Eastman School of Music

09/21/2026

EROI 2026 | With the aim of making Rochester, NY, a global center for organ performance, research, building, and preservation, the Eastman Rochester Organ Initiative’s biennial festival is one of the premier organ conferences in the world!

Taking place November 8-11, 2026, this year’s theme is “Bach Reflected.” Audiences will discover multiple perspectives on Bach’s profound influence on music…from performance to pedagogy. This event features Eastman students and faculty alongside distinguished guest artists.

We hope you’ll join us! Register online by Oct. 31: esm.rochester.edu/organ/eroi/

Learn more: youtu.be/lYrzitiMEEQ?is=PuZ_hxJkO-Ly5bkW

Eastman Rochester Organ Initiative Festival (EROI) | “Bach Reflecte...

09/17/2026

POV: you’re a student at Eastman!

09/15/2026

TONIGHT IN KILBOURN HALL! Don't miss our LIVE performance of Eastman's newly released album of Black art songs "In Plain Sight: The Black Anthology," featuring students and faculty.

Isa Apodaca, a double major in voice and music education at Eastman, is thrilled to be a part of this project, saying that the music is "rich, beautiful, and fantastic to sing. Copland and Bernstein are very familiar to us, but here’s a whole other side to American music, with its roots in jazz, blues, and popular music. It’s so good to have it front-facing in a project like this.”

Be sure to grab your tickets and join us at 7:30 PM this evening, September 15! bit.ly/4rhB0Wq
Read more about In Plain Sight in the Rochester Beacon: bit.ly/4rdGwt2

A Kilbourn Hall recital inspired by the release of Joshua Conyers’ recording project, “In Plain Sight: The Black Anthology,” will spotlight a collection of art songs by Black American composers.

09/14/2026

On a warm September afternoon, Dean Kate Sheeran—alongside URochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf and Provost Nicole Sampson—ushered in the 2026–27 academic year during Eastman’s annual convocation ceremony. Bringing together students, faculty, and staff in Kilbourn Hall, the day also included a musical introduction to Professor Bridget Kibbey, only the fourth harp professor in Eastman’s history.

To read more about the day, visit the link in our bio!

09/11/2026

Join us in Kilbourn Hall at 11:30 AM this morning to remember and honor those who lost their lives and those whose lives were changed by the September 11 attacks of 2001. This event is free and open to the public, and will be livestreamed here: esm.rochester.edu/live/kilbourn

At the center of this concert will be the Eastman Horn Choir, whose 26 student musicians will perform a program of music that Peter Kurau ’74E, professor of horn and director of the ensemble, describes as "sorrowful, but soothing." The concert will also feature performances by Eastman alumni who now serve in the U.S. Army, including Colonel Ted Price ’97E and Army Field Band members Master Sergeant J.G. Miller ’06E and Staff Sergeant Morgan Chalmers ’25E.

Learn more: https://www.esm.rochester.edu/esm_news/25-years-later-remembering-september-11-through-music-and-community/

Eastman's Horn Choir performs a special remembrance concert featuring members of The United States Army Field Band.

09/08/2026

For Your GRAMMY® Consideration ✨ Eastman School of Music’s “IN PLAIN SIGHT: The Black Anthology” for Best Classical Compendium.

This landmark recording—showcasing the depth of talent in Eastman’s voice students and faculty—shines a light on one of America’s richest but most overlooked musical traditions: the art songs of Black American composers.

Featuring 40+ vocalists and instrumentalists, including opera superstars Nicole Cabell, Kiera Duffy, and GRAMMY®-nominated Joshua Conyers, this double album brings together works of extraordinary sophistication and emotional range.

“Whatever draws you in at first, keep listening. You’ll find beauty in these songs, both the words and the music, and in the sensitive, striking performances that have been recorded here.” (CITY Magazine)

Released on August 21, 2026 by Lexicon Classics.

Learn more & listen here: esm.rochester.edu/go/for-your-consideration/

09/05/2026

Prof. Lubman approved this post as long as we tell you to come see Musica Nova and Eastman Percussion Ensemble on 9/18 😅

Event details: https://www.esm.rochester.edu/esm-event/musica-nova-and-eastman-percussion-ensemble/

09/03/2026

SCHOOL NEWS | The Eastman School of Music is upgrading the technology in our beautiful and historic Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre thanks to a generous $1,000,000 NYS grant, gifted to us by Senator Cooney.

“Kodak Hall has been the centerpiece of the arts and culture scene in Rochester and a driver of economic growth downtown for over a century,” said Senator Cooney. “From RPO concerts and [Eastman] student performances to the Rochester International Jazz Fest, this is a storied venue that serves as an intersection of world-class productions for all Rochesterians and visitors to enjoy."

The funds are being used to install a new projector and new audio equipment — a benefit to all who enter the space, from the musicians to the patrons.

This is one of the first installations of this technology in the world, and we are excited to welcome audiences to experience it!

Watch the video below to hear from the teams behind the upgrades!

The Eastman School of Music is upgrading the technology in our beau...

09/02/2026

SCHOOL NEWS | We are immensely grateful to alumnus David Damschroder ’77E (MM)—distinguished music theorist, educator, and author—for investing in the next generation of doctoral students pursuing careers in performance, scholarship, teaching, or some combination of all three.

His bequest will establish an endowed fellowship that supports emerging scholars pursuing the highest levels of music research, along with a symposium fund that helps bring leading scholars and guests to Eastman through partnerships with professional organizations.

“I propose to enhance the support and resources available for students whose passions and proclivities will help to keep the tonal repertoire thriving,” shares Damschroder.

Learn more:

Supporting doctoral scholars and enriching the exchange of ideas, Damschroder's planned gift will help ensure Eastman remains a leader in music theory and pedagogy.

09/01/2026

Today is September 1, which means that applications are officially OPEN at the Eastman School of Music!

Channeling Rimsky-Korsakov’s celebratory “Procession of the Nobles” (played beautifully here by the Eastman Saxophone Project) we are excited to get to know our applicants and hear all about your musical journeys! 🎥 youtube.com/watch?v=NMUHEwxRwLY

Apply now and join us in Rochester, fall 2027! Visit our Admissions website for more information: esm.rochester.edu/admissions

Eastman Saxophone ProjectChien-Kwan Lin, directorLandon Chang, as...