The Eastman School of Music was founded in 1921 by philanthropist George Eastman, founder of Eastman Kodak Company, as the first professional school of the University of Rochester. Mr. Eastman’s dream was that his school would provide a broad education in the liberal arts as well as superb musical training. More than 900 students are enrolled in the Collegiate Division of the Eastman School of Music — about 500 undergraduates and 400 graduate students.
Students come from almost every state, and approximately 23 percent are from other countries. They are taught by a faculty comprised of more than 130 highly regarded performers, composers, conductors, scholars, and educators. They are Pulitzer Prize winners, Grammy winners, Emmy winners, Guggenheim fellows, ASCAP Award recipients, published authors, recording artists, and acclaimed musicians who have performed in the world’s greatest concert halls.
Each year, Eastman’s students, faculty members, and guest artists present more than 900 concerts to the Rochester community. Additionally, more than 1,500 members of the community, from young children to senior citizens, are enrolled in the Eastman Community Music School.
The magnificent Eastman Theatre opened its doors on September 4, 1922, as a silent-film theater with live orchestra — with more than 3,000 seats and a grand chandelier of more than 20,000 pieces of crystal and, most importantly, ideal acoustics.