2017

For years, Robert and Victoria Paterson (both Eastman alumni) envisioned starting a summer music festival. With the success of American Modern Ensemble, a thriving boutique record label now in its 13th season, and robust lives as musicians in New York City, Robert and Victoria decided it was time to expand their mission with a broad educational component that serves composers, singers, and instrumentalists world-wide.

The Mostly Modern Festival will launch its inaugural season in June of 2018.

Zachary Preucil is a current D.M.A. candidate in Cello Performance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received his M.M. and Arts Leadership Certificate from Eastman in 2014 as a Pi Kappa Lambda inductee, and B.M. with honors from the New England Conservatory in 2012. He has been on the faculties of the Music Institute of Chicago, the Kanack School of Musical Artistry, and Music for Youth.

Pianist Evelyn Dias has performed in the United States, France, the Czech Republic and her native country of India. She has collaborated with flutist/composer Gary Schocker and British violinist Madeleine Mitchell among others. A former instructor at Northwestern University, Chicago’s Merit School of Music and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, she is currently involved with Child’s Play (India) Foundation

Jessica Wilkins is a multifaceted musician with a diverse performance and composition career. Jessica currently resides in Los Angeles, CA as an active freelance oboist, private lesson teacher and owner of JDW Sheet Music. She has also launched a unique storytelling program incorporating solo oboe music with children’s literature.