As Europeans explored distant lands and settled new continents from the 1500s to around 1800, their impressions of foreign cultures were reflected in the performing arts, notably those involving music. Depictions of Middle Eastern harem women, Incan priests, fortune-telling Gypsies (Roma), and other inhabitants of exotic locales often reveal a mixture of attraction to the…
From renowned drums master and Eastman alumnus Steve Gadd to current Eastman School of Music and Eastman Community Music School students and faculty, many Eastman musicians will be appearing on various stages throughout the 2015 Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival (XRIJF). This year the XRIJF will run from Friday, June 19, to Saturday, June 27,…
PLEASE NOTE: Two of the competitors were unable to attend. The release below has been updated to reflect the changes. Twenty-two of the world’s top teen-aged pianists will vie for prizes in the Eastman Young Artists International Piano Competition next month. The week-long event of adjudicated performances, master classes, and recitals by award-winning guest artists—all…
Eastman BroadBand continues to raise its international profile with residencies at music festivals in Italy and Spain this summer. The ensemble, based at the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, has performed in Mexico, Italy, and major venues in Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and New York City, including at Joyce Theatre with Garth…
A memorial tribute concert celebrating the life of baritone Derrick Smith will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 14, in Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music. Mr. Smith, whose career included opera roles such as Porgy, Crown, and Jake in Porgy and Bess as well as acclaimed solo performances, had been on…
Four award-winning music ensembles from a historic Hong Kong school will give a free public performance in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre as part of the groups’ upcoming tour. The Ying Wa College North America Tour Concert features the school’s concert band, string orchestra, boys’ treble and male voice chamber choirs, and Chinese orchestra, which…
Guest artists will bring music from India, Portugal, and South Asia to the Kilbourn Hall stage as part of the World Music Series for 2015-2016. The popular Eastman School of Music series will feature the violin duo of Lalgudi G.J.R. Krishnan and Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi on Wednesday, Sept. 23; Fado singer Ana Lains on Friday, Oct.…
Local patrons of piano music have the opportunity to hear world-class performers in free recitals when the Eastman School of Music hosts the 2015 Matthay Piano Festival June 8 to 11. The events are sponsored by the American Matthay Association, an organization devoted to promoting the principles of renowned piano pedagogue Tobias Matthay. Born in…
More than 8,000 patrons attended concerts in the inaugural season of the Eastman School of Music’s Eastman Presents series, enjoying the talents of guest artists ranging from Broadway stars Jason Alexander and Bernadette Peters to the Vienna Boys’ Choir. “The mission of this new concert series is to give the Rochester community the chance to…