From Friday, November 8 to Sunday, November 10, 2024, five different performances will showcase students from the trumpet, horn, trombone and tuba/euphonium studios at the Eastman School of Music in all three of its major performance venues. This is the first time Eastman’s brass students have been specifically featured on an entire weekend of events. “Eastman is fortunate to be able to support a full brass ensemble as well as three, single-instrument brass groups. Such unified consorts of single instruments occupy a special place in Eastman lore, beginning with the formation of the Trombone Choir in 1941,” shares Mark Kellogg, Chair of the Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion department. “Our brass area is excited to be able to present these ensembles over the course of a weekend and showcase our dedicated students.”
Brass Guild
Friday, November 8 at 7:30 PM | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
The Eastman Brass Guild was founded in 1998 by former Professor of Trumpet James Thompson to provide students with the opportunity to explore and perform varied ensemble repertoire written for different combinations of brass instruments, ranging from the antiphonal music of the Venetian Renaissance to works composed within the last several years. Upon Thompson’s retirement in 2023, Professor of Trombone Mark Kellogg was appointed as the new conductor of the ensemble.
Tuba Mirum
Saturday, November 9 at 2:30 PM | Kilbourn Hall
Tuba Mirum was founded by Cherry Beauregard, former Professor of Tuba, including students from the tuba and euphonium studio as well as members of the University of Rochester community. The ensemble is directed by Associate Professor of Tuba and Euphonium Justin Benavidez, along with graduate students Ethan Millington and Connor Higley.
Horn Choir
Saturday, November 9 at 5:30 PM | Kilbourn Hall
The Eastman Horn Choir, directed by Professor of Horn Peter Kurau, was founded in 1968 by Verne Reynolds, Professor Emeritus of Horn at the Eastman School of Music. From its inception, the Choir’s mission has been threefold: to provide an expanded ensemble experience for the horn students; to acquaint them (through transcriptions) of the breadth of quality repertoire (with a particular emphasis on the glorious vocal music of the German and Italian Renaissance) within our musical culture; and to encourage contemporary composers to create original works for multiple horns.
Trombone Choir
Saturday, November 9 at 8:30 PM | Kilbourn Hall
Founded in 1941 by Emory Remington, Professor of Trombone for nearly fifty years at the Eastman School, the Eastman Trombone Choir is highly regarded around the world as one of the best ensembles of its kind. Remington established the concept of the present day Trombone Choir as a pedagogical extension of the private trombone class to include a musical ensemble experience. This concept has been imitated throughout most colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. The Trombone Choir is directed by Professors of Trombone Mark Kellogg and Larry Zalkind.
Valenza Horns
Sunday, November 10 at 2:30 PM | Hatch Recital Hall
Students from the horn studio of Peter Kurau perform on instruments from the Charles Valenza Historic Horn Collection, a prestigious amalgam of 31 horns from the 18th to the 21st century. The collection consists of instruments by renowned makers from around the world, including Paxman of London; Carl Geyer of Chicago; Gebr. Alexander of Germany; Lidl–Brno, Czechoslovakia; C.F. Schmidt, Berlin; Antoine Halari of Paris; and many others. The instruments include antique horns, natural horns, double horns, and triple horns, as well as a hunting horn.
For all other upcoming performances 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.