Established in 1921, the Eastman School of Music greets you, the music school of the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. Established in 1921 by celebrated industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman, this was the university’s first professional school. Imagine generations of students passing through programs that award Bachelor of Music, Master of Arts, Master of Music, Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees, and the special dual degree with the College of Arts & Sciences for those with multiple interests.
You can hear, in your mind, the textures of its three performing orchestras: the Eastman Philharmonia, the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra, and the Philharmonia Chamber Orchestra. As of 2024 there are more than 950 students enrolled in the collegiate division, roughly 500 undergraduate and 450 graduate students. When you stand here you’re in a place shaped at its start by Alfred Klingenberg, a Norwegian pianist who served as the first director from 1921 to 1923, and by composer Howard Hanson, who succeeded him in 1924 and had an enormous impact on the school’s development.
As of 2024 more than 950 students study here, continuing a legacy shaped by Alfred Klingenberg and Howard Hanson on your University of Rochester campus.