Lessons for Musicians
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Brandon Elliott and Dale Trumbore, co-authors of “Composing a Living: A Music Creator’s Guide to Money, Relationships, and Business.” Elliott and Trumbore interviewed 28 composers to compile advice and information that supports a composer’s journey, including negotiating contracts, understanding copyright, diversifying income, and more. Both discuss their personal journey…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Cori Trenczer’ 24E about Smorgasbord for Your Fingerboard: an e-book in level-order of pieces for solo cello by a diverse roster of composers. Cori won an IML Mentorship grant to support their research and development of this book, and discusses the insights gained through those conversations and what learners…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Victoria Paterson ’93. Victoria’s career has spanned over twenty years of touring productions and performing on Broadway, creating and leading the Mostly Modern Projects and Festival, and contracting musicians in New York to perform in hospitals. Victoria provides advice to musicians on finding and creating opportunities, and illustrates the…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Norman Menzales, flautist and Eastman alum who is a first-generation Filipino-American and active advocate for the rich culture and musical traditions of the Philippines. Menzales received a Paul R Judy Center for Innovation and Research Grant to support the Sampaguita Flute Project and the recording of Panoramas: Flute Music…
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In this episode, Eastman grad student Syara Robert hosts a conversation about the ways musicians can optimize their performance. Two Eastman faculty share their perspectives: Katie Fittipaldi discusses her journey with Alexander Technique and uses, and Lindsay Baker shares her thoughts on consent and her role as an intimacy director.
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In this episode, Jeff chats with the Kuo Duo, Cass Lo and Daniel Davis, about their recording project funded in part by an IML Mentorship Grant. Joined by the composer and Eastman professor Matt Curlee, the discussion centers on the percussion duo’s mission, the ups and downs of the recording, and concepts to bear in…
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In this week’s episode, join Jeff Dunn as he speaks with alum Ashley Schlusselberg ’25E, discussing Ashley’s experiences as a student at Eastman, exploring her Jewish identity through music, and how she built connections with the local Jewish community of Rochester. As one of the first recipients of Eastman’s AMP Up Grant, Ashley was able…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with guitarist, educator, and author Adrian DiMatteo ’12E about his unique journey. Adrian is the founder of the Sonic Institute, which offers experiential workshops, training programs, music lessons, healing sessions and events designed to help people connect with sound and music as a tool for meditation and healing. Adrian also…
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In this episode, Jacob Rose ’24 chats with Dr. Mark Powell ’19E (DMA), Director of Orchestral Activities and Senior Lecturer at the Arthur Satz Department of Music on the University of Rochester’s River Campus. Dr. Powell speaks about his musical journey – from his early inspirations and experiences as a conductor to his time at…
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In this episode, graduate students Uday Singh and Julian Stuart-Burns chat with team members of Eighth Blackbird about the ensemble’s history, growth, and initiatives. Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the GRAMMY award-winning ensemble, Matthew Duvall, shares the evolution of the group and how the organization’s mission has evolved. Garrett Obrycki ’13E expands by adding his journey…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with members of Blacktop Percussion, Brandon Berlanga, Michael-Lee Smith, and John Dawson, about their project “Scintillations,” which was funded in part by an IML Mentorship Grant. The percussionists discuss creating their group, their first project, and the challenges in creating a new commission. “Scintillations” composer Sebastian Zhang joins the conversation to share…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with members of District5, a DC-based wind quintet unafraid to program the seemingly impossible, and winners of a Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research Grant. District5’s grant funded “The QUEEN-tet Project: A Symphonic Drag Story Hour,” a collaboration including Tara Hoot, an award-winning DC-based drag queen, and composer Christen…
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This episode features Vincent Huang ’22E (MM), recipient of an IML Mentorship Grant for his project, the China International Low Brass Elite Seminar. Hear about Vincent’s decision to study abroad in the US and his creation of the Seminar, offering masterclasses, lectures, and concerts for all levels of students in Nanjing, China. Joined by Professors…
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In this episode, Jeff sits down with Rick McRae, Catalog/Reference Librarian at the Sibley Music Library, where he primarily catalogs Eastman-related materials such as dissertations, concerts, and recital recordings. Rick shares his journey to becoming a music librarian, as well as insights on the value of staying open to new career opportunities while keeping a creative…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Chad Smith ’98E (MM), saxophonist and woodwind artist. Chad discusses his varied experiences touring, performing on Broadway for shows such as Wicked and Threepenny Opera, among other live performance and recording in both New York and Los Angeles. Additionally, Chad speaks about his teaching and development of a multi-woodwind…
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In this episode, IML Associate Director Blaire Koerner chats with Eastman alumna, English harpist, educator, and actor Dr. Rosanna Moore. Moore talks about the challenges, opportunities, and suggestions for international musicians who aim to study and work in the United States. She will discuss the steps she took to gain her positions and visa status in America,…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Alexander Davis, founder and Artistic Director of Sugar Hill Salon, and Brianna Garcon, the Director of Development, about their organization and a series of concerts in Jackie Robinson Park funded in part by a Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research Grant. Sugar Hill Salon is one of…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Eastman alum and IML Mentorship Grant winner Michael Witt. Witt discusses the Zephyr Ensemble, a group he founded that brings together the aspects of the modern wind ensemble and mold it into a chamber setting. He shares his goals and inspiration for creating this group, the changes in his…
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In this podcast, Eastman alumni Noah Sesling ’22E and Chris Dingstad ’04E discuss their roles as arts and orchestral managers, offering valuable insights and advice for students aspiring to enter this career or hoping to obtain a manager in the future. They also reflect on how their education at Eastman has shaped their professional journeys.…
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Join a community of leaders this summer at the Eastman Leadership Conference. Recorded live this past summer, hear from participants as they finish one of the many activities over the course of the 3 1/2-day experience. Capped at only 35 participants, this intimate conference is for current and aspiring deans, associate/assistant deans, department chairs, and any…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Glenn McClure, eco-musician and composer, about his path travelling the world and capturing the voice of the Earth. McClure discusses his compositional approach to translating natural mathematical data into music, his time with the European Space Agency, and his travels to Antarctica through the U.S. National Science Foundation. He…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with the members of 3D Percussion about their performance of Refract in Chicago in the summer of 2024. 3D Percussion’s mission is to connect with audiences by curating creative musical experiences that we believe in, and includes Youngkyoung Lee ’24E (DMA), Sammy DeAngelis ’23E (MM), and Emma Gierszal ’20E (MM) ’24E (DMA). …
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In this episode, flutist Laura Lentz discusses her blog, her time abroad in Italy, and framing concerts in a meaningful way for audience members. Her blog, the Insightful Creative, is designed to promote shared understanding and empathy in an artistic space. She also speaks to her work as the artistic director of fivebyfive, an “award-winning,…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Leah Schuman ’96E (MM) ’01E (DMA), Associate Professor of Trumpet at the VanderCook College of Music, and the Executive Director of One City, VanderCook College’s community program. One City provides free music lessons, rehearsals and instruments to students from Chicago’s local elementary schools and neighborhoods, and received a Paul R Judy…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Colin Crake ’19E, saxophonist and co-founder of the Hana Hou Music Program. The Hana Hou Music Program has a mission to develop, advocate, and provide music education in Maui, Hawai’i, and to serve as a free musical resource to the community regardless of background, artistic ability, or economic circumstance. Colin won…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Alexa Tarantino ’14E, a jazz saxophone and woodwind artist, composer, and educator based in New York City. Alexa discusses her journey as a touring musician, recording artist, and educator, and talks about her balance of creative projects and endeavors. Alexa offers ideas and reflections to those considering recording and educational…
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In this episode, Rachel Roberts is joined by Jamal Rossi, the Joan and Martin Messinger Dean of the Eastman School of Music. Dean Rossi reflects on his leadership journey, navigating differences between institutions, and his next steps as he steps down from his role at Eastman.
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In this episode, Rachel Smith chats with Alecia Lawyer, the Founder, Artistic Director, and Principal Oboe of ROCO. Based in Houston, Texas, ROCO is a dynamic and innovative professional chamber orchestra that flexes from 1 to 40 musicians from all over the US and Canada, with guest conductors from around the globe. Alecia discusses her…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Tiffany Valvo ’12E (MM) ’16E (DMA), a devoted teacher, digital content strategist, classically trained clarinetist, and a high-energy human. Tiffany shares her story about life during and after her doctorate at Eastman, her time as a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, and her experience with the Digital Clarinet Academy.…
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Daniel Pesca joins us to discuss his career as a solo pianist, chamber musician, and composer as he arrives at Eastman as an Assistant Professor of Composition. He speaks about his roles as a founding member of the Grossman Ensemble and co-director Zohn Collective; a useful listen for any musician interested in managing ensembles and…
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Brad Lubman talks about the complex following behind new music – how some people really enjoy it, but others shun it – and how that cycle has repeated throughout history. Discussing Mahler, Stravinsky, Ligeti, Xenakis, and others, Lubman expands on the notion of what “new music” is and how it has been examined throughout history.
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Joshua Conyers, a GRAMMY-nominated baritone and Assistant Professor of Voice at the Eastman School of Music. Professor Conyers discusses his journey into the worlds of opera and higher education, and his experiences telling both fictional and factual stories through opera.
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In this week’s episode, IML Director Rachel Roberts has a conversation with Eric Booth, a renowned teaching artist whose work has inspired thousands more across the globe to engage with students of all ages on how art impacts us in so many ways in our lives. Join them as they discuss Eric Booth’s new book,…
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In today’s episode, Jeff Dunn and IML Director Rachel Roberts chat with the faculty members for the 2023 and 2024 Eastman Leadership Academy: a week-long, online program for current undergraduate and graduate music students who are interested in becoming leaders in their profession. These faculty members, Monique Van Willingh and Sarah Forestieri, discuss their backgrounds…
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In this episode, Jeff chats with educator and trombonist Catie Hickey ’07E about Brass Beyond Binaries, a new organization empowering female and gender expansive musicians. Catie discusses her journey after graduating from Eastman, and the challenges of making impact as a freelance musician.
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In this episode, Jeff chats with IML Mentorship Grant winner Stephanie Tateiwa about her album “Journey in Passion”, and finding inspiration with her colleagues here at Eastman. Stephanie discusses some of the cultural influences that are present in her album, discovering her voice through music from a young age, and how that has led to…
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In this episode, Jeff Dunn sits down with Adam Sadberry during his visit back to Eastman to talk about Adam’s recent career shift going from an orchestra musician to a freelancer. Adam discusses his passion for making music on his own terms, as he embarks on a new chapter in his career with a focus…
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In this episode, Rachel Smith interviews Gavin Chuck, the Executive Director of Alarm Will Sound. This professional ensemble grew out of a student-led ensemble at the Eastman School of Music, OSSIA, and the members now enjoy diverse portfolio careers. Rachel and Gavin discuss educational systems, new music, and the modern musical canon.
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In this episode, Jeff chats with Ben Jalensky, a current Eastman student pursuing a Master’s degree in Trombone Performance and Literature. Ben is one of the founders of the Sacred Heart Chamber Music Summit, which launched in the summer of 2023 and was supported in part by an IML Mentorship Grant. Ben is joined by…
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In this episode, ESM alumna Megan Goodsell ’22E (MM) speaks about her project, Tuneful, as well as her current teaching endeavors and other work at the Eastman School of Music. Tuneful is a set of online resources for teaching all band kinds to be independent musicians, and was supported in part by an IML Mentorship…
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In this episode, ESM alumna Vanessa Rose ’98E, Executive Director of the American Composers Forum, discusses the recently released digital media resource titled “Anatomy of a Commission,” supported in part by a Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research Grant. Joining the conversation is Melissa Ngan ’02E, President and CEO of the American Composers…
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In this episode, the four members of the Kilbourn Quartet discuss their project “Storytellers: A Student Composition Workshop.” These four undergraduate students were winners of an IML Mentorship Grant, which supported this project to engage young learners in the compositional process.
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In this episode, IML student-staff Rachel Smith discusses the Context Conference with Eastman Associate Dean of Equity and Inclusion Crystal Sellers Battle. Dr. Battle is leading the Context Conference at the Eastman School of Music November 3-4, 2023, and discusses the need of such an event. More at esm.rochester.edu/context.
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In this first episode of a new season, now under the name “Careers in Crescendo: Lessons for Musicians”, host Jeff Dunn chats with Rachel Smith (B.M. Applied Music) about all of the offerings of the Institute for Music Leadership. Smith, who is on the IML Production Team as student staff and a Fellow in the…
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In this episode, ESM faculty Lisa Caravan and Alden Snell discuss their project “Expanding the Curriculum: Commissioning Diverse Repertoire for Intermediate Band and Orchestra,” along with the commissioned composer, Brittany Green. This project was funded in part by a Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research Grant, and highlights how a composer can engage…
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ESM student Rachel Smith chats with Aliana de la Guardia, Artistic Director of Guerilla Opera (Boston, MA), and composer Emily Koh about HER | alive.un.dead: a concert-length media opera about three generations of Asian women in a single family written by Koh.
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In this episode, IML Director Rachel Roberts sits down with former Boston Symphony CEO Mark Volpe (’79E) to discuss leadership, management, and his experience leading major orchestras in the United States. Volpe is an alum of the Eastman School of Music, and the 2023 Commencement Ceremony speaker.
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How do you evaluate your graduate school offers? What should a musician consider when applying in the first place? In this episode, we hear from Dr. Matthew Ardizzone, the Marie Rolf Dean of Graduate Studies at the Eastman School of Music. Ardizzone discusses the factors that applicants should consider when pursuing graduate school, as well…
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In this podcast, Eastman alumni Liza Malamut and Ben David Aronson discuss forming their chamber group Incantare, a consort of sackbuts and violins that highlights the musical and cultural connections of under-explored musicians from the Renaissance and early Baroque periods. The cofounders talk about navigating the needs of the chamber group, connecting with audiences, and…
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NYC cellist Laura Metcalf is one of the founders of The Overlook: an uptown New York City string quartet amplifying the music of Black Composers. This ensemble was a product of the challenges faced in 2020, and acted in response to the murder of George Floyd.
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ESM alum Russell Rybicki moved back to his home state of Texas not long before the COVID pandemic slammed the breaks on live orchestra concerts. After a tumultuous time with the San Antonio Symphony, Russell shares his experiences with the San Antonio Philharmonic and the way an orchestra is emerging from ashes of its predecessor,…
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ESM alum Scott Stratton transitioned away from a career as a full-time trombonist and educator, and now works as a Certified Financial Planner. In this episode, Scott details his journey to make changes to suit his ambitions, while still making music regularly.
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Michael Wayne joined the Eastman School of Music faculty in the fall of 2021 as the Associate Professor of Clarinet, having prior performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, and the Kansas City Symphony. In this episode, Zach Goldstein chats with Michael about his career journey and values that led him to his new…
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Dr. Blaire Koerner gives her final thoughts for our career miniseries: Educate yourself outside of school!
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PhD candidate Pallas Catanella interviews Molly Sonsteng about how she left academia to co-found Madcap Factory and Caveday – two very different but related ventures.
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Our host, Stephen Biegner, interviews Eastman’s career advisor, Dr. Blaire Koerner about sustainable work and mental health.
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Our host, Stephen Biegner, interviews Eastman’s career advisor, Dr. Blaire Koerner about unions.
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Our host, Stephen Biegner, interviews Eastman’s career advisor, Dr. Blaire Koerner about finding health care and benefits as a professional musician.
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Our host, Stephen Biegner, interviews Eastman’s career advisor, Dr. Blaire Koerner about the ins and outs of artist management.
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Our host, Stephen Biegner, interviews Eastman’s career advisor, Dr. Blaire Koerner about freelancing.
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Our host, Stephen Biegner, interviews Eastman’s career advisor, Dr. Blaire Koerner about becoming a full-time, tenured faculty member.
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Our host, Stephen Biegner, interviews Eastman’s career advisor, Dr. Blaire Koerner about graduate school.
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Our host, Stephen Biegner, interviews Eastman’s career advisor, Dr. Blaire Koerner about building your professional network.
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Our host, Stephen Biegner, interviews Eastman’s career advisor, Dr. Blaire Koerner about gaining experience during school and in the beginning of one’s career.
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ALPer and tuba performance student Tessa Nojaim interviews Ari Solotoff about how he made the pivot from orchestra manager to entertainment lawyer.
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Listen to Dalanie Harris interview Garrett McQueen about recent DEI initiatives at various conservatories and organizations.
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Listen to our conversation with Dalanie Harris and Katie Brown – hosts of Classically Black.