As a new school year approaches, we are pleased to highlight some of the concerts and events taking place at Eastman this September. Presenting a wide range of events featuring internationally accomplished faculty and guest artists in addition to world-class student ensembles, these events will be held in Eastman’s stunning performance spaces: Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, Kilbourn Hall and Hatch Recital Hall.
Most of the concerts listed are free and open to the public, and ticketed events may be booked through EastmanTheatre.org or by calling 585-274-3000. Patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets as soon as possible to secure the best seats and savings.
Faculty Artist Series
Various dates, times and locations
The Eastman Faculty Artist Series will present 18 performances by our internationally acclaimed faculty members throughout the fall 2024 semester, 10 of which are scheduled to take place in September. Tickets are $10 for the public and free to URID holders.
Horn Choir: 9/11 Remembrance Concert
Wednesday, September 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, and is now led by Professor of Horn Peter Kurau. This special performance, part of the 13th Annual Rochester Fringe Festival, does not require a ticket for entry.
Kilbourn Concert Series: William Prince (Ticketed)
Friday, September 13 at 7:30 p.m. | Kilbourn Hall
“William Prince’s voice stopped me in my tracks.” (Paste Magazine) Guided by a practical yet profound gratitude, William Prince’s songs convey the power of wonder and humility. Prince’s career trajectory is marked by accolades and milestones: an opening slot for Neil Young, a JUNO Award, a Tiny Desk and a return to the studio with Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb.
Eastman Ranlet Series: Ying Quartet (Ticketed)
Sunday, September 15 at 3:00 p.m. | Kilbourn Hall
The Ying Quartet occupies a position of unique prominence in the classical music world, combining communicative performances with a fearlessly imaginative view of chamber music in today’s world. As quartet-in-residence at the Eastman School of Music, the ensemble performs three Eastman-Ranlet Series concerts during the season.
Eastman Wind Ensemble
Monday, September 16 at 7:30 p.m. | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
The celebrated Eastman Wind Ensemble (EWE) takes the stage for their first performance of the year, presenting a program of works by Roberto Sierra, Lindsay Bronnenkant and the world premiere of Anthony Plog’s “Three Scenes for Antiphonal Trombone Choir and Wind Ensemble.” Mark Davis Scatterday leads from the podium. The EWE’s second concert of the semester, “A Donald Hunsberger Tribute,” is scheduled for Saturday, September 28.
Eastman Wind Orchestra
Wednesday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m. | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
The Eastman Wind Orchestra is comprised of first- and second-year wind, brass and percussion students and is the first component of Eastman’s large ensemble rotation system. Led by Mark Davis Scatterday and graduate conducting students, this concert features the works of five living composers, ranging in age from 28 to 90.
Kilbourn Concert Series: Endea Owens and The Cookout (Ticketed)
Friday, September 20 at 7:30 p.m. | Kilbourn Hall
Known as one of jazz’s most vibrant emerging artists, bassist and composer Endea Owens has been mentored by icons the likes of Marcus Belgrave, Rodney Whitaker and Ron Carter, and has toured and performed with Wynton Marsalis, Diana Ross, Solange and Jon Batiste, among others. Her work has appeared on Jon Batiste’s Grammy Award-winning album “We Are,” the Oscar-nominated film “Judas and the Black Messiah” and H.E.R’s widely acclaimed Super Bowl LV performance.
Sisters in Jazz Virtuosi Concert
Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 a.m. | Hatch Recital Hall
On September 21, Eastman is excited to host its inaugural “Sisters in Jazz Day,” offering improvisation workshops, concerts and networking for female-identifying jazz musicians ages 11-21 (registration required) in various locations on campus. At 10:00 a.m., a free, public concert featuring guests and women of Eastman’s Jazz and Contemporary Media department will take place in Hatch Recital Hall.
Kilbourn Concert Series: Brandee Younger Trio (Ticketed)
Saturday, September 21 at 7:30 p.m. | Kilbourn Hall
“Younger has almost single-handedly made a persuasive argument for the harp’s role in contemporary jazz…” (The New York Times) In 2022, Brandee Younger made history by becoming the first Black woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. That same year, she was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Ever-expanding as an artist, she has worked with cultural icons including Common, Lauryn Hill, John Legend and Moses Sumney.
Eastman School Symphony Orchestra (ESSO) and Eastman Philharmonia
Monday, September 23 at 7:30 p.m. | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
Eastman’s prestigious orchestras share the stage in a joint concert for their first performances of the year. The ESSO will perform Beethoven’s Overture No. 3 in C Major, Op. 72b, “Leonore,” and Montgomery’s “Hymn for Everyone,” while the Philharmonia will close the concert with Tchaikovsky’s powerful Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 “Pathétique.”
EMuSE with Kotoka Suzuki, guest composer
Thursday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m. | Hatch Recital Hall
Electroacoustic Music Studios @ Eastman (EMuSE) builds on the strong tradition of the studio as a creative space in which technology empowers new paths of expression for compositional and performative imagination. This mission effortlessly aligns with the work of guest composer Kotoka Suzuki / 鈴木琴香. Suzuki focuses on both multimedia and instrumental practices, engaging deeply in the visual — conceiving of sound as a physical form to be manipulated through the sculptural practice of composition. Her work often reflects on life, breath and wind.
Kodak Hall Series: An Evening with Leslie Odom, Jr. (Ticketed)
Friday, September 27 at 8:00 p.m. | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
Leslie Odom, Jr. has crafted an expansive career spanning multiple performance genres, earning acclaim for his distinctive commitment to storytelling. He gained prominence for his Tony Award-winning portrayal of ‘Aaron Burr’ in the Broadway sensation Hamilton and received two more Tony Award nominations in 2024 for starring in and co-producing Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch. This concert is a headlining act for the University of Rochester’s annual Meliora Weekend.
Eastman Chorale
Sunday, September 29 at 3:30 p.m. | Kilbourn Hall
The Eastman Chorale is a select ensemble of singers performing the finest choral repertoire from the past five centuries. The Chorale operates under the leadership of William Weinert and consists primarily of graduate and undergraduate students in vocal performance, conducting and music education.
Eastman Musica Nova
Monday, September 30 at 7:30 p.m. | Kilbourn Hall
Eastman’s renowned contemporary music ensemble, directed by Brad Lubman, consistently performs a diverse selection of music by the composers of our time. Their first program of the year includes Ryan Chase’s Flea Circus and Philippe Manoury’s Vier Lieder aus Kein Licht, along with Unsuk Chin’s Graffiti, which, according to the Los Angeles Times, “begins with unpredictable busy, flickering inner activity…” and “considers the political implications of graffiti, which can be both liberating and threatening.” This concert will be led by doctoral student Luke Poeppel ’24E (MM).
Click here to view the full 2024-25 Eastman Presents season and to purchase tickets. For all other happenings at Eastman, visit our Events Calendar for the most up-to-date information.
Media only: Lauren Sageer, Assistant Director of Public Relations and Digital Content,
(585) 451-8492, lsageer@esm.rochester.edu
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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, NY, 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.