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Eastman Notes December 2003

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Eastman Notes December 2003 NOTES DECEMBER 2003 A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI OF THE EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC FROM THE EDITOR A new look for Notes Dear Eastman alumni: Notes has changed quite a bit. We wanted to try a fresh look, and happily our NOTES intrepid designer, Steve Boerner, did too. To complement Steve’s elegant, read- able design, we commissioned a cover by local artist David Cowles, who rendered the Eastman Jazz Quartet in his unique, colorful style, as seen in Entertainment Volume 22, Number 1 December 2003 Weekly, The New Republic, and many other magazines. Dave’s art defi nitely jazzes up Notes (so to speak). Published twice a year by the Offi ce of Communications The look is different, but our mission remains the same: “To enhance the Eastman School of Music continuing value of the Eastman experience.” The beginning of the “Eastman 26 Gibbs Street, Rochester, NY 14604 experience” is described in an excerpt from Vincent Lenti’s upcoming history (585) 274-1040 of the School; as for its continuing value, look no further than Charles Strouse’s [email protected] warm, funny speech from Commencement 2003. Editor Reports on the Luciano Berio Festival and the Roch- David Raymond ester International Jazz Festival demonstrate Eastman’s Assistant editor involvement in all kinds of music. Berio’s death last May Christina Zikos reminds me that this Notes also observes the passing of Contributing writers fi ve current and former faculty members. Sad news, but Martial Bednar Amy Blum all fi ve remain part of Eastman history, as outstanding mu- Christine Corrado sicians, dedicated teachers, and (as Vince’s reminiscence Jun Qian of Maria Luisa Faini bears out) colorful personalities. Contributing photographers DMA student Jun Qian’s trip to China last summer, Kurt Brownell sponsored by the Professional Development Commit- Gelfand-Piper Photography tee, demonstrates the School’s support of students and Bob Klein Photography Don Ver Ploeg faculty. I like students to report for Notes in their own Amy Vetter words, and Jun’s story is indeed his story (and, by the way, Will Yurman you couldn’t edit a nicer guy). Photography coordinator This is also a “web-friendly” Notes. With its recent redesign (see page 21), Amy Vetter Eastman’s website is now the major School “publication” and information source. Design This includes expanded alumni services, detailed by Christine Corrado (page 21). Steve Boerner Most of our alumni news comes via e-mail, and now it’s even easier for alumni Associate Director for Advancement to stay wired to Eastman. Susan Robertson Besides being even nicer to look at and utterly fascinating to read, we are now eco-friendly: starting with this issue, we are printing Notes on recycled paper (and thanks to the slight reduction in size, on less of it). Happy reading! We always welcome your comments, ideas, and reminiscences. Printed on recycled paper 50% post consumer Editor INSIDE CONVOCATION 3 Why are you drawn to music? BERIO FESTIVAL Director and Dean James Undercofl er asks FEATURES RARE 18 – and answers – a very basic question PERFORMANCES OF THE MASTER’S MUSIC COVER STORY 5 Jazz in the house (and in the Hall) Eastman jams at the second A LOOK AT EASTMAN Rochester International Jazz Festival 43 THE LATEST CD 14 CLARINET RELEASES BY EASTMAN STUDENT JUN QIAN FEATURES ALUMNI GOES ON A MUSICAL 8 “Eastman gave me music. MISSION TO CHINA Music gave me life” Charles Strouse ’47 recalls his Eastman days at Commencement 2003 12 The Eastman connection Historian Vincent Lenti draws the School’s A GRITTY, strands together 26 POSTMODERN MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S 14 A musical ambassador in China DREAM A Chinese clarinetist returns home to share his artistry SUMMER SESSION 4 STUDENTS SING 18 “The connections are what matter” AND DANCE THEIR Eastman celebrates the music of a modern WAY TO BROADWAY master, Luciano Berio 21 SCHOOL NEWS 29 DEPARTMENT NEWS 39 IN TRIBUTE 41 ALUMNI NOTES 49 FACULTY NOTES 50 CORRECTIONS 52 STUDENT NOTES ON THE COVER: Harold Danko calls it “Eastman’s boy band,” but jazz lovers call it the Eastman Jazz Quartet ON THE INTERNET: More news about the Eastman School of Music, (clockwise from top right): Jeff Campbell, Danko, Clay Jenkins, and Rich Thompson. including the full text of Notes and expanded alumni information, can be found online at www.rochester.edu/Eastman. COVER ILLUSTRATION BY DAVID COWLES December 2003 | Eastman Notes 1 Coming Events: 2004 Alumni Weekend 2004 Save the date! The next Alumni Weekend February 13 – 15 and Reunion will be held Friday, October 15 Eastman Opera Theatre; Poulenc: Dialogues through Sunday, October 17, 2004. of the Carmelites February 24 – 27 Are you Krzysztof Penderecki Festival celebrating February 24 a milestone Chamber Music Concert reunion year? February 27 5th Reunion Philharmonia Concert; Class of 1998 Brad Lubman, conductor; Class of 1999 Oleh Krysa, violin 10th Reunion Class of 1993 April 1 – 4 Class of 1994 Eastman Opera Theatre; 15th Reunion Carlisle Floyd: Susannah Class of 1988 Class of 1989 April 16 20th Reunion Eastman-Rochester Chorus/ Class of 1983 Class of 1984 Eastman School Symphony Held during the fall semester of even-numbered years, Orchestra; Beethoven: 25th Reunion Alumni Weekend offers all graduates of the Eastman Class of 1978 Missa Solemnis Class of 1979 School of Music the opportunity to return to Rochester May 19 – June 16 30th Reunion to reconnect and reminisce with fellow alumni, former Class of 1973 Eastman Wind Ensemble Class of 1974 teachers, and today’s Eastman students. Asian Tour (Japan, Taiwan, Hong 35th Reunion Kong, Macao, Singapore) Class of 1968 Plans for Alumni Weekend 2004 are in the beginning stages. Class of 1969 June 4 – 14 Watch your mailbox, email box, the Alumni Weekend 40th Reunion Rochester International Class of 1963 website (www.rochester.edu/alumni/weekend.php) and Jazz Festival Class of 1964 the next issue of Notes for news about programs, special 45th Reunion October 14 – 17 guests, accommodations, registration, attendees, and more. Class of 1958 Alumni Weekend 2004; Class of 1959 100th Anniversary 50th Reunion Class of 1953 of Sibley Music Library Class of 1954 55th Reunion Get involved in AW04 early – Class of 1948 be a Class or Studio Scribe! Class of 1949 60th Reunion Help spread the word about Alumni Weekend and Class of 1943 Reunion by staying connected with your friends and Class of 1944 colleagues. Class and Studio Scribe volunteers help to keep fellow alumni informed about plans for Alumni 65th Reunion Weekend while facilitating networking amongst alumni Class of 1938 and friends before, during, and after AW04. Class of 1939 To volunteer as a Class or Studio Scribe, email 70th Reunion Christine Corrado, Director of Alumni Relations, at Class of 1933 [email protected]. Class of 1934 2 Eastman Notes | December 2003 CONVOCATION Why are you drawn to music? Director and Dean It’s helpful to me, in my multifaceted job mirrored the American business world. In here, to remind myself often just how much our fi eld, a few record labels, a few dominant James Undercofl er I love music. In fact, at some important level, agents and publicists, a few large publishers, asks – and answers – I am enslaved by it, as I suspect all of you are. and a handful of large performance organiza- tions decided who and what would be heard. a very basic question Why are you drawn to music? It’s important The power structure of the music industry for you to be able to answer this question, in was clear and easy to understand. A talented your own mind especially, throughout your young student and his teacher could “write career, since the issues in the profession today a script” that would take him or her to a are so very challenging and complicated. career. For example, a young violinist’s fi rst Most of us come to music as a child, hav- CD would include the Bruch G minor and ing been introduced to it by a parent or in a the Mendelssohn Concertos; you would do school program. Something clicks – it feels a “milk run” concert series; then release your good, it’s something we’re good at, what a nice second CD of incidental pieces by Kreisler; surprise. We fi nd that people are moved by us. then raise the bar in your concert appear- ances; and so forth. All of this could be One of my most profound memories is from orchestrated by a powerful coalition. the big concert at the end of fourth grade. I was one of what must have been 1,000 Those days are gone. There are some rem- trumpets, although it was probably 15. One nants of the old system, but by and large, of the songs we played was “Bye-Bye Blues.” it’s over. There are now hundreds of small It sounded pretty cool, and I loved playing it. recording labels, technology-based distribu- JAMES UNDERCOFLER, director I felt like I was being carried along on a raft tion of sound fi les, thousands of self-pub- and dean of the Eastman School on water. After the concert, the mother of a lished composers and arrangers, and more of Music, delivered this year’s friend of mine told me that she cried during agents and publicists than can be estimated. convocation address in Kilbourn it. That was it for me – lifelong enslavement! We fi nd this same pattern in the business Hall on September 4. Each of you has a story like this one to world. Large corporations are reducing their Director Undercofl er’s tell.
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