It’s Meliora Weekend at the University of Rochester. This week’s picks are part of the annual celebration and inauguration of the new University president and are open to faculty, staff, alumni, parents, as well as the Rochester community. Now in its 19th year, the Rochester community event offers an array of unique speakers, performances, and family activities. There is still time to register for events at rochester.edu/melioraweekend. The University Events Calendar offers a variety of events happening on all campuses, including concerts, lectures, and ongoing art exhibitions.
#1: Take part in festivities with fellow staff, faculty
Meliora Weekend kicks off today. The entire University is invited to celebrate this year for the inauguration of Sarah C. Mangelsdorf, the University’s 11th president. Join fellow faculty, staff, students, alumni, and families for a free Inauguration barbeque, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Meliora Village tent on the Wilson Quadrangle. President Mangelsdorf will make brief remarks at 11:30 a.m. Enjoy local food trucks at the Eastman School, from noon to 2 p.m. At 2:30 p.m., the University celebrates the inauguration of President Mangelsdorf with a ceremony featuring a traditional academic procession, investiture, and inaugural address at the Eastman Theatre at Kodak Hall. Employees who wish to attend any of these events should bring their University IDs and ensure appropriate coverage with their supervisors. Come back over the weekend for the Meliora Village on Saturday, October 5, featuring food trucks, carnival games, musical performances, and live music featuring the University’s own John Covach, director of the Institute for Popular Music. Faculty, staff, and their family members get a free Meliora Weekend Pass, which provides admission to many of the weekend’s events and activities. For registration, visit Rochester.edu/melioraweekend questions, email Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@rochester.edu.
#2: Hear classical compositions and ‘The Genesee’
The Department of Music will host several concerts this weekend. On Friday, October 4, the Chamber, Symphony Orchestra, and Wind Symphony will present a free concert at 7 p.m. at Strong Auditorium. Rachel Waddell conducts the Chamber and Symphony Orchestras and the Wind Symphony is conducted by Bill Tiberio. The program features Haydn’s Symphony No. 104, Gottschalk’s “La nuit des tropiques,” and compositions by Tchesnokov and Holst. On Saturday, October 5, Rochester Sings! — Chamber Singers, Women’s Chorus, and the Concert Choir perform at 7 p.m. The program features the University alma mater song “The Genesee,” and pieces by Rosephanye Powell. Conducting the concert is Julie Covach and Philip Silvey. The Jazz Ensembles and Gospel Choir perform at 1 p.m. Sunday, October 6. All concerts are free and take place at the Strong Auditorium on the River Campus.
#3: Listen to engaged students discuss social change
The Susan B. Anthony Center and the Rochester Center for Community Leadership will present the Stanton/Anthony Conversation on “Igniting Social Change,” on Saturday, October 5. The program features several student speakers who will discuss marginalized communities on campus and beyond, engaging with difficult perspectives, and social change through political engagement. The event will also include community leaders Kit Miller, director of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence in Rochester, and Wade Norwood ‘85, chief executive officer of Common Ground Health. Conversations are from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Barbara J. Burger iZone in Rush Rhees Library.
#4: Get a seat and hear from bestselling author
Attend a conversation with celebrated author Ann Patchett on Saturday, October 5. Patchett—the author of several books— including the international bestseller Bel Canto, released her newest novel, The Dutch House in September. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, Patchett has been the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Harold D. Vursell Memorial Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Women’s National Book Association’s Award and the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for Fiction by an American Woman. Her books have been both New York Times Notable Books and New York Times bestsellers. The talk is from 1:30 to 3:30 at the Strong Auditorium on the River Campus. Registration is required at https://www.rochester.edu/melioraweekend.
#5: Enjoy a performance by Jon Batiste at Kodak Hall
Jon Batiste, a Grammy-nominated musician, composer, and bandleader of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, will perform on Saturday, October 5 at Kodak Hall. Pianist, singer, and composer Jon Batiste He has recorded and performed with artist such as Ed Sheeran, Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Willie Nelson. In his latest Hollywood Africans, Batiste’s most recent album, is described as intimate and emotional tapestry out of original material and Americana standards that carry the listener from the early jazz of New Orleans to the present day. The show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets $35-$90.50. There are discounts available for University ID holders. Purchase online.