Dear Students and Families,
Happy December!
This month is probably the busiest month for musicians and families – schools have final ensemble recitals, studio teachers are busy with year-end performances, and each venue from small congregations to professional orchestras has special seasonal musical productions. In addition to live music each radio station, store, and restaurant is blasting favorite hits. Not to forget holiday gatherings with musical choices by the party host - I hope your family has a good taste or at least let’s you have some say in selection!
Whatever the tradition, I sincerely hope that music is present in your life throughout the holiday season and that your gatherings are enriched through the music. There is something satisfying in a circular nature of holiday music and the anticipation we have to hear some pieces once December comes.
In addition to my favorite versions, each year I am amazed to hear new versions of well-known songs. The creativity that artists apply to reimagine old hits in a new ‘garb” seems to be inexhaustible. Nothing is spared – rhythmic structure, meter, harmony, are all fair game to be changed, not to speak of arrangements!
This year we will probably hear new versions of songs we’ve known our entire life. Whether we like them or not will be up to us to decide and our taste will differ. As your senses are getting saturated with sounds, here is my recipe: try to analyze and explain why you like one version and need to leave the room when you hear another. It’s not always easy to put in words how we feel and why we react in different ways to what we hear. By doing the introspective look into our preference we might not change our taste, but hopefully our “research” will help us understand our limitations and perhaps make an effort to embrace something new.
My best wishes for a fantastic musical experiences in the upcoming holiday season!
Sincerely,
Dr. Kodzas
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This is the time of year to take stock of what we are thankful for, and, of course, we believe music making is one of those! Over the past 10 months, Charles Courtsal (organ student of Stephen Kennedy) has been learning "Fantasy for Organ" by Emma Lou Diemer. He recently had the opportunity to showcase his hard work on the Hope-Jones organ of the First Universalist Church.
Well done, Charles! Your time and dedication to this piece shows in your playing!
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Inside this issue:
Featured this Month
Dates to Remember
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From December 15-16, join us in celebrating this year's rendition of a yearly holiday tradition: Winterfest! This year's festivities will feature performances by ECMS students of all ages throughout the day in Lowry Hall, Kilbourn Hall, Hatch Recital Hall, and the Rettner Community Music Center. For more information in the weeks to come, as well as the schedule of the weekend's events. Check back in at https://www.esm.rochester.edu/community/winterfest/
All events are free and open to the public! We look forward to seeing you there!
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The RPYO would like to offer a resounding BRAVO to Friana Engineer (violin) and Tristan Zhang (oboe) for being selected as this season’s Concerto Competition winners. Friana will be performing the first movement of Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole and Tristan will be performing the first movement of Mozart’s Oboe Concerto with the RPYO on our spring concert in Kodak Hall. Please join us in celebrating what is sure to be a thrilling afternoon of music on June 9th at 3:00pm. Tickets are available on rpyo.org!
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IMPORTANT DATES
Complete academic calendars can be found online.
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Friday, December 1 - Spring 2024 Financial Aid Application Deadline
Friday, December 15 - Saturday, December 16
Winterfest
Tuesday, December 19 - Monday, January 1 - Holiday recess
Monday, January 15 -
Martin Luther King Jr. Day recess
Monday, January 22 -
last day of fall instruction
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ECMS recitals and concerts - as well as free concerts by Eastman collegiate students and faculty - are listed on Eastman's Events Calendar. For a list of ECMS student recitals, please visit the ECMS website. Most ECMS recitals and concerts will be livestreamed, with selections uploaded to the ECMS YouTube Channel.
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December 2
ECMS Student Showcase Recital
4:30pm Kilbourn Hall
December 3
ECMS Student Showcase Recital
4:30pm Hatch Recital Hall
December 7
Eastman@Washington Square: Maple String Quartet
12:15pm First Universalist Church
New Horizons Big Band Concert
1:00pm Eastside YMCA
December 9
ECMS General Recitals
3:30pm Howard Hanson Hall
5:30pm Howard Hanson Hall
New Horizons Symphonic Band Holiday Concert
4:00pm Brighton Highschool
December 11
New Horizons Big Band Concert
12:00pm Schottland Family
YMCA
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December 13
New Horizons Big Band Concert
5:00 pm Eastview Mall
December 14
Eastman@Washington Square: Holiday Jazz
12:15pm First Universalist Church
New Horizons Big Band Concert
2:00pm Brickstone
December 15
ECMS Alumni Recital
7:30pm in Hatch Recital Hall
New Horizons Big Band Concert
2:30pm The Highlands
December 16
ECMS Winterfest!
9:30am - 8:30pm
Lowry Hall, Kilbourn Hall,
Hatch Recital Hall, Rettner
Community Music Center (M1)
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Enjoy this playful piece, Allegro vivo from Quator pour flute, Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon by J. Francaix. The quartet consisted of Andrea Iqbal, flute; Susie Travis, oboe; Scout McKinnon, clarinet; and Bernadette Slattery, bassoon. The group was coached by Emily Hart.
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FINANCIAL AID DEADLINE FOR SPRING
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The Financial Aid application deadline for spring 2024 aid has been extended to Monday, December 4th. Students who received financial aid for the fall do not need to reapply, unless their financial status has changed.
We consider both need (based on income) and merit (based on a teacher recommendation). Learn more and find the application form here.
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HOLIDAY RECESSES AND OFFICE HOURS
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The ECMS holiday recess will be December 19 - January 1. During this period, there are no regularly scheduled lessons, classes or ensembles. Individual teachers may opt to schedule make-up lessons during these dates.
The ECMS Office will be open for business during the holiday as follows:
Monday, December 18: open 9am - 6
Tuesday - Wednesday, December 19 - 20: open 9am - 5pm
Thursday, December 21: open 9am - 4pm
Friday - Monday, December 22 - January 2: CLOSED
Tuesday, January 2: normal business hours resume
We wish all our students and families safe, happy, and musical holidays! |
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2023-24 WINTER EMERGENCY INFORMATION
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It is the policy of the University of Rochester to remain in operation and to continue regular services and schedules regardless of adverse weather conditions, transportation or utility problems, or general emergency situations.
After the decision to close or cancel classes has been made by senior administration, the Communications Office will contact news organizations. The Eastman community will find weather-related closings on broadcast and online media sites:
- WROC TV Channel 8 and online
- WHEC TV Channel 10 and online
- Time Warner Cable/Spectrum News and online
- WHAM TV Channel 13 / FOX Rochester
- CW 16-WHAM digital 13.2, Cable Channel 16 and online
- WXXI online at wxxinews.org (click on the 'closings' tab)
- WHAM 1180 AM.
Online notification will occur as soon as possible on ECMS's Facebook and Instagram, the University of Rochester's Information Line (275-6111), and the ECMS website home page as appropriate. Our phone number (274-1400) will be updated to reflect closings as well. |
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
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BUFFALO COMMUNITY GUITAR ORCHESTRA
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Sungmin Shin, Associate Professor of Practice at the University of Buffalo, invites all members of the WNY guitar community to participate in the Buffalo Community Guitar Orchestra Saturday, December 9 at the University of Buffalo. This is an opportunity open to guitarists of all ages (K-12, collegiate, and adult learners).
- The full dress rehearsal with everyone will take place in the concert hall at 2pm (sharp!) on the day of the concert. Musicians are expected to arrive by 1:45pm to
- If students are interested in attending additional rehearsals, there are two options:
- Friday, 12/1 at 4pm
- Friday, 12/8 at 5pm
- If interested, please fill out this Ensemble Participation Sign Up Form
- For more detailed information, click here!
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GSO YOUNG ARTIST COMPETITION
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 The Genesee Symphony Orchestra is excited about sponsoring its annual Young Artist Competition on March 23, 2024. This competition is open to music students, vocal and instrumental, in Grades 8-11. The Orchestra hopes to provide the opportunity for a high school-age student to perform with the Genesee Symphony Orchestra in its 2024-2025 concert season. The Music Director/Conductor and adjudication panel will make the final decision on the winner and their ability to solo with the orchestra.
To apply, visit GSO online here. There will be a non-refundable $20 fee.
The Competition will take place on the morning of Saturday, March 23, 2023 at the First Presbyterian Church, 300 Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020.
Applications must be received by Monday, March 4, 2024.
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Percussionist, Greta Laing from the 2023 Eastman Experience: Classical Studies program who studied with Kyle Peters. Here she is performing "Détourner le Regard" by Thomas Marceau. This piece certainly requires both focus and precision and she executed it perfectly!
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Uday Singh, ECMS saxophone intern and Eastman DMA student, advanced into the final 18 at the 8th Adolphe Sax International Competition in Dinant, Belgium. Held every four years in the city where the instrument’s inventor, Adolphe Sax, was born, it is the world’s most important classical saxophone competition, equivalent to the Queen Elisabeth Competition. Ninety-four candidates from around the world were selected to participate in the ‘live’ rounds in the competition where Uday was the only American to advance into the final 18.
