the chamber music fest is looking back, with the first concert titled, “Reunion!,” on Thursday. It will feature musicians both reminiscing about their past performances at the fest and once again playing together.
At the same time, co-artistic directors Elinor Freer and David Ying will be taking one last look around as they finish their final season. Freer and Ying, both musicians and on the faculty of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, reflected on their Skaneateles Festival years in an email exchange.
(City newspaper 08/06/2014)
The artistic director of Finger Lakes Opera, Gerard Floriano, is an Eastman School graduate in choral and orchestral conducting and is director of choruses at SUNY Geneseo and a former board member and co-artistic director of Mercury Opera
(Rochester Democrat & Chronicle 08/03/2014)
Wesley Nance, who plays the trumpet with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and teaches in the Eastman Community Music School, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Kilbourn Hall, 26 Gibbs St.
Anyango Yarbo-Davenport, a violin teacher at Eastman’s Community Music School, performs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Hatch Recital Hall, 433 E. Main St.
And the faculty of the Eastman Summer Percussion Institute performs at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Hatch.