Joyce Tseng won a grant to create a first-of-its-kind pedagogical book concerning viola technique.  “While violin technique literature is extensive, comparable resources for the viola are limited. As a result, advanced violists and educators often rely on violin-based materials, even though the viola presents distinct physical demands related to size, string tension, response, and ergonomics. Most existing viola methods present technique through a single approach and are written as linear method books, making it difficult for players and early-career teachers to quickly identify and address specific technical issues. This project proposes the creation of a first-of-its-kind diagnostic guide for advanced viola technique. Instead of promoting a single technical system, the book will be organized around 77 common technical symptoms experienced by violists. Each entry will describe the problem, identify underlying causes, and present multiple solutions drawn from eight established schools of string pedagogy (including Auer, Flesch, Galamian, Rolland, Delay, Fischer, Primrose, Tuttle).”

Joyce Tseng is an experienced performer in a diverse range of musical styles and ensembles, having appeared with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Aspen Festival Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Joyce studied at the Ashkenasi/Kirshbaum Chamber Music Seminar at the Heifetz International Music Institute. She has delivered solo recitals at American Viola Society Festivals and Eastman School of Music, and her concerto highlights include the Hoffmeister Viola Concerto with the Macao Orchestra. Joyce is a two-time recipient of the Robert L. Oppelt Viola Prize, awarded annually to an outstanding violist at Eastman.

A dedicated educator, Joyce served as Teaching Assistant in Professor George Taylor’s viola studio and Secondary Viola Instructor at Eastman. She is currently a chamber ensemble coach at the University of Rochester. Currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Viola Performance and Literature under Phillip Ying, Joyce holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Eastman.

Aaron Seo won a grant for to create Overtone, a mobile app designed to help musicians practice more efficiently. “The purpose of Overtone is to help musicians who struggle to break pieces into manageable sections, track what they practiced, and stay consistent/organized. Oftentimes, musicians are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of repertoire they have to work through. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, reduced confidence and ultimately poor practicing. At the core of Overtone, its unique selling point is the ability for users to draw on their uploaded sheet music in order to create smaller sections. This currently does not exist within any other app on the market. This feature allows Overtone to offer various different practice strategies. The strategies that will be utilized come directly from neuroscientist and NEC professor, Molly Gebrian. The three main forms of practicing offered will be manual, interleaved and random practicing.”

The IML Mentorship grant supports independent creative projects led by matriculated Eastman students beyond the scope of their degree.  Please stay tuned to the IML website for future information on fall 2026 funding opportunities.  

     DMA student Connor Higley is going beyond the typical music industry positions and interning with University Health Services (UHS) in their Eastman department. “Eastman is the only major school of music with dedicated physical therapy for musicians, which makes it really special,” he says. Higley took an interest in UHS and their work based on his own experience struggling with performance injuries as a brass player and all of the frustrations that came with it. He is currently collaborating with Jack Earnhart, ESM and Certificate alumnus, on a project to design and build a more ergonomic tuba stand, receiving additional instruction in study design and statistics. The two are presenting their research and results at the Performing Arts Medicine Conference in New York City in July 2026.

Kaylynn Li, an undergraduate violinist, is focusing her internship efforts on chamber music with the bassoon and harp duo Hats + Heels. This chamber duo featuring IML’s own Blaire Koerner, bassoon and Rosanna Moore, harp, focuses on storytelling and education through innovative and theatrical performances. Li sought out this internship as a way to learn more about an independently run chamber group and is gaining skills she can take to her own chamber ensembles in the future beyond a university setting. “The biggest skill I’ve developed in this internship is learning how to advocate for myself, which I’ve been able to use throughout my classes and ensembles here at Eastman,” Li says.

Part of the storytelling aspect of Hats + Heel’s mission comes through their online series Tuneful Tales, a video production blending a new arrangement which has been paired with a legend, narrative, chronicle, poem, or even a piece of trivia from a variety of cultures. One project Li is looking forward to before the end of the semester is creating her own Tuneful Tales video. “Lots of the videos are about Irish heritage, since Rosanna lives there. They’ve encouraged me to dive into my own creativity and explore my heritage, so I’m making my video about Cantonese dim sum. The support I’m getting from them to explore my own voice in my work feels unique to this organization.”

Master’s student Nicole Khouzami is bringing her efforts to the Gateways Festival Orchestra as their Digital Communications and Productions Intern. The Gateways Festival Orchestra is an ensemble of the Gateways Music Festival, a New York-based non-profit organization whose mission is to connect and support professional classical musicians of African descent and enlighten and inspire communities through the power of performance. “As a vocalist, I wanted to experience what it’s like to work with an orchestra and learn about the inner workings of an organization like Gateways. Additionally, as an underrepresented person in classical music, I really relate to and support their unique mission.” Khouzami has been able to observe the flexibility required of an employee in the nonprofit arts space and develop communication and time management skills, all from a remote position.

Khouzami also currently holds a part time position as the Operations Manager for Stratagem Artists after winning an IML Special Opportunity Grant to intern with the organization last summer. “It was really interesting to explore the management side of the industry, something I was less familiar with. It was a life-changing experience that has led to some amazing opportunities, including my current position. They were very open to me taking on responsibility, which is where growth as a professional happens,” she says. “We have so many skills that we learn from music other than just how to play – collaboration, discipline, time-management – they all can be applied to so many other disciplines. It’s made me feel more empowered to embrace these skills beyond just onstage and in the practice room.”

Interested in becoming a Catherine Filene Shouse Arts Leadership Certificate of Achievement Candidate? Applications for the next cohort open July 1, 2026.