Faculty members, students and alumni from the Eastman School of Music, of the University of Rochester, will be featured at several venues in and around downtown Rochester during the 13th annual Rochester Fringe Festival (Fringe), running from September 10-21, 2024. Additionally, Eastman’s venues will play host to several events.
The schedule of Fringe shows taking place at Eastman includes:
To view the full schedule and purchase tickets, visit the Fringe website.
The Dave Rivello Ensemble (DRE): RED ii | Tues. Sep. 10 at 7:30 p.m. | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
What happens when the 13-member Dave Rivello Ensemble (DRE) plugs in? DRE | RED ii! Sharp angles contrasted with smooth textures and combined with dynamic solos make for an evening of continuous color. This show is an extension of the Dave Rivello Ensemble, which has performed for 30 years in Rochester. The ensemble continues to be Rivello’s vehicle for his original work as well as his main orchestral voice. From the beginning, the group has blurred lines and crossed genres — come get lost in DRE | RED ii! Tickets: $10
Horn Choir Remembrance Concert | Wed. Sep. 11 at 11:30 a.m. | Kilbourn Hall
The Eastman Horn Choir was founded in 1968 by Verne Reynolds, professor emeritus of horn at the Eastman School of Music, who served as its director until his retirement in 1995. From its inception, the choir’s mission has been to provide an expanded ensemble experience for the horn students, acquaint them with the breadth of quality repertoire within our musical culture and encourage contemporary composers to create original works for multiple horns. Directed by Peter Kurau. Free, non-ticketed
NEW Comedy Headliner: SNL’s Colin Jost | Friday, Sep. 13 at 7:30 p.m. | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
Writer, performer and author Colin Jost is best known for his work on the long-running comedy show, Saturday Nite Live. Over his nearly two decades writing for SNL, Jost has won five Writers Guild Awards along with two Peabody Awards, as well as having been nominated for 14 Emmy Awards. Jost graduated from Harvard University to achieve great success as a comedian and author. He continues to promote comedy, both sketch and standup, and recently hosted the White House Correspondents Dinner.
All tickets previously purchased for Pete Davidson will be honored for Jost’s show. Anyone who purchased tickets and wishes to return them for a full refund may do so by contacting the Eastman Theatre Box Office before Friday, August 23. Tickets: $53-$137
Composers Concert | Tues. Sep. 17 at 7:30 p.m. | Hatch Recital Hall
From its inception in 1921, Eastman School of Music has been a center for music composition and for the performance of new and recent music. Eastman faculty members and students have been internationally recognized since the 1930s. New music is heard frequently in concert halls and alternative performance spaces throughout Rochester. Eastman’s reputation for performance excellence combined with performer enthusiasm for new music offers a great benefit to composers. Free, non-ticketed
Eastman Percussion Ensemble | Tues. Sep. 17 at 7:30 p.m. | Sproull Atrium at Miller Center
The Eastman Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Michael Burritt, is a two-time winner of the Percussive Arts Society International Percussion Ensemble Competition, performing internationally in 2013 and 2017. The ensemble has commissioned and premiered works by Alejandro Viñao and John Psathas, and this year will be giving the world premiere of works by Grammy Award winning jazz pianist and composer Billy Childs as well as the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Joseph Schwantner. Tickets: $10
Eastman Wind Orchestra | Wed. Sep. 18 at 7:30 p.m. | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
The Eastman Wind Orchestra (EWO) comprises first and second year woodwind, brass and percussion students. The EWO actively participates in commissioning new works and world premieres, regularly performs with community and public-school ensembles throughout the Rochester region, and in February 2024, was a feature ensemble at the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Eastern Division Conference at Cornell University. Conducted by Dr. Mark Davis Scatterday. Free, non-ticketed
The following Fringe events will feature Eastman performers—faculty, students and alumni—in off-campus venues:
“Farcical Fantasies: Episodes from a Diary” | Thursday, Sep. 12 at 5:30 p.m. | SOTA: Ensemble Theatre
Where poetry, composition and performance coalesce, Farcical Fantasies: Episodes from a Diary, a series created by Katie Hannigan ’07E (MM), ’10E (DMA), welcomes all to submit your own hilarious stories (prose, poetry, short story or stand-up comedy snippet), for which we will compose music and perform it. There’s no fee to enter for the chance to win a generous librettist monetary prize, even if your piece is not selected for composition. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis –– the sooner you submit, the more likely you are to be featured. Tickets: $10
String Quartet Theatre | Friday, Sep. 13 at 8:15 p.m. and Saturday, Sep. 14 at 7:30 p.m. | Temple Theater
“String Quartet Theatre,” featuring violinist Sophia Klin ’23E, is an experiential performance developed at the intersection of intimate music making and immersive theatre. The production offers extraordinary string quartet and solo music while inviting audience members to listen, move through spaces, and if desired, discover interactions that engage the heart, mind and body beyond the ears. Tickets: $25
“Carnival of the Animals” — BIODANCE & Cordancia Chamber Orchestra | Saturday, Sep. 14 and Friday, Sep. 20 at 7:00 p.m. | The Hochstein School
BIODANCE, directed by Missy Pfohl Smith, Director of the University of Rochester’s Dance and Movement program, teams up with Cordancia Chamber Orchestra, comprising many Eastman alumni and conducted by ECMS conducting faculty member Rachel Lauber, and media artist W. Michelle Harris to present Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saëns) with narration by Jay Stelzer. Repertory bridges dance, music, and the natural world in delightfully surprising ways. After an unparalleled collaboration with the Seneca Park Zoo, the artists are thrilled to share this new work at Fringe! Tickets: $15
Róisín Dubh | Sunday, Sep. 15 at 8:00 p.m. | CenterStage Theater at the JCC: Hart Theater
Róisín Dubh (“ro-sheen dove;” The Black Rose) is a unique school music program created by Mark Gowman ’07E (MA), that performs high-energy traditional music of Ireland in authentic traditional and contemporary styles. A favorite among Celtic music lovers in Rochester and far beyond, Róisín Dubh has performed more than 450 times since its inception in 2001, shared the stage with some of the world’s top Irish/Celtic musicians, released four albums and was featured on NPR’s famous Thistle & Shamrock. Tickets: $12
Starborn: A Tribute to Legendary Voices | Thursday, Sep. 19 at 7:00 p.m. | SOTA: Allen Main Stage Theatre
With the international acclaim of their viral hit “Bridesmaids,” the powerhouse pop duo returns to Rochester with a captivating performance that weaves an inspiring narrative through music and spoken word in a live concert setting. Vocalists Meredith Bready & Shanna Pagán will perform a blend of pop, jazz and musical theater favorites, accompanied by the unrivaled talents of Eastman School of Music musicians: current student Emiliya Mullerman on piano and alumnus Sean Mulligan ’18E on viola. Tickets: $20
Indigo Breeze Band | Friday, September 20 at 6:00 p.m. | CenterStage Theater at the JCC: Ballroom Stage
The Indigo Breeze Sextet is a unique collaboration that performs straight-ahead jazz and jazz-influenced arrangements of familiar tunes from Latin musical traditions, R&B and pop standards. They receive high praise for their variety of selections, from gentle ballads to energetic sambas and swing, featuring songs from Chuck Mangione ’63E, ’85 (Honorary) and Stevie Wonder to Santana and Louis Armstrong. Audiences rave about this invigorating experience of music that can feel familiar yet brand new! Trombonist Evan Dobbins ’94E (MM), son of Professor Emeritus of Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media Bill Dobbins, plays in this band. Tickets: $15
Visit the Fringe website to learn more and purchase tickets to all events. Tickets can also be purchased by phone at (585) 957-9837 (additional fees apply), or in person –– at the door of the venue or at the One Fringe Place Box Office (at the corner of Main and Gibbs Streets).
Media Only:
Eastman School of Music – Lauren Sageer, (585) 451-8492, lsageer@esm.rochester.edu
Rochester Fringe Festival – Chris Kanarick, (646) 893-4777, chris@peakpublicity.com
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About the Rochester Fringe Festival:
The award-winning, 12-day Rochester Fringe Festival was named by the New York Times as “one of the country’s more prominent multidisciplinary events” in September 2023. The Fringe has become the largest multidisciplinary performing arts festival in New York State and one of the most attended Fringe Festivals in the United States. More than 750,000 people have attended more than 5,000 performances and events at the Fringe since its inception in 2012.The non-profit organization’s mission is to offer a platform for artists to share their creativity and develop their skills, while also providing unparalleled public access to the arts. It strives to be diverse and inclusive, and to stimulate downtown Rochester both culturally and economically. It showcases the work of regional, national, and international artists, from emerging to superstar. Website | Facebook | Instagram
About Fringe Festivals:
In 1947, eight theatre groups showed up – uninvited – to perform at the newly established Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland. Although not listed in the official program, the groups performed anyway, at venues they found for themselves. The following year, a Scottish journalist coined the term “festival fringe” to describe these non-curated shows that began turning up annually. The Edinburgh Fringe is now the world’s largest arts festival and the third largest event after the Olympics and the World Cup. Today, there are more than 250 Fringe Festivals worldwide, with nearly 50 in the United States. The Rochester Fringe Festival was the first in Upstate New York.
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 Gallery.