insidewhat’s Welcome From the Director | 3 An Evening with Jon Batiste | 20 The Historian’s Corner | 4 Time For Three | 22 East Meets West: Shubhendra Rao | 6 Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis | 26 Daniil Trifonov & Sergei Babayan | 13 CONTACT US: Location: Eastman School of Music – ESM 101 EASTMAN THEATRE BOX OFFICE Phone: (585) 274-1109 Mailing Address E-mail: [email protected] Eastman School of Music Concert Office 26 Gibbs Street Mike Stefiuk, Director of Concert Operations Rochester, NY 14604 Julia Ng, Assistant Director of Concert Operations Eastman Theatre Box Office Greg Machin, Ticketing and Box Office Manager 433 East Main Street Joseph Broadus, Box Office Supervisor Rochester, NY 14604 Ron Stackman, Director of Stage Operations, Eastman Theatre Phone Jules Corcimiglia, Assistant Director of Stage Eastman Theatre Box Office: (585) 274-3000 Operations (Kodak Hall) Lost & Found: (585) 274-3000 Daniel Mason, Assistant Director of Stage Eastman Concert Office: (585) 274-1109 Operations (Kilbourn Hall) Hall Rentals: (585) 274-1109 Michael Dziakonas, Assistant Director of Stage Operations (Hatch Recital Hall) ADVERTISING This program is published in association with Onstage Publications, Onstage Publications 1612 Prosser Avenue, Kettering, OH 45409. This program may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the 937-424-0529 | 866-503-1966 publisher. JBI Publishing is a division of Onstage Publications, Inc. e-mail: [email protected] Contents © 2019. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. www.onstagepublications.com EASTMAN PERFORMANCE SERIES 1 2 EASTMAN PERFORMANCE SERIES experience excellence! WELCOME TO THE 2019/20 EASTMAN PRESENTS SERIES he Eastman School of Music and the Eastman TTheatre were built on the foundation of “enriching community life.” All of us at Eastman continue to value this century-old mission, but we also know that innovation and variety are keys to building and maintaining our audiences. Our entire season partners with artists from around the world, continuing with our dedication of exploring styles, pushing artistic boundaries, and engaging ones curiosity. With that in mind, I am delighted to present the 2019–20 Eastman Presents season—five series with rosters of brilliant musicians and an amazing variety of musical excellence. Our Kodak Hall Series brings two, crown princes of the jazz world: Jon Batiste, the multitalented composer, pianist, and bandleader for Stephen Colbert, followed a few weeks later by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with superstar, Wynton Marsalis. Eastman’s signature concert series are the Kilbourn and Eastman-Ranlet Series. As usual, the Eastman-Ranlet Series offers the best in string quartets and their repertoire—including the Grammy-winning Ying Quartet, our string quartet in residence; while the Kilbourn Series will offer a wide variety of musical pleasures, beginning with the “classical garage band” Time for Three. The Eastman Piano Series kicks off with a joint recital with Daniil Trifonov and Sergei Babayan and will feature a breathtaking display of sizzling virtuosity coupled with delicate musical soundscapes. “The firepower they achieved together is rare among piano duos,” said The New York Times of their 2018 Carnegie Hall recital. They reveal a world of spectacular color, melodic splendor, and rhythmic drive in music by Ravel, Rachmaninoff, and—in superb transcriptions by Babayan—Prokofiev’s ballet and opera music. This year, our Barbara B. Smith World Music Series focuses on music of Asia, beginning with husband-and-wife masters of North and South Indian classical music, Shubhendra Rao and Saskia Rao-DeHaas. Eastman Presents is a vital part of the ecosystem of our campus and we hope your musical horizons are expanded and engaged at each concert. We are honored to provide these live music experiences to you. Thank you for being here and enjoy the concert! Mike Stefiuk Director of Concert Activities Eastman School of Music EASTMAN PERFORMANCE SERIES 3 the historian’s corner The Founding of Mr. Eastman’s Music School in 1921 by Vincent A. Lenti n two years time the Eastman School of Music Iwill celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of its founding in 1921. There are no Rochesterians alive today who would have any personal memories of the opening of the school. As a matter of fact, the Eastman School and the adjoining Eastman Theatre are so much a part of the city that it is almost impossible to imagine downtown Rochester without them. Nonetheless, before George Eastman’s grand plan for a music school and theater began to unfold, the area of Main Street and Gibbs Street presented a very different picture compared with today. Up at 26 Gibbs Street, on a parcel of land now occupied by George Eastman Kilbourn Hall, stood an imposing brick building that housed the office of Dr. Edward Mulligan, George Eastman’s personal physician. Just beyond Dr. Mulligan’s office, looking towards Main Street, was the lodging house of Elizabeth Rogerson at 36 Gibbs. At 40 and 44 Gibbs was a multi- residence known as “The Smithsonian.” Closer to Main Street at 50 Gibbs was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Karl Rhines, and on the corner of Main and Gibbs was the home of Anna London, who also ran a lodging house around the corner at 431 East Main Street. These buildings and others nearby were demolished to make space for Mr. Eastman’s new school and theater. The building housing Dr. Mulligan’s office, however, was spared and moved for some reason to a parallel location on Swan Street. Always a practical man and wise planner, George Eastman approached the task of establishing a Gibbs Street in 1918 music school with his customary efficiency. He 4 EASTMAN PERFORMANCE SERIES Rush Rhees Howard Hanson did so by purchasing an existing music school degree and, in addition, to serve as a community known as the D.K.G. Institute of Musical Art. It music school which would offer instruction was located on Prince Street adjacent to what to children and adults in the Rochester area. was then the University of Rochester campus. Initially developing under the inspired leadership Eastman’s purchase of the school’s corporate and of Howard Hanson, who served as the school’s property rights for $28,000 gave him immediate director from 1924 to 1964, the school grew to access to a student body and faculty for his include curricula leading to graduate degrees at proposed new school on Gibbs Street. Working in the masters and doctoral levels. At the present time collaboration with Rush Rhees, then president of about 900 students are enrolled in the school’s the University of Rochester, Eastman managed collegiate division, including approximately 500 to transfer ownership of the institute to the undergraduates and 400 graduate students. The university in 1919. During the construction of school’s original commitment to the educational the new Eastman School of Music, the university needs of the community-at-large is maintained maintained the operation of the institute at its by the Eastman Community Music School, which Prince Street site. In 1921 the new Eastman School serves approximately 1,600 community members began its first year of operation, and students and during the regular school year and hundreds more faculty moved to their new home on Gibbs Street. during the summer months. George Eastman’s vision is very much alive in 2019, with his The vision for this new school of music was magnificent school serving the professional needs very comprehensive. The school was designed of the world of music as well the more avocational to function as a university department that interests of the Rochester community. would train candidates for the bachelor of music EASTMAN PERFORMANCE SERIES 5 Barbara B. Smith World Music Series Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 7:30 pm Hatch Recital Hall East Meets West: Shubhendra Rao Shubhendra Rao, sitar Saskia Rao-de Haas, Indian cello Aditya Kalyanpur, tabla Selections to be announced from the stage 6 EASTMAN PERFORMANCE SERIES guest artists His Indian fans still remember him in the ‘Wah Taj!’ TV commercial, (1990), as the talented youngster, cherrypicked by Ustad Allah Rakha Khan for his cheeky ability to keep pace, when playing alongside Ustad Zakir Hussain! PANDIT SHUBHENDRA RAO andit Shubhendra Rao is an internationally Pacclaimed performer, composer, cultural entrepreneur and music educator. His relentless service in promoting Indian music has made him a highly respected figure in the field of music and education across the world. A protégé of Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar, Shubhendra Rao has established himself “not only as a master of his instrument but also as ADITYA KALYANPUR a thinking musician, constantly endeavouring to carry his instrument beyond conventional ith his trademark blend of technical boundaries” and “a musical bridge to many Wbrilliance, creative improvisations and high- cultures” Critics and connoisseurs hail him as a octane showpersonship, this award-winning worthy successor to his Guru’s tradition. tabla virtuoso’s performances instantly connect with, and captivate audiences worldwide. Internationally, he has performed at major music festivals and prestigious concert halls For the child prodigy who could replicate like Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Sydney intricate rhythmic patterns on his first tabla at 3 Opera House, Salzburg International Music years, there was no going back, once his training festival, National Centre for the Performing began, from none other than the late Ustad Allah Arts in Beijing, National Arts Festival in South Rakha and later, his son, Ustad Zakir Hussain. Africa, BRICS Summit in China, Theatre de le Ville in Paris. In India, Shubhendra Rao has At the same time, Aditya’s performances reflect performed at major music festivals in India his versatility and keenness to break through including Doverlane Music Conference, ITC conventional ‘borders’.