Eastman Community Music School (ECMS)

04/08/2025

Eastman@Washington Square Presents: The Ying Quartet

Join us on Thursday, April 10, at 12:15 pm at the First Universalist Church of Rochester to experience the Ying Quartet as they perform Schubert's Death and the Maiden Quartet. This will be the twenty-second performance of the Eastman@Washington Square Lunchtime Concert Series and is free and open to the public!

As quartet-in-residence at the Eastman School of Music, the Ying Quartet occupies a position of unique prominence in the classical music world, combining communicative performances with a fearlessly imaginative view of chamber music in today's world!

04/07/2025

Student Spotlight: Peyton Crony🎻🌟

At the recent Side-by-Side concert with the RPO and ROCMusic, our very own Peyton Crony performed as a featured soloist in an excerpt of Paul Hindemith's Der Schwanendreher. Peyton is a member of our diploma program, a viola student of Roberta Zalkind, the principal viola for RPYO, and a member of our chamber music program.

As a senior, Peyton has been an invaluable part of our community, and while we will miss her, we are so excited to see what the future holds for her. Brava, Peyton!

Head to the link in our bio to watch Peyton's stunning performance!

04/05/2025

Last weekend, the University at Buffalo International Guitar Festival hosted a Youth Competition, where all grand prize winners in the three youth divisions were members of our ECMS guitar ensembles! Two of the winners also study privately at ECMS with faculty members Lynn McGrath and Fredrik Jernberg.

Grand prizes were awarded based on the highest total score across three categories: Foundational Skills, Fretboard Musicianship, and Solo Performance. As part of the festival, Youth Ensemble students received a coaching session with Dr. Martha Masters and performed in the showcase recital. Several other ECMS students also participated in masterclasses and the Festival Community Ensemble, conducted by ECMS instructor Lynn McGrath.

🎶 Grand Prize Winners (each received a beautiful guitar and other prizes):
Elementary: Odin Chan
Middle School: Eddie Popp
High School: Phoebe Kirby

🎶 Additional Category Winners:
Elementary: Sabine DeFelice & Srutahm Maity – 3rd place in a category
Middle School: Senthalir Rajamanikam – 2nd place in a category,
Shaan Shrivastava – 3rd place in a category

Congratulations to all the participants and winners! 🌟👏

04/04/2025

Alum Highlight: Nadia Magalski

Congratulations to Nadia Magalski on her senior recital at ESM this past weekend! She first connected with double bass instructor Gaelen McCormick during a virtual Summer Classical program in 2020, and they spent a year working together through online lessons to prepare for her college auditions. Her dedication and hard work led her to Eastman, where she studied with Prof. JB VanDemark and reached this incredible milestone.

We are so proud of you, Nadia! 🌟

04/03/2025

This Saturday, April 5th, the Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra, directed by Herb Smith, will have two guests join them in rehearsal: legendary jazz musician, Bill Easley, and 15-time "Trombonist of the Year", Wycliffe Gordon!

Bill Easley, a fourth-generation musician, has had a diverse and accomplished career spanning 66 years. He began performing professionally at 13 with his parents' band in Olean, NY, before moving to New York City in 1964, studying part-time at Juilliard, and serving in the 9th Army Band. Easley played with the George Benson Quartet throughout the late 1960s and later built a versatile career in Memphis, collaborating with Isaac Hayes and touring with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Returning to New York in 1980, he became a staple on Broadway, performing in productions such as "Sophisticated Ladies", "The Wiz", and "Jelly's Last Jam". Easley recorded and toured with jazz legends including Wynton Marsalis, Ron Carter, and Mercer Ellington, while also leading seven albums of his own. His contributions to jazz repertory include work with The American Jazz Orchestra, The Smithsonian Jazz Orchestra, and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Honored by St. Bonaventure University in 1997, he remains an active musician, now residing in Ithaca, NY.

Wycliffe Gordon is a globally acclaimed trombonist, composer, and educator, celebrated for his signature sound, plunger technique, and unique vocals. Named the Jazz Journalists Association’s “Trombonist of the Year” a record-breaking 15 times and topping the *Downbeat* Critics Poll six times, he has also received prestigious honors like the Louie Award and the Satchmo Award. A prolific recording artist, Gordon’s work spans hundreds of recordings, soundtracks, and an extensive catalog of jazz and chamber compositions, including his arrangement of NPR’s *All Things Considered* theme. Leading the International All Stars, he performs at major festivals and venues worldwide while remaining a dedicated music educator and sought-after clinician.

04/02/2025

Eastman@Washington Square Presents: Shades of Blue with the Lazuli String Quartet

Join us tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, April 3, at 12:15 pm at the First Universalist Church of Rochester for the seventeenth performance of the Eastman@Washington Square Lunchtime Concert Series. This event is free and open to the public!

The budding Lazuli String Quartet explores color and dimension as a means of portraying beauty in the most beloved works of Claude Debussy.

03/30/2025

🎷Ready to swing into something amazing?🎺

Auditions for the Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra are coming up! This is your chance to be part of an elite jazz ensemble, learn from top musicians, and take your playing to the next level. 🎶

📅 Audition Dates:
🎵 Thursday, June 5th | 6:00 - 8:00 PM
🎵 Saturday, June 7th | 12:00 - 2:00 PM

🎼 What to Prepare:
- Students should plan on playing a NYSSMA-rated level jazz piece or bebop tune.
- Play over a blues of your choice.
- Drummers must demonstrate swing and Latin styles at various tempos, as well as solos.
- Besides great improvisers, we seek strong classical performers interested in jazz!

✨ Don’t miss this opportunity—visit the link in our bio to sign up today!

🎺🎼

03/28/2025

🎶✨ Join us for a special Side-by-Side concert with the RPO! ✨🎶

Experience the magic as ROCMusic students perform alongside the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in this inspiring community concert! This performance, led by conductor Jherrard Hardeman, celebrates the power of music education and collaboration.

📅 Wednesday, April 2
⏰ 7:00 PM
📍 Edgerton Recreation Center
🎟️ FREE – No tickets required!

This unforgettable evening will also feature Peyton Crony, viola. Peyton, who began her musical journey with ROCmusic many years ago, is now a senior at SOTA and the principal viola for the RPYO. She has also participated in several ECMS programs, and we’re excited to highlight her success as a testament to the impact of community music programs like ours! Peyton will be performing the solo in Hindemith’s Der Schwanendreher.

Come support the next generation of musicians and experience the joy of community music-making! 🎻✨

03/27/2025

Eastman@Washington Square Presents: Lomazov/Rackers Piano Duo

Join us tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, March 27, at 12:15 pm at the First Universalist Church of Rochester for the eighteenth performance of the Eastman@Washington Square Lunchtime Concert Series. This event is free and open to the public!

From Mozart to Stravinsky -- masterpieces of piano duo repertoire presented by Eastman Professors Marina Lomazov and Joseph Rackers.

03/25/2025

Chamber Music Masterclass on April 12th! Join us at 3pm in ESM 209 for a masterclass with cellist David Ying!

Cellist David Ying is well known to concert audiences as the cellist of the Grammy Award winning Ying Quartet. With the Quartet he has performed worldwide in celebrated music venues from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House. The quartet is also known for its enterprising view of concert performance, which has led to visits to the White House as well as correctional facilities, and to business schools as well as hospitals. In its collaborations, the quartet has performed with chamber music greats Menachem Pressler, Gilbert Kalish, and Paul Katz, as well as explored new musical territory with folk musician Mike Seeger, the Turtle Island Quartet, and even actors, dancers, chefs and magicians.

With the Quartet, David has created a wide range of recordings that have received consistent acclaim, as well as a Grammy Award and four Grammy nominations. Their recorded work ranges from traditional-­‐ Tchaikovsky’s three string quartets and his Souvenir de Florence-­‐ to contemporary-­‐ three albums of their LifeMusic commissions. It also includes unique collaborations with the Turtle Island Quartet, pianist Billy Childs, and Phish frontman Trey Anastasio. In October 2011, the quartet released the two string quartets and piano quintet of Anton Arensky (Sono Luminus).

David first pursued chamber music avidly as a teenaged student at the Eastman School of Music with his piano trio, which was awarded first prize at the Coleman Chamber Music Competition. Later he would also win the Naumburg Chamber Music Award, this time with the Ying Quartet. David is also highly regarded as an individual artist, having been awarded prizes in the Naumburg Cello Competition and in the Washington International Competition.

Head to our website to view his complete professional bio!

03/19/2025

🎶✨ Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Young Artist Auditions presented by the Rochester Philharmonic League! 🎉

These incredible young musicians wowed us with their talent at the Eastman School of Music, earning top honors in strings, piano, voice, and instrumental categories. Special recognition to the Grand Prize winner, Gabriel Kulick, who will have the opportunity to perform with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra!

👏 A huge round of applause to all participants—your dedication and artistry inspire us all!

03/16/2025

Violin Masterclass on March 22nd! Join us at 3pm in ESM 209 for a masterclass with violinist Robin Scott!

At home as a soloist, chamber musician, and concertmaster, violinist Robin Scott enjoys a broad musical career. He has competed internationally, winning 1st prizes in the California International Young Artists Competition and the WAMSO Young Artist Competition, and 2nd Prizes in the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition, the Irving M Klein International String Competition, and the Stulberg International String Competition. He has soloed with the Minnesota Orchestra, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre National de Lille (France), the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra and many others. He has given numerous recitals and performances throughout the United States and abroad, in such venues as Weill Hall and the Schubert Club in St. Paul.

As a chamber musician, he has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, Jordan Hall, the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum, the Perelman Theatre at the Kimmel Center, Weill Hall, the Morgan Library, and Town Hall in New York City. He has attended or appeared at various festivals, including Marlboro Music, Ravinia’s Steans Institute for Young Artists, the Yellow Barn Festival, the Kneisel Hall Festival, the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival, the Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival, MusicIC in Iowa City, and others. He has participated in various tours under the auspices of Marlboro and Ravinia.

Scott serves as concertmaster of the New York Classical Players. He has played with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra as guest principal 2nd violin, and with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic as guest concertmaster. From 2011-2013 he was concertmaster of and Artist in Residence with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra.

Head to our website to view his complete professional bio!

03/14/2025

🌸 Spring is here, and that means it's time to start planning your summer adventures! 🎶🌞

If you're an adult musician looking to grow, collaborate, and perform in a fun and inspiring setting, the Summer 2025 Adult Chamber Music Workshop is for you! 🎻🎺🎹

Join us July 25-27 for a weekend filled with rehearsals, coachings by professional musicians, and a chance to perform at Eastman’s Hatch Recital Hall! Whether you're part of a pre-formed group or looking to join one, this is your opportunity to refine your skills and make music.

📅 Registration Deadline: May 1, 2025—don't miss out! Head to our website or click the link in our bio to register today!

Tag a friend who should sign up with you, and let's make this summer one to remember! 💙🎶

03/14/2025

TONIGHT! Join us for our Community Day Celebration with the Penfield Symphony Orchestra!

For this free event, Kilbourn Hall opens at 7pm for a 7:30pm start. We hope to see you there!

🎶✨ Join us for an unforgettable night of music at the Eastman Community Music School’s Community Day Concert! 🎻🎺

On March 14 at 7:30 PM in Kilbourn Hall, enjoy a captivating performance by the Penfield Symphony Orchestra.

This incredible concert is FREE and open to the public, so bring your friends and family for a night of beautiful melodies and community spirit. 🎼💫

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the talent and passion of our local musicians! 🌟

🎵

03/12/2025

Eastman@Washington Square Presents: Duos from the 1910s

Join us tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, March 13, at 12:15 pm at the First Universalist Church of Rochester for the seventeenth performance of the Eastman@Washington Square Lunchtime Concert Series. This event is free and open to the public!

Enjoy an afternoon with cellist Jennifer Carpenter and pianist Gina Hyunmin Lee as they perform music by French female composers Lili and Nadia Boulanger!

03/12/2025

🎶 Relive the magic! 🎶 Recordings from our Student Showcase Recitals (2.9.25 & 2.16.25) are now live on our YouTube channel! 📽️✨ Subscribe and watch all our incredible performances! 🎼🎤🎻

The Eastman Community Music School (ECMS) is an acknowledged leader in the national community school movement. ECMS is a certified member of the National Guild of Community Arts Education and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. The ECMS was founded in 1921 by industrialist...

03/11/2025

This is happening this coming week. Come out and support the musicians !!!!

03/09/2025

Cello Masterclass on March 16th! Join us at 1pm in Messinger Hall 1 for a masterclass with cellist Sarah Kim!

Sarah Kim, D.M.A., is a cellist, professor, and arts leader, serving as the full-time cello professor at Miami University in Ohio. Previously, she taught at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. A celebrated educator, she was named the 2016 Ohio String Teachers Association Studio Teacher of the Year and received a Cincinnati Arts Association Overture Educator Award.

As a soloist and chamber musician, Kim has performed across North America, Europe, and South America, with broadcasts on WGN Chicago, Vermont Public Radio, and WGUC Cincinnati. She has appeared at international festivals such as the Festival de Music de Santa Caterina (Brazil), Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, and Brancaleoni International Music Festival (Italy). Her chamber collaborations include performances with members of the Cincinnati Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, L.A. Philharmonic, and renowned string quartets. A champion of new music by women composers, she has premiered works by Victoria Bond in Brazil and Germany.

A sought-after clinician, Kim has given masterclasses at prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Royal Danish Academy of Music, Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón, and the University of Michigan. She has also presented on practice efficiency and mindfulness for organizations such as the New World Symphony and Boston Conservatory. Additionally, she has adjudicated national competitions and developed pre-college programs at leading institutions.

Kim’s students have won top prizes in competitions like YoungArts, Fischoff, and Sphinx and have performed as soloists with major orchestras. A Minneapolis native, she earned degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Northwestern University, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, studying with Peter Howard, Steven Doane, and Hans Jørgen Jensen.

As co-founder of Ascent Music, Kim directs internationally attended chamber music and cello festivals, promoting music education and community outreach.