A concert of non-stop performances by Eastman School of Music vocal and instrumental ensembles will offer an array of musical styles and give audiences a multisensory experience of “The Gift of Music.”
Using the “prism concert” format, in which groups perform in uninterrupted succession in different locations around the concert hall, the event surrounds listeners with sound and special lighting. “The Gift of Music: A Prism Concert” will be presented at 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, in the Eastman Theatre. The event, which is free and open to the public, is also the opening concert for the New York State School Music Association’s annual winter conference in Rochester.
The repertoire for “The Gift of Music” ranges from a 17th century Fandango to 21st-century contemporary music. Featured performers include the Eastman Philharmonia, Eastman Chorale, Eastman Opera Theatre, Percussion Ensemble, Brass Guild, Saxology, and the alumni group Break of Reality. Also, faculty member and master lutenist Paul O’Dette, an internationally renowned scholar and performer of Renaissance and Baroque music, will be joined on stage by award-winning harpsichordist and Eastman graduate Kristian Bezuidenhout.
In addition, a video installation will be part of a work performed by Musica Nova, an ensemble that presents cutting-edge contemporary music and 20th century classics. The video was created by Boom Design Group, a New York City-based production studio founded in 2004 by three Eastman alumni.
“ ‘The Gift of Music’ is an opportunity for the community to experience a sampling of Eastman’s rich variety of programs and to enjoy the diverse talents of students, faculty, and alumni,” said Senior Executive Associate Dean Jamal Rossi, the artistic director for the event.
The New York State Music Association, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, is holding its winter conference from Nov. 29 through Dec. 2 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.
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Calendar listing:
Thursday, Nov. 29
9 p.m.
“The Gift of Music: A Prism Concert.” Eastman School of Music ensembles perform a non-stop multi-media concert in locations throughout the theatre.
Eastman Theatre, 60 Gibbs St.
Free