Moments from Commencement
Eastman School of Music
‘We are the class that played on’
The University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music conferred 108 bachelor’s degrees and 123 graduate degrees during a morning commencement ceremony on May 23. The event at Kodak Hall was held with respect to social distancing guidelines and gathering limits due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are the class that played on,” said Tessa Nojaim ’21E in remarks to her fellow graduates. “We continued to make music despite a pandemic uprooting our lives, despite an intense presidential election and political chaos, despite racial inequity and police violence in our own beloved Rochester. We played on.”
Jamal Rossi, the Joan and Martin Messinger Dean of the Eastman School of Music, praised the students for their fortitude and perseverance, saying, “You have developed a foundation of musical excellence upon which to build your careers.”
VIDEO RECAP
Ceremony highlights
Check out this highlight reel to see a snapshot of the celebrations that took place during the ceremonies. Full ceremony recordings are also available to watch on-demand.
The Ceremony
Watch the recording of the Eastman School of Music ceremony. The ceremony took place May 23, 2021 at 9 a.m. in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.