 Eastman at night | |
| Type | Privatemusic school |
|---|---|
| Established | 1921; 104 years ago (1921) |
Parent institution | University of Rochester |
| Dean | Kate Sheeran |
Academic staff | 130 |
| Students | 950 |
| Undergraduates | 500 |
| Postgraduates | 450 |
| Location | , New York ,United States |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | www |
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  Location in New York Show map of New York Eastman School of Music (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
TheEastman School of Music is themusic school of theUniversity of Rochester, aprivateresearch university inRochester, New York, United States. Established in 1921 by celebrated industrialist and philanthropistGeorge Eastman, it was the first professional school of the university.[1][2][3]
The school offersBachelor of Music (BM) degrees,Master of Arts (MA) degrees,Master of Music (MM) degrees,Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees, andDoctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degrees in various musical fields, along with a special dual degree with the College of Arts & Sciences for students with multiple interests. The school has three performing orchestras, the Eastman Philharmonia, the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra, and the Philharmonia Chamber Orchestra.
As of 2024, there were more than 950 students enrolled in the collegiate division of the Eastman School (approximately 500 undergraduate and 450 graduate students).
Alfred Klingenberg, a Norwegian pianist, was the school's first director, serving from 1921 to 1923. He was succeeded by composerHoward Hanson in 1924, who had an enormous impact on the development of the school, including influencing the creation the first Doctor of Musical Arts degree in the United States.[4] Upon his retirement in 1964, after serving as director of the school for 40 years, Hanson was succeeded by conductorWalter Hendl.
Hendl served as director from 1964 to 1972, and was then succeeded by pianist and musicologistRobert Freeman who served from 1972 to 1996. Associate Director Daniel Patrylak served as the acting director from the time of Hendl's resignation (May 1972) until Robert Freeman assumed the position in July 1973. Following the resignation of Robert Freeman in 1996, James Undercofler was then appointed Director and Dean of the Eastman School, and held that position until he resigned in 2006 to accept the position of CEO and President of thePhiladelphia Orchestra.
Jamal Rossi, an Eastman alumnus, was appointed Interim Dean of the Eastman School in April 2006. On May 21, 2007, composer/conductor Douglas Lowry, formerly the dean of theUniversity of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, was appointed Dean of the Eastman School, to begin serving in 2007.[5] Following Lowry's death in 2013, Rossi was appointed Dean.
The Eastman School occupies parts of five buildings in downtownRochester, New York. The main hall includes the renovated 3,094-seat Eastman Theater, the 455-seat Kilbourn Hall, the 222-seat Hatch Recital Hall, and offices for faculty.
TheEastman Theatre opened in 1922 as a center for music, dance, and silent film with orchestral and organ accompaniment. Today, the 3,094-seat theatre is the primary concert hall for the Eastman School's larger ensembles, including its orchestras, wind ensembles, jazz ensembles, and chorale. Also, the Eastman Opera Theatre presents fully staged operatic productions in the theatre each spring. It also is the principal performance venue for theRochester Philharmonic Orchestra. A $5 million renovation of the theatre was completed in 2004. The theatre is located at 60 Gibbs Street, on the corner of Main and Gibbs Streets. Due to a $10 million donation by Eastman Kodak Inc. in April 2008, the Eastman Theatre was officially renamed "Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre" upon the renovation's completion in 2010.
TheSibley Music Library—the largest academic music library in North America,[6] is located across the street from the main hall.Hiram Watson Sibley founded the library in 1904 using the fortune he made as first president ofWestern Union. It moved to its current location in 1989, and occupies 45,000 square feet (4,200 m2) on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors of the Miller Center, formerly known as Eastman Place. The Sibley Music Library currently holds almost 750,000 items, ranging from 11th century codices to the latest compositions and recordings. Considered among its jewels are the original drafts ofDebussy's impressionistic masterpiece, "La Mer".
TheStudent Living Center, which is located at 100 Gibbs Street, is the dormitory building of the Eastman School of Music. In 1991, the new building was opened at the corner of Main and Gibbs Streets, replacing the University Avenue dormitories built nearly 70 years earlier. It is a four-story quadrangle and 14-story tower surrounding a landscaped inner courtyard, and contains its own dining hall. The majority of students enrolled in the undergraduate program live on campus in this building.
The school offersBachelor of Music (BM) degrees,Master of Arts (MA) degrees,Master of Music (MM) degrees,Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees, andDoctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degrees in many musical fields. The school also awards a "Performer's Certificate" or "Artist's Diploma" to students who demonstrate exceptionally outstanding performance ability. The Institute for Music Leadership, which was formed in 2001, offers a variety of diploma programs designed to educate and give students the skills and experience necessary to meet the demands of performance and education in today's changing musical world. In 2018, The Institute for Music Leadership created aMaster of Arts degree in Music Leadership for musicians who seek to lead traditional or non-traditional musical arts organizations.
In 2024,Billboard named the Eastman School of Music as the Top Music Business School.[7]
Eastman alumni include jazz bassistRon Carter, singerRenée Fleming, bass-baritoneWilliam Warfield,[8][9] Canadian Brass co-founderCharles Daellenbach, cellistRobert deMaine, drummerSteve Gadd, bassistTony Levin, flugelhornistChuck Mangione, author and journalistMichael Walsh, trumpeterAllen Vizzutti, scholarHorace Clarence Boyer and composersThomas Henderson Kerr, Jr.,Maria Schneider,Robert Paterson, andCardon V. Burnham. Current faculty include musicians and pedagogues like theYing Quartet,Anthony Dean Griffey,Katherine Ciesinski andPaul O'Dette.
43°9′27.63″N77°36′5.18″W / 43.1576750°N 77.6014389°W /43.1576750; -77.6014389
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