Eastman Theatre

Founding George Eastman, who had no formal musical training, became a devoted patron of music in Rochester in the early 20th century. He established the Eastman School of Music in 1921 as the first professional school of the University of Rochester and commissioned the construction of the Eastman Theatre as its home and as a public venue for music and film. The opening program featured conductors Arthur Alexander and Victor Wagner leading the Eastman Theatre Orchestra and included a screening of the silent film The Prisoner of Zenda (1922). For a period, the theatre was operated under the Publix Theatres chain. The Eastman Theatre and the Eastman School of Music were jointly inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022, coinciding with the centennial of both institutions. == Architecture ==

Exterior The Eastman Theatre was designed by the prominent New York City architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White in collaboration with the Rochester firm of Gordon & Kaelber. The building is designed in the Italian Renaissance and Neo-Classical style with Beaux-Arts massing. The mural is now on permanent loan to the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester. An image of the painting was reproduced on a United States postage stamp in 2001. Chandelier The main auditorium features a large crystal chandelier comprising approximately 20,000 individual pieces sourced from Italy and the Czech Republic. The chandelier measures 14 feet in diameter, stands 35 feet tall, weighs approximately 2.5 tons, and is illuminated by 546 lights. == Organs ==

Main organ The original main organ of the Eastman Theatre was built by the Austin Organ Company of Hartford, Connecticut, as Opus 1010 and installed for the theatre's 1922 opening. At the time of its installation, it was the largest theatre organ ever built, with 229 stops on four manuals. The organ's specifications were drafted by Harold Gleason at George Eastman's request. The organ was rebuilt in 1951, at which time it was reduced to 134 ranks and its theatre-style traps and sound effects were removed. The instrument was removed from the theatre in 1971. The console was subsequently installed at the Cathedral-Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia in 1977. Kilbourn Hall organ Kilbourn Hall houses an Ernest M. Skinner organ, Opus 325, also installed in 1922. With 6,030 pipes, 91 ranks, and 83 stops, it is the largest pipe organ in Rochester. The instrument was designed by Harold Gleason and the French organist Joseph Bonnet. The organ fell into disrepair over the decades, and public use was discontinued in 2004. A planned restoration is being undertaken under the Eastman Rochester Organ Initiative (EROI), a program of the Eastman School of Music. == Kilbourn Hall ==

Kilbourn Hall is a 444-seat chamber music venue located within the Eastman Theatre complex. Opened in 1922, the hall was dedicated to the memory of Maria Kilbourn Eastman, George Eastman's mother. The three-story hall is designed in the Venetian Renaissance style and is considered one of the world's finest chamber music halls. == Renovations ==

1970s renovation The first major renovation of the Eastman Theatre took place in the 1970s and included the installation of new seating, lighting, and electrical systems, as well as the theatre's first air conditioning system. The new shell, designed by CJS Architects with Fisher Dachs Associates as theatre consultants and Akustiks as acoustical consultants, measures 50 feet tall and weighs 60,000 pounds. 2009 Kodak Hall renovation In 2008, the Eastman Kodak Company announced a $10 million donation to the Eastman School of Music, the largest corporate gift in the school's history at the time. 2010 East Wing addition In 2010, the Eastman School of Music opened a new six-story east wing addition, completing the building program originally envisioned by George Eastman in the 1920s. The addition includes the 222-seat Hatch Recital Hall and the Wolk Atrium, a 73-foot skylit lobby featuring a 19-foot Dale Chihuly chandelier. == Notable performances ==

The Eastman Theatre has hosted a wide range of prominent musicians, conductors, and public figures over its history. Conductors who have performed at the theatre include Leonard Bernstein, Georg Solti, Christoph von Dohnanyi, and Leonard Slatkin. Composers Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and John Williams have appeared at the venue. == Connection to Eastman School of Music ==

The Eastman School of Music was established in 1921 by George Eastman as the first professional school of the University of Rochester. The school's first director was Alfred Klingenberg, who served from 1921 to 1923. He was succeeded by Howard Hanson, who led the institution for 40 years (19241964) and is credited with establishing it as one of the leading conservatories in the United States. The Eastman School of Music enrolls more than 900 students and employs more than 130 faculty members. The school presents more than 900 concerts annually across its three performance venues in the Eastman Theatre complex. The school and theatre were jointly inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022. == See also ==