September 25, 2001

EASTMAN SCHOOL RAISES MORE THAN $9,000 FOR DISASTER RELIEF
Opera students plan another benefit performance for October 5  

ROCHESTER, NY — A benefit concert presented on Sunday by the Eastman School of Music has raised more than $9,000 for disaster relief in New York City. 

An audience of nearly 1,500 people came to hear the Eastman Philharmonia, the premier student orchestra of the Eastman School of Music, and a community chorus of more than 150 singers perform the powerful Mozart Requiem on Sunday, Sept. 23, in Eastman Theatre.  The concertgoers’ generous contributions at the door totaled $9,225.44. All of the money has been given to the American Red Cross New York City Disaster Relief Fund.      

"It's gratifying to know that through music the Eastman School community has been able to somehow make a difference," said William Weinert, conductor of Sunday's concert and one of the faculty organizers.

Opera students plan benefit for October 5
In the continuing aftermath of the tragedy of September 11, Eastman students in the voice and opera program are now presenting an evening of opera arias and ensembles at8 p.m., Friday, October 5, in Kilbourn Hall (26 Gibbs St.). The concert is free, but donations again will be accepted at the door with all proceeds going toward the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

This student-generated idea arose from the need to create positive action. "We wanted to contribute in some way to the growing wave of positive response from the community, the nation, and the world," explained the program's co-producer Tiffany Blake, an Eastman doctoral student in voice.

Twenty-three singers have joined together to organize the program, which will feature a wide variety of favorite arias, duets, and trios from Mozart's Così fan tutteand Le nozze di Figaro, Puccini’s La Bohème, Delibes'Lakme, Bernstein’s West Side Story, and others.

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Contact: Martial Bednar, 585-274-1052