Eastman’s Summer Organ Academy is open to pre-college and undergraduate students. Each day includes private and group instruction from world-renowned performers and pedagogues, as well as daily access to a great variety of instruments. Participants have the opportunity to perform in masterclasses focusing on repertoire, sacred music skills, improvisation, and technique. Pre-college and undergraduate students typically enjoy combined and separate activities to provide the student with a more individualized program of study. Doctoral students are often available outside Eastman’s practice rooms to serve as teaching assistants during practice sessions and classes.
Use this time to meet friends and establish valuable networks with colleagues who share your passion, and to discover the rich organ community at the Eastman School of Music and in downtown Rochester. This is a great opportunity to visit Eastman and meet the professors as you consider next steps in your education, or as a chance to simply experience the rich organ culture that exists here. The program includes social activities, excursions, and final student performances, which are open to the public.
Locations often include but are not limited to: ESM Schmitt Organ Recital Hall, Asbury First United Methodist Church, Christ Church, Incarnate Word Lutheran Church, Memorial Art Gallery, St. Luke and St. Simon Cyrene Church, St. Paul’s Church, Third Presbyterian Church, and the Parsons Organ Company.
Campers often stay at the Student Living Center across the street from Eastman, but commuting or other housing options are possible.
For inquiries into the summer organ academy, please contact Academy Coordinator Ryan Chan at wchan16@u.rochester.edu.
Each organ listed above has a link to a detailed description in the Instruments section of the Organ Department main page.
More information, including how to register and send audition recordings can be found on the Summer@Eastman page: https://summer.esm.rochester.edu
Attendance is by audition only. Please check the Summer@Eastman course page for requirements and deadlines.