ROCHESTER, NY — The Eastman School of Music marks the 10th anniversary of its exemplary “Music For All” program ― a chamber music program designed to take classical music out of the concert hall and into the community ― with more than 100 performances throughout the greater Rochester area in the weeks ahead, featuring more than 50 student chamber music ensembles and select faculty.
The program’s anniversary year kicked off this past weekend with Eastman’s quartet-in-residence, the Ying Quartet, bringing music to children and young families in two special “Music for All” concerts at Rochester’s Strong Museum. Nearly 50 performances will take place on one day later this month ― Tuesday, March 22, “Music for All Day” ― when Eastman chamber groups present, as they have done now for the past 10 years, interactive programs at elementary, middle, and high schools around Rochester. (March is designated “Music in Our Schools” month.) This will be followed by nearly 50 more free performances for two weeks thereafter (March 26-April 10) at a variety of “non-traditional” concert sites around Rochester ― including nursing homes, libraries, college campuses, Barnes & Noble, and Borders Books and Music. To mark the program’s 10th anniversary, several of these performances will be open to the general public, and some, like the Ying performances, feature Eastman faculty. (See below for detailed list of concerts that are open to the public.)
Since its creation in 1995, “Music for All” has grown in size and scope, and ― according to pianist Elinor Freer, assistant professor of chamber music who has coordinated the program since 2003 ― has evolved into the most extensive and comprehensive program of any music conservatory outreach program in the country.“Eastman is currently the only conservatory that requires chamber music students to participate in community performances as part of their curriculum,” she explains. “Other music schools and conservatories around the U.S. see ‘Music For All’ as a model for both training their students to play for new audiences and for giving them opportunities to practice their skills by performing in the community.”
Eastman students participating in “Music for All” receive significant training before presenting their performance. This training begins each year with a seminar in January during which a young professional chamber music group demonstrates for Eastman students the skills necessary to connect with audiences of all ages. In February, the student groups spend time preparing their own school and community presentations under the guidance of Eastman faculty members, before finally taking their show “on the road” in the spring. Audiences — adults and children alike — typically respond with great enthusiasm to the intimate and down-to-earth performances.
“‘Music for All’ is designed to help build audiences, while helping our young artists realize that there is more to a great performance than just mastering the music,” said Freer. “It definitely is a win-win for all involved ― and a program well worth celebrating.”
For more information about the program, visit www.rochester.edu/Eastman/musicforall.
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Note to editors : On-site media visits to upcoming “Music for All” performances can be arranged in advance.
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In addition to nearly 100 private performances at schools and other locations around Rochester, the following 2005 ‘Music for All’ concerts are free and open to the public:
CONCERTS FOR CHILDREN:
Friday, March 18 • 7 p.m.
Barnes and Noble Booksellers
3349 Monroe Ave., Pittsford • 586-6020
“Pajama Storytime with the Destino Winds” (Hilary Abigana, flute; Amy Chung, clarinet; Jeffrey Stephenson, oboe; Donna Yoo, horn; Rachel Young, bassoon)
Saturday, March 19 • 11 a.m.
Downtown United Presbyterian Church
121 N. Fitzhugh St., Rochester • 325-4000 ext. 17
“Meet the King of Instruments,” Family Concert with Eastman Professor of Organ, David Higgs
COMMUNITY CONCERTS FOR ALL AGES:
Saturday, March 26 • 2 p.m
Borders Books and Music,
1000 Hylan Dr., Henrietta • 292-5900
Bernadel Trio (Mario Gotoh, violin; Adam Matthes, viola; Anton Baba, cello)
Tuesday, March 29 • 12:30 p.m.
St. John Fisher College
Wilson Formal Lounge • 3690 East Ave., Rochester • 385-8000
The Cape Cod Experiment (Heather Braun and Kitty Cheung, violin; Kim Fitch, cello; David Gerstein, cello; Jonathan Ware, piano)
Thursday, March 31 • 12:30 p.m.
St. John Fisher College
Wilson Formal Lounge • 3690 East Ave., Rochester • 385-8000
Eastman student chamber music group (Grace Lee, violin; Jeremy Samolesky, piano; Sunny Yang, cello)
Friday, April 1 • 1 p.m.
Rochester Institute of Technology,
Student Alumni Union, Room A120 • 475-6087
Eastman students of Professor of Piano, Natalya Antonova
Sunday, April 3 • 4 p.m.
Scottsville Free Library,
28 Main St., Scottsville • 889-2023
Matryoshka String Quartet (Kitty Cheung, Grace Lee, violins; Jennifer Volmer, viola; Sunny Yang, cello)
Tuesday, April 5 • 7 p.m.
Brighton Library
2300 Elmwood Ave., Brighton • 784-5300
Gibbs Street Saxophone Quartet (Dmitrios Kostaras, Michael Matlock, Rich Miserendino, Kristin Rarick, saxophones)
Friday, April 8 • 1 p.m.
Rochester Institute of Technology
Allen Chapel, Schmitt Interfaith Center • 475-6087
The Sound Factory (Olivia De Prato, Nathan Schmidt, vln.; Ari Streisfeld, viola; Lauren Radnofsky, cello)
Saturday, April 9 • 7 p.m.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
77 Country Corner, Fairport • 223-2796
Reverie Winds (Kate Denny, oboe; Lynn Grossman, bassoon; Jenni Guhl, clarinet; Leslie Skolnik, flute; Andrew Stephenson, horn)
Sunday, April 10 • 4 p.m.
Scottsville Free Library
28 Main St., Scottsville • 889-2023
The Cello Divas (Ingrid Bock, Rosemary Elliott, Mimi Hwang, Kathleen Murphy Kemp , cellos)