ROCmusic Transforming Lives through Music

ROCmusic is a community based partnership, designed to introduce classical music to students in the city of Rochester. The program is based on the El Sistema model, which focuses on using music as a tool for social change, working primarily with children that have access to the fewest resources and have the greatest need. The program began here in Rochester as a partnership between the Eastman School of Music, the Eastman Community Music School, the Hochstein School of Music, the city of Rochester, the Rochester City School District and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. The lessons are provided free of charge to students that live in the city of Rochester from grades 1-12, regardless of their musical background. The instruction takes place in three levels from the most basic, singing simple songs and learning the recorder, to beginning string instruction and the more advanced string orchestra. Several times each year, the public is invited to the David F. Gantt Community Center to hear the students perform in concert. What they witness is much more than just the music that these students have learned. As teachers and parents have noticed, the impact of the program can be seen in the progress students have made in their school work, in their attitude and in the relationships they have formed with each other and with teachers. The result of this collaboration is perhaps best summed up in the meaning of the acronym that gives ROCmusic its name: Responsibility, Opportunity, Community. To learn more, please visit:
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Sir Neville Marriner, RIP

(15 April 1924—2 October 2016)

Marriner was born in Lincoln, England, and studied at the Royal College of Music and the Paris Conservatoire. He played the violin in the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Martin String Quartet and London Symphony Orchestra, playing with the last two for 13 years. He later formed the Jacobean Ensemble with Thurston Dart before going to Hancock, Maine, in the United States to study conducting with Pierre Monteux at his school there. In 1958, he founded the Academy of St Martin in the Fields chamber orchestra and recorded copiously with them. Marriner was the first music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, from 1969 to 1978. From 1979 to 1986, he was music director of the Minnesota Orchestra. He was principal conductor of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1986 to 1989. Marriner recorded for various labels, including Argo, L'Oiseau Lyre, Philips and EMI Classics. His recorded repertoire ranges from the baroque era to 20th century British music, as well as opera. Among his recordings are two CDs of British music for Philips Classics with Julian Lloyd Webber, including acclaimed performances of Benjamin Britten's Cello Symphony and Sir William Walton's Cello Concerto. Marriner also supervised the Mozart selections for the soundtrack of the 1984 film Amadeus. He was chairman of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields chamber orchestra until 1992, when he was succeeded by Malcolm Latchem. Marriner held the title of Life President. He was the father of the clarinettist Andrew Marriner, principal clarinet of the London Symphony Orchestra.

VIDEO: The Academy of St Martin in the Fields was founded by the now legendary conductor Sir Neville Marriner in 1958. Watch to find out a little more about Sir Neville and his relationship with the Academy, whilst enjoying the Academy's performance of the opening to Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20, conducted by Sir Neville Marriner in April 2014. Read more about Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy at: http://www.asmf.org/sir-neville-marri...