The Eastman School of Music is a tremendous building. Not only does it contain world-renowned professional musicians who want to teach you (if you're accepted), Eastman is full of fascinating, fun undergrads and graduate students, hosts scores of student-organized and professional concerts each year, and is simply a beautiful structure.

TEACHERS
Eastman is well-known for having the best of the best on its faculty. From my experience, Eastman does have a slew of amazing musicians on its professorial staff. I've studied piano with two teachers at the school (one of whom has since left) and found that both teachers were alike in their attention to detail, thoughts about the importance of good technique and the necessity of plenty of practice hours (piano majors are generally expected to practice 4 to 6 hours per day, vocalists 1 to 2, and stringed instrumentalists 3 to 5, as far as I know.) The musicality and appreciation for music that my two teachers possessed was astonishing. It's great to have as a mentor a person to whom you can look up as a famous musician who's lectured and played at most of the major concert halls in the world.

However, if you're a multitasking overachiever such as myself - someone who isn't sure that they want to make music their entire life - the intensity of an Eastman professor (especially if you decide to major in your instrument) will drive you to distraction. If you're a student who played your entire life because you enjoyed it, or simply sang because you liked to, you'll quickly find out as an Eastman student how much you really want it in your life.

CURRICULUM
I say this because your instrument becomes your life when you join any prestigious music conservatory, such as Eastman. I once spent a half hour talking with my teacher on the quality of one chord. One chord. If this sounds maddening to you, step no further. The students I've worked with at Eastman tell me often that when they wake up in the morning, the first thing they think of is how much they want to play their instrument. Going days, or weeks without their music makes them nuts. Are you one of these people, or are you just someone who enjoys music as a hobby?

The staple of Eastman's curriculum is the 4-credit-hour lessons. This 4 credit hours may seem a gift when you realize that you only have to schedule 1 hour weekly for the lesson, but remember that most teachers like to have a 1-3 hour studio class each week, and that you need to practice. So, in reality, you do as much or more for these 4 credit hours as Joe Science Student who spends his time at UR complaining about his batty prof, his labs, and his piles of homework.

Eastman students are also required to take theory, aural skills (an ear-training class that practices dictation and basic knowledge of types of chords) ensembles (piano students often whine about the necessity of being in a choir) accompanying (piano majors only) and music history. Each 'major' has his or her own distinct program that is tailored to his or her instrument or interest (Eastman does offer music education and composition as majors.)

Undergrads are taught several classes by Teaching Assistants - the TA's that I've had, and the TA's that my friends have had, have for the most part been excellent teachers.

STUDENTS
The students at Eastman are all distinct individuals. I was scared at first to audition at Eastman because I had a preconceived notion that the students who study at Eastman are antisocial weirdos who don't want to do much but make music. I've only encountered a small number of these folks. For the most part, the students at Eastman are terrific, friendly people who are articulate and knowledgeable on many more subjects than things relating to their instrument. They come from all over the globe (there's a large contingency of students from Asia) and many are extremely intelligent. Lots of them are modest, too - something you might not expect from a kid who's won all kinds of awards before he or she is old enough to vote.

DORMS
Most Eastman underclassmen live in the Cominsky Tower, a nice dorm building that the students often complain about as being too 'small' - everyone knows everyone and this ultimately leads to constant social disasters. The fact that pretty much all of the underclassmen live together leads to a unique college lifestyle - it would be impossible to attend a university and have 'everybody know your name.' At Eastman, it's pretty likely that you'll get to know all of the people in your class, and they'll get to know you. This has its upsides and downsides.

Upperclassmen generally live in nearby apartment complexes or houses. Eastman does have Greek life on its campus, but to my knowledge none of the letter organizations has its own house.

I don't think the food is that great (compared to UR's food, it stinks.) However, there are great coffee shops and restaurants around - Java's is about 10 feet from Eastman's entrance - that have terrific food.

OPPORTUNITIES
Concerts go on all the time at Eastman. ALL THE TIME. Composer/Conductor John Williams, The Irish Tenors, The Canadian Brass and Pianist Jon Nakamatsu are just some of the renowned acts that have graced the main stage during the past year. At Kilbourn Hall, the secondary performance hall, faculty artists often give stellar recitals, students give their degree performances, and Eastman's Opera Theater usually stages several productions per year. The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, a great ensemble, plays many concerts with amazing soloists each year. Their schedule is available online at www.rochester.edu/eastman.

Since Eastman is connected to the University of Rochester (UR) a student can take classes in anything if he or she finds the time. It is possible to get a BM and a BA in 4-5 years from Eastman and the River Campus.

AUDITION DAY
Breathe. If you don't get in, it's fate, and you can still be famous someday if you work hard. :)

Eastman is definitely a great place for an aspiring musician to study. Just be sure you know what you're looking for before you jump headfirst into it, or you may find yourself looking back on a great adventure while you begin a new journey on a new path.

Recommended: Yes