Here are some select recent clippings 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.)
Composer Steve Reich crosses over to pop, for a moment
(Democrat and Chronicle 03/22/2016)
Reich, who is regarded as one of contemporary minimalist music’s greatest living composers – and some claim without much argument that he is contemporary classical music’s greatest living composer – has one of those minds that wastes little time. …
Yet Reich relents; The Eastman School of Music student ensemble Musica Nova dusts off his Radio Rewrite in a performance Wednesday at Kilbourn Hall. So yes, Reich seems to agree after a moment, that it’s actually a fine and relevant topic, one which it turns out he’s actually happy to discuss.
38th Jazz Festival Approaches – Join the Beat!
(UMM News, Sports & Events 03/24/2016)
This year’s festival will feature the following guest artists: Clay Jenkins, trumpet; Bryan Nichols, piano; Chris Bates, bass; and Brian Claxton, drums. Jenkins is currently Associate Professor of Jazz Trumpet at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY; he also performs as charter member of the trumpet section of the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra .
Violinist Bin Huang to teach master class, perform at LSU
(The Advocate 03/26/2016)
For Bin Huang, teaching has made her a better performer. …
“They’re all well-known violin compositions that the students at LSU are probably working on and will probably want to hear,” says Huang, who is an associate professor of violin at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, New York. She taught at the Shanghai Conservatory in China before going to Eastman, a role that at first gave her pause.
Jennifer Barlament: Emory alumna leads the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
(Emory University News and Events 03/24/2016)
At the encouragement of her music teachers, Barlament decided to focus on clarinet performance as a career and she went on to graduate school at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. It was her experience there that changed her course.
Seeing a need for a large orchestra that would help prepare graduate performance students for rigorous professional auditions, she founded the student-run New Eastman Symphony to help provide practical experience, building graduate students’ confidence and their repertoires.
(The Commons Online 03/23/2016)
Saxophonist Michael Zsoldos takes on masterworks by Ben Webster, with the help of some local virtuosos, at VJC
Zsoldos attended the Eastman School of Music, where he studied classical and jazz saxophone with Ramon Ricker. He later studied with Andrew Speight and Branford Marsalis at Michigan State University and has a master’s degree in music theory.
National Repertory Orchestra presents ‘A Night on Broadway’ with Connor O’Brien
(Summit Daily News 03/23/2016)
The multi-talented performer started as a violinist at the age of 5 before moving on to study vocal performance and opera at Eastman School of Music in New York. He now tours around the world as a professional performer, and has had leading roles in the theater.
Jazz Fest announces Trombone Shorty, full lineup
(Democrat and Chronicle 03/22/2016)
The acoustically precise Hatch Recital Hall is pianos across the board, ranging from young star Eldar to Eastman School of Music’s Harold Danko. The Little Theatre has a handful of acts with Rochester connections, including the pop duo Roses & Revolutions, the reggae of The Majestics, Trio East and the Dave Rivello Ensemble. The Little also features one of the most experimentally cool jazz guitarists going now in Ben Monder.
PUSH Physical Theatre to host fundraiser party
(Fairport-E.Rochester Post 03/22/2016)
PUSH also is collaborating on a project that includes Pulitzer Prize-nominated composer Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon; Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez, Eastman School professor and chairman of composition; Eastman School’s Eastman BroadBand; soprano Tony Arnold; and Mexican puppetry theater group La Coperacha.
World-class jazz coming to Bernardsville on April 11
(The Bernardsville News 03/22/2016)
The performance will include several selections from the BHS Jazz Ensemble featuring jazz virtuoso Walt Weiskopf on saxophone.
Weiskopf, a saxophonist, composer and author, was graduated from the Eastman School of Music in 1980 and began his New York career performing with the Buddy Rich Big Band at the age of 21. Since then, he has recorded 12 critically acclaimed CDs and has performed with Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Donald Fagen and Steve Smith’s Jazz Legacy.
He was a visiting associate professor part-time at the Eastman School from 2001 to 2008 and currently is the coordinator of jazz studies at New Jersey City University.
No fooling: Bianchi and Hammond B-3 join Bethel jazz for April 1 concert
(Bethel College, KS (press release) 03/24/2016)
After an all-day workshop April 1, the Mid-Kansas Jazz Ensemble (MKJE) and Bethel College Jazz Ensemble I will welcome clinician and guest artist Pat Bianchi and his Hammond B-3 organ for an evening concert.
While in high school, Bianchi studied classical piano in the Eastman School of Music preparatory program and then went to the Berklee School of …
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