Eastman School of Music, of the University of Rochester, announces that its 2024-2025 orchestra season will feature an incredible array of gifted guest conductors. This includes returning guests and several alumni, many names familiar to both the Rochester community and music community at large. Guest conductors carrying the baton for the Eastman Philharmonia (PHIL) and the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra (ESSO) this fall: Mei-Ann Chen, Jherrard Hardeman, Matilda Hofman ’09E (MM), Jerry Hou ’15E (DMA), Tito Muñoz, Anthony Parnther and Leonard Slatkin, as well as Eastman Faculty members Brad Lubman and William Weinert.

“I am thrilled that our students will get to experience working with these exceptional artists who lead ensembles all over the world. We look forward to welcoming them to Eastman,” shares Kate Sheeran, Joan and Martin Messinger Dean of the Eastman School of Music. “Each guest conductor offers so much to our students in their own right, but the unique experience and artistry of the full lineup presented to our community and audiences will make for a truly spectacular orchestra season.”

All conductors will lead the rehearsals and performances of the ensembles, as well as work with graduate conducting students. The ’24-25 orchestral season is below, by conductor.

*All concerts will be held in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, unless otherwise noted.

Mei-Ann Chen:

- Monday, December 9, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. (ESSO)

Jherrard Hardeman:

- Monday, September 23, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. (ESSO & PHIL)
- Sunday, February 9, 2025 | 3:30 p.m. (ESSO)

Matilda Hofman:

- Monday, March 31, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. (ESSO) *Kilbourn Hall

Jerry Hou:

- Monday, April 7, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. (PHIL)

Brad Lubman:

- Wednesday, April 30, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. (PHIL)

Tito Muñoz:

- Wednesday, November 13, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. (PHIL)
- Monday, March 3, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. (ESSO)

Anthony Parnther:

- Monday, October 21, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. (ESSO)
- Wednesday, October 23, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. (PHIL)

Leonard Slatkin:

- Wednesday, March 19, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. (PHIL)

William Weinert:

- Friday, December 6, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. (PHIL and Eastman-Rochester Chorus)
- Friday, May 2, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. (ESSO and Eastman-Rochester Chorus)

A full listing of Eastman concerts and events can be found at the online events calendar.

Mei-Ann Chen serves as Music Director of the MacArthur Award-winning Chicago Sinfonietta. She has led Germany’s Staatsorchester Darmstadt, Orchestra National du Capitole de Toulouse, Basque National Orchestra, Liechtenstein Symphony Orchestra and Helsinki Philharmonic. In North America, she has appeared with the American Composers orchestra at Carnegie Hall, Minnesota Orchestra, Rochester and Buffalo Philharmonics, and the Atlanta, Baltimore, Detroit, Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, National, Oregon, San Diego, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver Symphonies.

Jherrard Hardeman is a rising star in the symphonic and chamber music stages, currently serving as Assistant Conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic and Music Director of the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. He has appeared with the Seattle Symphony, Grosse Pointe Symphony, Juilliard Orchestra, Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, Baldwin Wallace Conservatory Symphony Orchestra and the Longy Conservatory Orchestra.

Matilda Hofman ’09E (MM) serves on the faculty at University of California Davis and has worked with Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Recherche, SWR Sinfonie-orchester, Bochumer Symponiker, the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Ballet. She serves as Music Director of the Diablo Symphony in California and has performed at the Salzburg Festival, Berliner Festspiele, Holland Festival, Ruhrtriennale, Luzern Festival, Paris Autumn Festival and at the Guggenheim in Bilbao.

Jerry Hou ’15E (DMA) serves as an assistant conductor with the New York Philharmonic and Artist Teacher of Orchestras and Ensembles at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. He has conducted leading contemporary music ensembles Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Signal, Grossman Ensemble, Remix Ensemble and Alarm Will Sound, and has served as Resident Conductor for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Tito Muñoz  is in his tenth season as the Music Director of The?Phoenix Symphony. He previously served as Music Director of the Opéra National de Lorraine in France. Tito has appeared with many prominent orchestras in North America, including those of Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, New York and Utah, as well as the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Anthony Parnther is the Music Director and Conductor of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, as well as the conductor of Gateways Music Festival, in association with Eastman School of Music. His recent conducting engagements include the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic, Calgary Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, Los Angeles Opera, Music Academy of the West, Rochester Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony in Australia and the Chineke! Orchestra, with whom he debuted at the BBC Proms.

Internationally acclaimed conductor Leonard Slatkin is Music Director Laureate of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO), Directeur Musical Honoraire of the Orchestre National de Lyon (ONL), Conductor Laureate of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO), Principal Guest conductor of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria and Artistic Consultant to the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

Media only: Jessica Kaufman, Executive Director of Marketing & Communications, (585) 278-4743, [email protected]