Eastman School of Music Featured in CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival 21st Season
Announcing 2024 RIJF/ESM Scholarship Recipient Parker Vinyard
The CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival (RIJF) enters its 21st season on Friday, June 21 and runs through Saturday, June 29, with performances held across multiple venues in downtown Rochester, including concert spaces at the Eastman School of Music. This year’s lineup will feature numerous musicians from the Eastman community — current students, faculty, staff and alumni — as well as students and faculty from the Eastman Community Music School (ECMS).
The nine-day festival includes 326 shows, over 1,750 artists, 100+ FREE performances and many renowned headliners, including Laufey, Samara Joy, John Oates and more. The events will take place in 20 venues, including Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, Kilbourn Hall, Hatch Recital Hall and the Ray Wright Room. Most of the other locations are within a short walking distance of the school’s campus on Gibbs Street, which is renamed “Jazz Street” during the event. Eastman has been involved with the festival since its founding in 2002.
In addition to paid and free performances, the RIJF Jazz Workshops series sponsored by Wegmans, and hosted by Associate Professor of Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media and ECMS Senior Instructor of Jazz Guitar Bob Sneider ’93, runs all week in the Ray Wright Room. This series of five structured jazz workshops is open to music students of all ages, providing the opportunity to play and meet, listen and learn from five professional jazz musicians performing at the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival.
The RIJF/ESM Scholarship
The Rochester International Jazz Festival/Eastman School of Music Jazz Scholarship Program (RIJF/ESM Scholarship) is sponsored by RIJF producers John Nugent and Marc Iacona and is funded by proceeds from the annual festival. RIJF has has committed more than $300,000 in scholarship support to Eastman for the annual scholarship program, helping talented young musicians attend the school. Since its inception in 2002, 44 scholarships have been awarded.
Parker Vinyard, drums, 2024 RIJF/ESM Scholarship recipient
The 2024 RIJF/ESM Scholarship recipient is drummer Parker Vinyard, a 2024 Perry Central High School ‘top ten’ graduate. When he isn’t sitting at a drum set, Parker enjoys outdoor track and field, amusement parks and swimming. He was the recipient of the George Eastman Young Leaders Award in 2023 and attended the Berklee College of Music’s Five Week Intensive last summer to study drum set performance. Vinyard shares that “family and faith” are his “greatest sources of encouragement,” and he looks forward to starting at Eastman in fall 2024.
The award will be presented by Nugent and Iacona on Monday, June 24 at 7:30 PM on the City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage at the festival’s annual free Jazz Scholarship Concert. Alongside Vinyard, the concert will feature performances by current students and faculty from Eastman’s Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media program, as well as RIJF alums.
Schedule of Events feat. ESM/ECMS
To view the full schedule and purchase tickets, visit the RIJF website.
FRIDAY, JUNE 21
5:45 & 7:45 PM | Bob Sneider ’93 (ESM/ECMS Faculty) and Paul Hofmann (ECMS Faculty): Music of Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays
- Hatch Recital Hall (Club Pass or $30/door)
6:00 & 9:00 PM | Artemis (Alexa Tarantino ’14E)
- Kilbourn Hall (Club Pass or $35/door)
6:00 PM | Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra w. Herb Smith ’91E
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
10:30 PM | Jam Session w. Mike Cottone ’07E
- Hyatt Regency Rochester – Astor on Main (Free)
SATURDAY, JUNE 22
6:00 PM | Nick Hempton Organ Quartet (Bob Sneider ’93, ESM/ECMS Faculty; Mike Melito, ECMS Faculty)
- Montage Music Hall (Club Pass or $30/door)
6:00 PM | ESM Jazz Honors Unit 1
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
7:30 & 9:30 PM | US Army Blues (Aaron Eckert ’16E (MM))
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
10:30 PM | Jam Session w. Mike Cottone ’07E
- Hyatt Regency Rochester – Astor on Main (Free)
SUNDAY, JUNE 23
5:45 & 7:45 PM | Harold Danko (ESM Professor Emeritus)
- Kilbourn Hall (Club Pass or $30/door)
6:00 PM | ECMS Jazz Combos directed by Bob Sneider ’93 (ESM/ECMS Faculty)
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
6:00 PM | New Horizons Jazz Ensemble, directed by Don Sherman (ECMS Faculty)
- Rochester Regional Health Big Tent (Free)
7:45 & 9:45 PM | Bill Tiberio Band (ECMS Faculty)
- The Duke (Club Pass or $30/door)
10:30 PM | Jam Session w. Bob Sneider Trio (’93, ESM/ECMS Faculty)
- Hyatt Regency Rochester – Astor on Main (Free)
MONDAY, JUNE 24
12:00 PM | Trio 55 (Zach Walgren ’23E; Jordan Lerner ’21E, ’21, ECMS Faculty)
- Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County (Free)
1:00 PM | Jazz Workshop w. Tommy Smith, saxophone
- Ray Wright Room (Free)
5:30 & 7:15 PM | Dave Pietro Quartet (Gary Versace, ESM Faculty)
- Inn on Broadway (Club Pass or $30/door)
6:00 PM | ESM Jazz Honors Unit 2
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
6:30 & 8:30 PM | Jared Schonig ’05E “Two Takes”
- Theatre at Innovation Square (Club Pass or $30/door)
7:30 & 9:30 PM | ESM-RIJF Jazz Scholarship Concert feat. Parker Vinyard
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
10:30 PM | Jam Session w. Bob Sneider Trio (’93, ESM/ECMS Faculty)
- Hyatt Regency Rochester – Astor on Main (Free)
TUESDAY, JUNE 25
1:00 PM | Jazz Workshop w. Jae Sinnett, drums
- Ray Wright Room (Free)
6:00 PM | New Horizons Big Band, directed by Priscilla Todd Brown (ECMS Faculty)
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
7:30 & 9:30 PM | Music Educators Big Band, directed by Bill Tiberio (ECMS Faculty)
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
10:30 PM | Jam Session w. Bob Sneider Trio (’93, ESM/ECMS Faculty)
- Hyatt Regency Rochester – Astor on Main (Free)
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26
12:00 PM | Simon Fletcher ’07E
- Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County (Free)
1:00 PM | Jazz Workshop w. Roberto Occhipinti, bass
- Ray Wright Room (Free)
6:00 PM | ECMS Faculty w. Special Guest Vocalists (Crystal Sellers Battle, ESM Senior Leadership; Lauren Sageer, ESM Staff)
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
6:00 & 10:00 PM | The Levin Brothers (Tony Levin ’68E)
- Montage Music Hall (Club Pass or $30/door)
7:30 & 9:30 PM | Rochester Metro Jazz Orchestra, directed by Dave Rivello ’89E (MM) (ESM Faculty)
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
10:30 PM | Jam Session w. Bob Sneider Trio (’93, ESM/ECMS Faculty)
- Hyatt Regency Rochester – Astor on Main (Free)
THURSDAY, JUNE 27
1:00 PM | Jazz Workshop w. Johnny Johnson, saxophone
- Ray Wright Room (Free)
6:00 PM | ECMS Jazz Alumni
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
6:00 & 10:00 PM | Laila Bially (Jeff Campbell ’92E (MM), ’02E (DMA), ESM Faculty; Christine Jensen, ESM Faculty)
- Montage Music Hall (Club Pass or $30/door)
6:00 & 10:00 PM | The Levin Brothers (Tony Levin ’68E)
- Wilder Room (Club Pass or $30/door)
10:30 PM | Jam Session w. Bob Sneider Trio (’93, ESM/ECMS Faculty)
- Hyatt Regency Rochester – Astor on Main (Free)
FRIDAY, JUNE 28
1:00 PM | Jazz Workshop w. Mike Kaupa, trumpet (ECMS Faculty)
- Ray Wright Room (Free)
10:30 PM | Jam Session w. Mike Cottone ’07E
- Hyatt Regency Rochester – Astor on Main (Free)
6:00 PM | Mike Kaupa’s ECMS Ensembles: Saturday Ensemble & Junior Jazz
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
6:15 & 10:00 PM | Laila Bially (Jeff Campbell ’92E (MM), ’02E (DMA), ESM Faculty; Christine Jensen, ESM Faculty)
- Max’s of Eastman Place (Club Pass or $30/door)
SATURDAY, JUNE 29
5:15 PM | Joey Stempian Big Band (’26, current UR Student)
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
6:00 PM | ESM Jazz Honors Unit 3
- City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Free)
6:00 PM | New Horizons Jazz Ensemble, directed by Don Sherman (ECMS Faculty)
- Rochester Regional Health Big Tent (Free)
7:00 & 9:15 PM | Majestics (Ron Stackman, former director of stage operations at Eastman)
- The Little Theatre – Roots & Americana Series (Club Pass or $30/door)
10:30 PM | Jam Session w. Mike Cottone ’07E
- Hyatt Regency Rochester – Astor on Main (Free)
To learn more, view the full schedule of events and purchase tickets, visit the RIJF website.
Media only:
Eastman School of Music, Lauren Sageer, (585) 451-8492, lsageer@esm.rochester.edu
CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival, Amanda Antinore, (585) 729-7533, aantinore@dalmath.com
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About the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival:
The Rochester International Jazz Festival (RIJF) is one of the world’s leading jazz festivals. Founded in 2002, the nine-day multi-dimensional festival is held annually in downtown Rochester, NY, drawing more than 211,000 people to 326 shows and 20 venues. Presenting more than 1,750 legendary performers, familiar favorites and new discoveries, the Festival navigates all genres of creative improvised music from all corners of the world. RIJF is produced by RIJF, LLC, a privately held company owned by John Nugent and Marc Iacona. Nugent, Producer and Artistic Director, is a noted tenor sax player, who has traveled the world with many jazz artists, including Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, The Woody Herman Orchestra and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Marc Iacona, Producer and Executive Director, is a Rochester native and President of Simcona Electronics. A business and community leader, he is an avid trumpeter and supporter of the arts.
About Eastman Community Music School:
The Eastman Community Music School (ECMS) in collaboration with members of the collegiate division faculty, strives to introduce students of all ages to the joy and discipline of music by providing a rich environment that supports each student’s musical participation and enjoyment, develops a solid foundation for the young musician aspiring to a professional career, presents opportunities for lifelong musical experiences, and offers ongoing development for teachers and other music professionals. ECMS believes that music is not only an essential part of a quality education, but also a powerful contributor to quality of life. George Eastman created ECMS in 1921 for the enrichment of the residents of greater Rochester, with the expectation that this experience should be available to everyone, regardless of age, musical background, or ability to pay.
About Eastman School of Music:
The Eastman School of Music was founded in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman (1854-1932), founder of Eastman Kodak Company. It was the first professional school of the University of Rochester. Mr. Eastman’s dream was that his school would provide a broad education in the liberal arts as well as superb musical training.
More than 900 students are enrolled in the Collegiate Division of the Eastman School of Music—about 500 undergraduates and 400 graduate students. They come from almost every state, and approximately 23 percent are from other countries. They are taught by a faculty comprised of more than 130 highly regarded performers, composers, conductors, scholars, and educators. They are Pulitzer Prize winners, Grammy winners, Emmy winners, Guggenheim fellows, ASCAP Award recipients, published authors, recording artists, and acclaimed musicians who have performed in the world’s greatest concert halls. Each year, Eastman’s students, faculty members, and guest artists present more than 900 concerts to the Rochester community. Additionally, more than 1,700 members of the Rochester community, from young children through senior citizens, are enrolled in the Eastman Community Music School.
About the University of Rochester:
The University of Rochester is one of the nation’s leading private research universities, one of only 62-member institutions in the Association of American Universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University gives undergraduates exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by the Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art