Milestones in Wind Ensemble History

2021

The EWE releases Brightening Air, an album of compositions by composer David Liptak featuring soprano Tony Arnold.

The EWE performs John Corigliano’s Clarinet Concerto with Stephen Williamson ’91E, Principal Clarinet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

2022

The EWE performs a shared concert with the Eastman Musica Nova, featuring premieres of compositions by Brad Lubman and Jeff Tyzik to commemorate the Eastman School of Music Centennial.

The EWE and Eastman Harmonie present world premieres of compositions by Robert Paterson ’95E and Tonia Ko ’10E commemorating the Eastman School of Music Centennial.

The EWE performs a program of Joseph Schwantner in the final semester of the Eastman School of Music’s Centennial. The concert featured renowned soprano Kathryn Lewek ’06E, ’08E (MM) as soloist in Schwantner’s Sparrows and Rochester City Mayor Malik Evans as narrator for New Morning for the World: “Daybreak of Freedom.”

2023

The EWE celebrates its 70th Anniversary in Kodak Hall featuring repertoire from the February 8, 1953 premiere program. Conductor emeritus Donald Hunsberger receives the Eastman Centennial Award for his dedication to the EWE and the Eastman School of Music.

2013

The EWE releases the first recording made in the new Eastman Wing — Stravinsky’s Octet for Wind Instruments and L’Histoire du Soldat with Eastman students and applied faculty.

The EWE performs at MusicFest Canada in Toronto with NEXUS Percussion as guest soloists.

2014

The EWE commissions and premieres Andre Previn’s Music for Wind Orchestra (“No Strings Attached“) during an all-Previn program in Kilbourn Hall celebrating the composer’s 85th Birthday. Previn receives an Honorary Degree from the University of Rochester.

2015

SIERRA LIVE recorded in the Eastman Theater, showcasing the music of composer Roberto Sierra.

2016

Bela Fleck performs his music with the EWE in the Eastman Theatre. The concert was presented to a sold out audience as part of the Eastman Presents series.

The Eastman Harmonie tours Europe, performing in Salzburg, Vienna, Pilsen, Bratislava, Prague, Bayreuth, and Wurzburg. This is the first European tour by members of EWE.

2018

A recording of Jeff Tyzik’s music written for the EWE, IMAGES, is released- featuring percussionists Michael Burritt and Charles Ross.

2019

The Eastman Wind Ensemble performs at the home of the Cleveland Orchestra, Severance Hall.

2000

Sixth biennial concert tour of Japan, featuring Makato Ozone, piano soloist, and Nobuya Sugawa, alto saxophone soloist

Tour to the International MidWest Band and Orchestra Clinic, Chicago; Donald Hunsberger awarded the MidWest Medal of Honor

2002

50th anniversary of the EWE, release of multi-CD set on Warner Brothers label

Feb. 8, 2002

50th Anniversary Gala concert; EWE presents world premiere of Bernard Rands’ Unending Lightning

July, 2002

Mark Scatterday is appointed as fourth conductor of the ensemble

May, 2004

The EWE returns to Japan, as well as concerts in Taiwan and Macau, under Scatterday’s direction. The tour also featured Professor of Trumpet, James Thompson, as soloist.

February, 2005

Scatterday leads the ensemble and guest soloist trombonist Mark Kellogg in a concert at Carnegie Hall as part of the CBDNA National Conference featuring music by Karel Husa, Roberto Sierra, David Maslanka and Jeff Tyzik.

February 8, 2006

The EWE celebrates the life of founder Frederick Fennell in a re-creation concert featuring the music that the EWE and Fennell performed on their first concert, exactly 53 years from the 1953 date in Kilbourn Hall — Mozart: Serenade in B-flat, Riegger: Nonet for brass and Hindemith: Symphony in B-flat.

June, 2006

The EWE and Scatterday release their first commercial recording together with James Thompson, trumpet soloist. Produced by Summit Records, the CD, Danzante, contains trumpet concerti and works by Jacques Hetu, Dana Wilson, Eric Ewazen, Louis Stewart and Michel Colombier.

October 2007

The first annual Frederick Fennell Conducting Masterclass takes place at Eastman in October, featuring legendary conductors Donald Hunsberger and Frank Battisti performing and teaching Fennell’s first EWE concert repertoire from 1952.

2008

The Eastman Wind Ensemble records a CD with the Canadian Brass entitled Manhattan Music featuring music by Bernstein, Tovey, Tyzik and Wright.

2009
Scatterday and Hunsberger lead the EWE in a celebrated concert at the prestigious Midwest Clinic in Chicago featuring percussionist Michael Burritt and music by Sierra, Debussy, Andrea Gabrieli, Jeff Tyzik and Maslanka.

1990

First of six tours to Japan and the Far East, sponsored by Sony Music Foundation and Eastman Kodak Japan

1992

40th anniversary of the EWE

Second biennial concert tour of Japan, featuring Alan Vizzutti (EWE ’71-74), trumpet soloist

1994

Third biennial concert tour of Japan, featuring Kenneth Grant (Faculty and EWE ’70-73), clarinet soloist

1995

EWE receives the Crystal Award of Symphony Hall, Osaka. (The Boston Symphony wins the companion award)

1996

Fourth biennial concert tour of Japan, featuring Barbara Butler and Charles Geyer, trumpet soloists

1998

Fifth biennial concert tour of Japan, featuring Lila Gaeling (ESM ’96), piano soloist

1985

First EWE Symposium, sponsored by the Hanson Institute for American Music

1986

Recording of Carnaval album with Wynton Marsalis, later nominated for a Grammy Award in 1987

1987

East Coast and Canada tour, with Wynton Marsalis, including a second appearance in Carnegie Hall

1972

Gala concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Eastman School

EWE hosts Third National Wind Ensemble Conference at ESM

Karel Husa guest conducts his work Concerto for Percussion in the Eastman Theatre

1975

Debut concerts of the Eastman Wind Orchestra and PRISM

1977

25th anniversary of the EWE; celebration honors the original Wind Ensemble and Dr. Frederick Fennell

1978

First international tour: three week tour of Japan (sponsored by Kambara Arts Agency), followed by U.S. State Department Tour of Southeast Asia (25 concert appearances)

Debut performance at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, New York City

Final recording on the Mercury label: Hanson, Schwantner, Copland

1960

Performance at 17th Biennial Conference of MENC in Atlantic City

Premiere concert of the Cutler Union Chamber Music Series

1961

Carnegie Hall debut

1962

A. Clyde Roller appointed conductor

1964

Performances at the Contemporary Music Festival, Ithaca, NY

1965

Donald Hunsberger appointed conductor

First concert in a series for the Rochester Association for the United Nations

1968

Cross-country tour culminating with performances at the MENC Conference in Seattle, WA

Feb. 8, 1953

First concert in Kilbourn Hall of Eastman Wind Ensemble, founded by Frederick Fennell in Fall, 1952

1953

First of 24 recordings on the Mercury label released: American Concert Band Masterpieces

1954

Performance at Chicago’s Orchestra Hall for the Biennial Conference of CBDNA