Here are some select recent clippings showing the variety of hits/mentions identifying musicians and scholars as Eastman School of Music alumni, faculty or students. (Note: Some links may have expired.)
The King, the Conspiracies, and the American Dream
(The Atlantic 01/08/2015)
“He stood for rock ‘n’ roll at a time when rock ‘n’ roll was rebellion, but I think Elvis stood for so many more things than that,” said John Covach, a professor of music theory at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music. “He was a southern kid, so he came from very humble roots. He became very popular and very rich and very famous. In this country, that’s the American Dream. And that’s the Elvis story.
Breaking into music careers a tough act
(Rochester Democrat & Chronicle 01/15/2014)
Similarly, to be a professional jazz musician, “You are getting into the professional athlete world,” John Nugent, one of the founders and producers of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, said Thursday. “Jazz is not popular music. Not every citizen of this country is going listen to Paul Bley piano solos,” Nugent said shortly after addressing a crowd of music students, professional performers, venue managers and others in the chamber music world.
Welcome to Chamber Music America’s national conference, being held this week in New York City. As part of the multi-day event, University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music organized a day-long seminar Thursday about issues familiar to any entrepreneur or small-business person, such as branding, audience engagement and social media marketing.
During the conference, speakers talked to the artist audience about such commercial world concerns as sponsorships and what apps might be best for creating good promotional video or live concert streams.
From the community: Paul and Kerena Moeller to Perform at the St. Charles Public Library
(Chicago Tribune © 01/16/2015)
The St. Charles Public Library’s Sunday Concert Series will host classical guitarist Paul Moeller and cellist Kerena Moeller on Sunday, January 25 at 2:00 p.m. in the Carnegie Community Room. The award-winning duo has performed throughout the United States, England and Italy and currently resides in St. Charles.
Classical guitarist, Paul Moeller, received a Graduate Performance Diploma from Peabody Conservatory of Music of The John Hopkins University, where he spent four years under the tutelage of world-renowned guitarist, Manuel Barreuco. Moeller holds a Bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University and a Master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. He has served as Associate Professor of Guitar at Northern Illinois University and is currently on faculty at Elgin Community College.
Maine pianist, Baites artist-in-residence Frank Glazer dies at 99
(Portland Press Herald 01/13/2015)
Although he was long associated with Bates, Glazer’s relationship with the liberal arts college in Lewiston occupied only the last part of his life. He came to Bates in 1980 after teaching piano at the Eastman School of Music for 15 years.
He and his wife moved to Maine to return to her family farm at Kezar Falls after he retired from Eastman. (Also reported by WCSH TV , Lewiston Sun Journal )
Sierra Boggess will perform with Jason Robert Brown at SubCulture on 1/26
(Broadway World 01/14/2014)
On January 26, Jason Robert Brown will continue as 2015 Artist-In-Residence at SubCulture (45 Bleecker St.) with a special concert featuring guest artist Sierra Boggess. She’ll appear alongside The Caucasian Rhythm Kings and another secret guest.
Jason Robert Brown is the ultimate multi-hyphenate – an equally skilled composer, lyricist, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, director and performer – best known for his dazzling scores to several of the most renowned musicals of his generation, including “The Bridges of Madison County,” for which Jason received the 2014 Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Orchestrations, the recently revived “The Last Five Years”, his debut song cycle “Songs for a New World”, and the seminal “Parade”, winner of the 1999 Best Score Tony. The New York Times refers to Jason as “a leading member of a new generation of composers who embody high hopes for the American musical.”
Jason studied composition at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., with Samuel Adler, Christopher Rouse, and Joseph Schwantner. He lives with his wife, composer Georgia Stitt, and their daughters in New York City.
Ying String Quartet playing at Art Gallery of Hamilton
(Hamilton Spectator 01/08/2015)
Siblings: your only enemy you can’t live without.”
Just ask the celebrated Ying String Quartet. Formed in 1988 at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., the four Ying siblings — Tim and Janet on violin, Phillip on viola, and David on cello — accomplished a lot together. Top prize at the 1992 Banff International String Quartet Competition. The Naumburg Chamber Music Award in 1993. Toured several continents. Appeared at the White House. Faculty quartet-in-residence at Eastman since 1997. Tenured. Oh, and on the mantel shelf beside their hardware from Banff is the Grammy they snagged in 2005 for Best Classical Crossover Album with the Turtle Island String Quartet.
Men Who Don’t Bite coming to Port Clinton
(The Peninsula News 01/14/2015)
Men Who Don’t Bite,” a bassoon quartet, will perform at 3 p.m. on January 25, as part of the Musical Arts Series in Port Clinton at Firelands Presbyterian Church, 2626 E. Harbor Rd.
Jonathan Sherwin has been a member of the Cleveland Orchestra bassoon section since 1997, studied at the Eastman School of Music and currently serves on the faculties of Baldwin Wallace University and the Cleveland Institute of Music
National Symphony Orchestra charms Central Union Mission with low brass
(Washington Post © 01/08/2015)
As part of the National Symphony Orchestra’s “In Your Neighborhood: From Brookland to NoMa’ series, three trombone players and one tuba player formed a quartet to play in front of the mainly homeless crowd before lunch Tuesday. The informal setting provided a humbling look at how the power of music can make even the most marginalized members of the community feel like they belong and are a part of something larger, even if their everyday lives don’t indicate such.
The rest of the event played out in similar fashion, switching back and forth between loud “right on!” comments and people enjoying the serenity of the moment with their heads bowed. There was enthusiastic applause after each song. The selections ranged from traditional orchestral music to other more “funked up” jams that got heads bobbing. “Trombone Institute of Technology” a song titled after a joke by students at the Eastman School of Music, in the same New York town as the Rochester Institute of Technology was particularly popular.
Conrad’s all-star group returns to the Redstone
(Quad City Times 01/16/2015)
Unlike the leaders of most bands, Mike Conrad can’t call his group together on short notice. The leader of Colossus, a 17-piece band of musicians from throughout Iowa, Conrad is glad for whatever chances the group has to play.
The group was established when he was finishing his master’s degree at the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. He and two friends formed a jazz trio performing original music and called it Colossus.
A celebration of Mozart Sunday
(Napa Valley Register 01/07/2015)
Napa Valley Music Associates is presenting its 20th annual “Mozart in Napa Valley” concert benefit Sunday afternoon. Featured soloist for Sunday afternoon’s program is violinist Jassen Todorov. He will be joined by soprano Anna Combs-Johnson and pianists Adrian Borcea and Kenn Gartner.
Professor of violin at San Francisco State University and visiting professor at Xinjiang Arts University, Xinjiang Normal University and the Qimingxing School of Music in China, Todorov began his music education in Bulgaria and furthered his studies at the Idyllwild Arts Academy in California. A top prize winner of several national and international competitions, he earned his bachelor’s degree in violin performance from Harid Conservatory in Florida and his master’s degree from Eastman School of Music in New York. Todorov plays a 1778 Tomaso Eberle violin.
Oyez Roslyn! is back
(The Daily Record 01/07/2015)
The Doerrfeld Duo will perform cello and violin delights. The duo is made up of Valerie and Alicia Doerrfeld. Valerie, a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, is a professional cellist and music teacher. She performs with the Yakima Symphony Orchestra and has played for 19 years in the Northwest Sinfonietta, a professional classical chamber orchestra that performs in Seattle and surrounding areas. Valerie has also conducted orchestras at the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra, taught elementary and middle school students and maintained a private studio of 30 cello students in Issaquah. Valerie lives in Roslyn with her husband.
Susan Mowrer Benda introduced as Saucon Valley’s new assistant superintendent of schools
(Allentown Morning Call 01/13/2015)
The Saucon Valley School District has a new assistant superintendent who brings more than 20 years of teaching and administrative experience as well as a hint of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” Susan Mowrer Benda started the job Monday and fills a position that’s been vacant since former Assistant Superintendent Carl Atkinson left the post in August.
Her educational background includes a degree in vocal performance and music education from Moravian College, a master’s degree in music from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., and a doctor of educational leadership from Widener University in Chester County.