Role

:

Ensemble

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Orchestral

 

The Eastman-Rochester Orchestra and Chorus is a classical music ensemble that was founded in 1922 by George Eastman, the founder of Eastman Kodak Company. The ensemble is based in Rochester, New York, and is affiliated with the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. The Eastman-Rochester Orchestra and Chorus has a rich history of performances and awards. The ensemble has performed with some of the most renowned conductors and soloists in the world, and has received numerous accolades for its performances. The founding of the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra and Chorus can be traced back to George Eastman's love of music. Eastman was a passionate amateur musician who played the piano and the organ. He was also a generous philanthropist who believed in the power of music to enrich people's lives. In 1918, Eastman donated $1 million to the University of Rochester to establish the Eastman School of Music. The school was founded with the goal of providing a world-class education in music to students from all over the world. Four years later, in 1922, Eastman founded the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra and Chorus. The ensemble was initially made up of students from the Eastman School of Music, but it quickly grew to include professional musicians and singers from the Rochester area. The first conductor of the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra and Chorus was Howard Hanson, who was also the director of the Eastman School of Music. Hanson was a renowned composer and conductor who had studied with some of the most famous musicians of his time, including Sergei Rachmaninoff and Arthur Nikisch. Under Hanson's leadership, the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra and Chorus quickly gained a reputation for excellence. The ensemble performed a wide range of classical music, from Baroque to contemporary, and was known for its precision and musicality. One of the highlights of the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra and Chorus's early years was its performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in 1925. The performance was conducted by Hanson and featured a chorus of over 300 singers. The concert was a huge success and cemented the ensemble's reputation as one of the finest in the country. Over the years, the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra and Chorus has continued to perform at the highest level. The ensemble has worked with some of the most famous conductors and soloists in the world, including Leonard Bernstein, Yo-Yo Ma, and Itzhak Perlman. One of the most memorable performances in the ensemble's history was its 1964 performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 8, also known as the "Symphony of a Thousand." The performance featured over 1,000 musicians and singers, including the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra and Chorus, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and several local choirs. The concert was a massive undertaking, but it was a huge success and remains one of the most famous performances in the ensemble's history. The Eastman-Rochester Orchestra and Chorus has also received numerous awards and accolades over the years. In 1957, the ensemble won a Grammy Award for its recording of Howard Hanson's Symphony No. 4. The ensemble has also been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and has received numerous grants and awards from other organizations. Today, the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra and Chorus continues to be one of the most respected classical music ensembles in the world.

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