Eastman Community Music School (ECMS)

06/03/2025

🎶 Springfest Week 2 is in full swing!

We had an exciting weekend of performances, and there’s still so much more to enjoy — from Brass Ensembles to World Music, to the Voice Department and the Young Eastman String Recitals. Catch it all now through Saturday night! 🎷🌍🎤

📅 Full schedule available on our website: https://www.esm.rochester.edu/community/springfest/

05/30/2025

🎶 Charlie Polvino - ECMS Honors Recital 🎶

Join us Sunday, June 1 at 2:30pm in Hatch Recital Hall to celebrate the incredible talents of Charlie Polvino as he takes the stage for his Honors Recital!

A passionate jazz musician, Charlie is currently a student of Mike Melito and has studied jazz drumset since 6th grade, with recent performances including the NYSSMA All-State Instrumental Jazz Ensemble as a pianist. He’s been a standout member of the Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra and will be heading to SUNY Fredonia this fall to pursue music education.

Come hear a young artist with a deep love of jazz, immense talent, and a bright future ahead.

🎹🥁 Don’t miss it!

05/29/2025

🌞 Explore music this summer at ECMS! 🎶
Check out a few of our exciting summer programs — and don’t wait: registration closes June 1!

🥁 Gamelan Workshop
🎹 Keyboard Explorations
🎼 Summer Studio Orchestra
🎻 Mandolin Workshop

Whether you're trying something new or expanding your skills, there's something for everyone at the Eastman Community Music School this summer!

Explore ECMS Summer Programs here: https://www.esm.rochester.edu/community/ecms-summer-offerings/

05/28/2025

🎻 Abigail Feng – ECMS Honors Recital 🎻
Celebrate the artistry of cellist Abigail Feng at her Eastman Community Music School Honors Recital on Saturday, May 31 at 10:30 AM in Hatch Recital Hall!

A gifted young musician currently studying with Professor David Ying, Abigail has earned numerous accolades, including winning the 2024 Syracuse Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition, the Civic Morning Musicals–The Syracuse Orchestra Youth Concerto Competition, and the CNYAMT Instrumental Competition (Senior Strings Division). She has performed as a soloist with The Syracuse Orchestra and held principal roles in top ensembles such as the Syracuse Young Artists Orchestra and the NYSSMA All-State Symphonic Orchestra.

An avid chamber musician, Abigail is a member of the ECMS Honors String Trio and a winner of the Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music Youth Competition with the Amicus Quintet.

This fall, Abigail will take the next step in her musical journey as a cello performance major at The Juilliard School. Don’t miss this inspiring morning of music by one of ECMS’s most accomplished young artists.

05/27/2025

Don't forget: Auditions for the Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra are next week in Messinger 1!

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

Sign up for an audition time today: https://www.esm.rochester.edu/community/course/eastman-youth-jazz-orchestra/

🎷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!

🎺🎼

05/25/2025

🎻 Peyton Crony – ECMS Honors Recital 🎻

Join us in celebrating the incredible talent of violist Peyton Crony on Wednesday, May 28 at 8:30 PM in Hatch Recital Hall for her Eastman Community Music School Honors Recital!

A dedicated and passionate musician from Rochester, Peyton studies with Roberta Zalkind and has participated in elite programs like Meadowmount, Bowdoin, Green Mountain, and Eastman Classical Studies. She recently made her debut with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, won 1st place in the Omega Psi Phi Talent Hunt, and was named Musician of the Year by the Rochester Education Foundation. Peyton also received the Douglas Lowry Award and held principal chair in the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

As she graduates with both a high school double major in viola and piano and a Pre-Collegiate Diploma in Viola with Honors — the highest distinction from ECMS — Peyton looks ahead to continuing her musical journey at the New England Conservatory of Music.

Come witness this milestone performance by an extraordinary young artist. 🎶
Free and open to the public.

05/21/2025

🎶 Eastman@Washington Square Presents: The Honors Finale 🎶

Join us for the final concert of the season, celebrating three outstanding young musicians from the ECMS Honors Program:
🎻 Abigail Feng, cello
🎻 Peyton Crony, viola
🥁 Charlie Polvino, drumset

Stop by this Thursday afternoon on May 22, at 12:15 pm at the First Universalist Church of Rochester! Don’t miss the 28th and final performance in this year’s Eastman@Washington Square Lunchtime Concert Series. This event is free and open to the public — come enjoy an afternoon of incredible talent and music! 🎵

05/20/2025

🌸 Week 1 of Springfest 2025 is in full swing! 🌸

We kicked things off with an incredible performance by the New Horizons Big Band last night in Kilbourn Hall — and there’s so much more to come!

TODAY'S LINEUP
🎶 New Horizons Brass Ensembles – 4:30 PM, Hatch Recital Hall
🎷 New Horizons Green Jazz Ensemble & Jazz Ensemble – 6:30 PM, Kilbourn Hall
🎻 New Horizons String Orchestras – 7:30 PM, Kodak Hall

Come celebrate the joy of music all week long with more amazing New Horizons concerts and more Springfest performances in Week 2! 🎼

📅 View the full schedule: https://www.esm.rochester.edu/community/springfest/

05/14/2025

Eastman@Washington Square Presents: Gracias a la Vida: Music & Poetry of Chile

Join tenor Pablo Bustos and pianist Priscilla Yuen as they present the highlights of the cultural richness of Chile! This concert will feature musical settings by Chilean composers and poetry by Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda.

Stop by tomorrow afternoon on May 15, at 12:15 pm at the First Universalist Church of Rochester for the twenty-seventh performance of the Eastman@Washington Square Lunchtime Concert Series. This event is free and open to the public!

05/09/2025

🎸 Highlights from the 3rd ECMS Youth Guitar Competition! 🎶

Held on May 3rd, this inspiring event showcased talented young guitarists from the Elementary and Middle School divisions. The competition was judged by Matthew Ardizzone and Anthony LaLena!

🎉 Congratulations to our “Top Performers” who were selected to perform at Rochester Classical Guitar’s Guitar Night at the Little Theater on May 4th:

• Sabine DeFelice
• Senthalir Rajamanikam
• Nicolas Weinstein
• Henry Hurley

05/06/2025

Eastman@Washington Square Presents: Guitar Roots

Join Eastman alum and graduate dean, Matthew Ardizzone, for a solo classical guitar program rooted in folk music and features pieces by Leo Brouwer, Edward Flower, and Joaquín Rodrigo.

Stop by Thursday afternoon on May 8, at 12:15 pm at the First Universalist Church of Rochester for the twenty-sixth performance of the Eastman@Washington Square Lunchtime Concert Series. This event is free and open to the public!