The last Rochester Overture newsletter went out over two weeks ago, during the Rochester Fringe Festival. That’s not because we’ve been relaxing. Rochester Overture has been busy covering the abundance of events and news happening right now. Let’s recap.

The Rochester Fringe Festival concluded on Saturday, September 26. Rochester Overture covered 22 shows over the festival’s 12 days, more than any other media outlet. We were especially fortunate to have insights from two contributing writers: the always quick-witted Julia Figueras (former music director of WXXI) and film and comedy expert Sudha Brightman. With over 715 events, there were so many worthy shows. Our picks covered a cross-section of shows we thought the public would be interested in across all the disciplines showcased at the festival, and, of course, shows we personally wanted to see. We tried to cover shows with repeat performances, but we also highlighted noteworthy events and local performers even when that was not the case.

One of my personal favorite shows was Window Scrolling, at the stringed instrument shop Delmonico & Dugdale. The concept, having audiences watch a performance from the street through the store’s glass window, challenged concert conventions in an exciting, theatrical way. You can read the review and photo gallery here. Another probing show was Jessica Creane’s Tea Party at the End of the World. Because this was the first fringe festival I'd ever attended, in Rochester or elsewhere, I hadn’t been to an immersive theater show before. By immersive, I mean a show where the audience is a part of it, and it feels like an experience. At Tea Party, as the title suggests, we drank tea, but we were also guided through a personal story of loss and love and invited to consider our own stories. The beautiful show was held in the Fringe Festival’s new Garden Studio next to the Spiegeltent.

I ended Fringe with a packed Saturday, including Kid’s Day events, a performance by the talented and hilarious Paradigm Shift Dance Company, and some of Fringe Street Beat, the annual street-dance competition. Read and see some shots of the last day, with a wrap-up on the festival:

Rochester Fringe’s 15th Year Concludes

Not a week later, Rochester hosted another major event: the return of Alarm Will Sound, an internationally known, Grammy-winning contemporary music ensemble that began as students at the Eastman School of Music. The concert, on Saturday, October 3rd, was part of the University of Rochester’s Meliora Weekend. The concert offered several entry points: it was a sneak preview of the ensemble’s soon-to-be-released album New Acoustica, coming out on Cantaloupe Records on October 23, and a follow-up to the ensemble's first studio recording, Acoustica (2005), which put them on the map. It also celebrated 25 years since the ensemble formed at Eastman. We wrote a review of the concert in anticipation of the upcoming release:

Sounding the Alarm: Alarm Will Sound Celebrated 25 Years at Eastman

It would be a shame to miss local celebrations for one of America’s greatest living composers, minimalist pioneer Steve Reich, who recently turned 90. Eastman School of Music ensembles Musica Nova and the Eastman Percussion Ensemble performed a Reich concert during Fringe, but we couldn’t make it. Fortunately, Rochester’s Cordancia, a community orchestra that plays adventurous works, is performing multiple concerts of Reich’s Tehillim over the coming weekend. The concert features the nationally-known Quince Ensemble, a vocal quartet, and also has a work by MacArthur “Genius” Grant winning-composer Courtney Bryan.

Cordancia Celebrates Steve Reich’s 90th Birthday

We were also excited to hear that the documentary film “Dear Lara” would get a local showing at The Little Theatre. The film examines the unfortunate structures of abuse in classical music and is produced and narrated by virtuoso violinist Lara St. John, who claims she was sexually assaulted and raped by her former professor at the Curtis Institute of Music. The film has been making waves across North America and Europe and has prompted needed discussions about safety and responsibility in our field. I urge everyone who wants classical music to be a safer place to go see this film, which will be shown on Saturday, October 10 at 3:30 p.m. at the Little Theatre. The film will be followed by a virtual panel discussion with filmmaker St. John and oboist and activist Katherine Needleman.

Local “Dear Lara”’ Screening Confronts Abuse in Classical Music


And in a bit of great news, the Memorial Art Gallery just announced a ‘Save the Date’ for its free admission initiative: admission will be free for all starting on May 1, 2027. You can read Rochester Overture’s news item here.

But this is only a small section of the worthy things happening in Rochester right now. Off the top of my head, there are at least 15 more stories I would love us to publish about what is happening. That would include the Gateways Music Festival, exhibitions happening at the Memorial Art Gallery and Rochester Contemporary Art Center, a staged concert of Grieg’s Peer Gynt performed by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra with actor John de Lancie, and the ImageOut Film Festival, along with many great shows in our theater community, which we don’t have the capacity to significantly cover yet.

The challenge isn’t finding worthwhile stories. It’s having enough writers to tell them.

Rochester Overture was founded on the belief that our region’s vibrant arts community deserves independent, thoughtful, and sustained journalism. But building that kind of publication takes more than one writer. It takes a community of contributors—and the resources to pay them for their work.

That’s where you come in.

Your donation will help Rochester Overture grow its contributor base, commission more stories, and expand the breadth and depth of our coverage. Every contribution brings us closer to a publication that can tell more of the stories Rochester deserves to hear.

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Featured photo: Paradigm Shift Dance Company by Anna Reguero.

We’re a week into Fringe. My first “Fringe Festival,” I can’t easily summarize the experience yet. There were acrobatic murder mysteries, a man in a gorilla suit rocking in a rocking chair, a modern dance about environmental decline, a democratic reworking of “Antigone,” axed Broadway songs, intellectual circus arts, a musical about baseball, an existential tea party, and more. There’s one thing I can say for sure: this isn’t your usual arts festival. Touring productions and local artists continue the performances this week: the festival runs through Saturday, September 26.

Rochester Overture writers have attended many of the festival’s performances, and several of the acts have repeat performances this week. If you aren’t sure what to see next, these reports may help:

A Cruise-Ship Ruse and an Unsung Hero: Day One of the Rochester Fringe Festival
Cirque du Fringe: Anchors Away and Just to be Close to You repeat through the end of the festival.

Making Human Connection Visceral and Viable: BIODANCE’s 20th Anniversary
BIODANCE has another performance on Thursday.

Comedic Interrogations, Axed Songs, and a Taste of the Big Easy at Rochester Fringe
B-Sides of Broadway, which contributing writer Julia Figueras attended, repeats Wednesday.

Tea as Pretext and Elixir: A Tea Party at the End of the World at Rochester Fringe
This 30-seat, existential production has only four more shows that aren’t yet sold out, on Friday and Saturday.

And those are just the articles about shows with remaining performances. Make sure to follow all our Fringe coverage at: www.rochesteroverture.com/fringe

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Featured photo by Anna Reguero.

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But this has been a heavy week in Rochester arts news, from lawsuits to venue closures. Here are some news items that we are tracking:

A lawsuit has been filed against the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the University of Rochester by former RPO Assistant Conductor and RPYO Music Director Jherrard Hardeman. The orchestra removed him from his duties in August 2025, citing performance concerns. According to court filings, which include a performance improvement plan detailing concerns about punctuality, rehearsal preparation, and communication, Hardeman did not sign a proposed resignation agreement. Instead, then-CEO Curt Long and Board President Diana Clarkson emailed RPO personnel saying Hardeman was “no longer associated with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.” It’s unclear whether Hardeman was officially fired or how he was removed. Hardeman is claiming a breach of contract.

But the University of Rochester’s involvement includes more serious allegations: On September 10, 2025, the University issued Hardeman an emergency ban from campus (which includes the Eastman School of Music). Court filings show that the University says it received information alleging that Hardeman engaged in sexual misconduct involving minors, leading to the ban. Hardeman denies wrongdoing and claims the university participated in spreading false allegations, leading to defamation that has cost him professional opportunities. He also claims the RPO contributed to the defamation through comments made by members of the organization.

It’s still unclear from the court filings what information led to the ban, how it was investigated, or what conclusions the investigation reached. A WROC/Rochester First story interviewed Hardeman, who also says his diverse repertoire choices came under fire during his tenure. The story is even more heightened because Hardeman is one of the few Black conductors in a field that is largely devoid of diversity. Rochester Overture will continue to monitor the story and any further legal proceedings.

Additionally, there has been an ongoing effort to foreclose on the Hungerford building, a historical hub for local visual artists. The owner, Peter Hungerford, failed to make payments on his $8.25 million loan for the building, which has fallen into deep disrepair. A judge recently cleared the way for the foreclosure, according to a WXXI story.

Lastly, the beloved Abilene Bar & Lounge may be shuttering. Owner Danny Deutch says he’s ending the venue’s run in mid-November. It opened 18 years ago. In an online statement, Deutch said, “While my love of the business hasn’t changed, it personally feels time to ease up a bit, maybe shift a bit of focus, and maybe, just, maybe get to bed a little earlier!” Seeking a buyer for the business and/or building, the venue may still have a future if the right buyer comes along. Former Democrat and Chronicle reporter Gary Craig published a personal note about the venue on his Substack, and WXXI’s Patrick Hosken also reported on the story. While the shows presented at Abilene lean more popular, it has often presented jazz-adjacent artists and was, at one point, a Rochester International Jazz Festival venue. I’m sad to see this cozy bar with a large local following close.

And one more news item, but this one is more positive: The Eastman School of Music presents a concert featuring little-known vocal works by Black American composers tonight, Tuesday, September 15, at 7:30 p.m. in Kilbourn Hall: Joshua Conyers, Kiera Duffy, Nicole Cabell & Friends: In Plain Sight: The Black Anthology. The music is chosen from a two-disc recording by the Eastman School of Music, In Plain Sight: The Black Anthology, released on Lexicon Records. The recording and concert feature three vocal professors at Eastman—Joshua Conyers, Nicole Cabell, and Kiera Duffy—along with several other faculty and students. Voice is such an intimate medium, and these songs span its full, expressive range, from enormous evocations of emotion to intimate appeals. The anthology offers plenty of lyricism, with both traditional and more searching harmonies, including jazz and musical-theater touches in works like Noel Da Costa’s “Two Songs for Julie-Ju” and Thomas H. Herr, Jr.’s “Riding to Town.” But the anthology doesn’t shy away from modernisms, either, which is welcome to my ears: Works like George Walker’s “A Red, Red Rose,” Dorothy Rudd Moore’s “Weary Blues,” Adolphus Hailstork’s “A Charm at Parting,” and Hale Smith’s “Velvet Shoes” all take a freer approach. All songs mentioned will be performed at the concert, and all were composed between 1932 and 1977, placing them squarely in mid-century America. Eastman entered the recording in the first round of Grammy Award voting, so we will see if it picks up momentum in this Grammy cycle.

You can read a feature on the concert by David Raymond for The Beacon here, and a CD review by WXXI’s Mona Seghatoleslami here. The Eastman School of Music is also offering a 25% discount for tonight’s concert with code LDS25. You can purchase tickets here.

I have a confession to make: This week will be my first Rochester Fringe Festival. The festival began in 2012, the year after I left Rochester to pursue a doctorate degree. And although I’ve been back for four years, they’ve been intense years of raising small children. I did, however, steel away to see Tig Notaro in Kodak Hall in 2023. She was, as always, phenomenal. But I admit I have not had the full Fringe experience yet, which is why I had a long interview with Festival Founder and Producer Erica Fee in preparation for this year’s coverage. There was a lot to learn. So, my preview piece may feel explanatory, perhaps moreso than needed for many familiar with the fest. But I figure 15 years is a good opportunity to take a bird’s eye view. I think my newbie status will also bring a sense of wonder to reviews over the festival’s 12 days. You can follow along with coverage at https://rochesteroverture.com/fringe/.

Read the preview, with show recommendations:

ESL Rochester Fringe Festival at 15: Embracing Experimentation and Spectacle

Late in August, I also had the chance to catch a workshop concert of a new opera by Geneseo composer Glenn McClure about Civil War nurse and founder of the American Red Cross Clara Barton. She spent a decade in Western New York to recover from what we might label now as post-traumatic stress disorder. The opera digs into her recovery. The Genesee Valley Council on the Arts applied for a special NEA grant to develop it, and received $25,000 earlier this year, in addition to extra support from the Rochester Area Community Foundation.

You can read about it here:

NEA-backed Folk Opera Explores Clara Barton’s Overlooked Decade in Western New York

Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow Rochester Overture on social media, where I’ll be posting during Fringe.

Top photo: Flip Fabrique by Stephane Bourgeois

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A gorgeous sunset and comfortable temperatures paralleled the warm, comforting vocals of Josh Groban at the Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center on Tuesday night. The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra provided the lush accompaniment for his vocal swells. Because of Groban’s more recent Broadway pursuits, which earned him a Tony nomination, I went to the concert interested in hearing that part of his repertoire. I reported on the concert at Rochester Overture:

Josh Groban and RPO Luxuriate in Songs from Stage and Screen

Today, I’m at the Chautauqua Institute, where I’m slated to hear Renée Fleming and Béla Fleck, who collaborated on a wonderful, recently released album, The Fiddle and the Drum. I’m not writing a formal review for Rochester Overture, but I may write up a quick Field Note for our Rochester Fleming fans. (Fleming is an Eastman alumna who grew up in Churchville, so we often claim her as one of our homegrown successes.)

In other noteworthy happenings, the Skaneateles Festival finale is tomorrow, Saturday the 22nd, featuring the incomparable Cécile McLorin Salvant. I wrote about Salvant’s RIJF appearance in June, and her set was one of my top two shows. I highly recommend getting down to Skaneateles if you have the chance.

Also, the Eastman School of Music released a recording today on Lexicon Classics titled In Plain Sight: The Black Anthology, featuring Eastman faculty and students performing repertoire by Black American composers. I’ll write more on this soon, but do know that Rochester folks can hear the project in concert on Tuesday, September 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Kilbourn Hall, as part of the Eastman Presents season.

The summer is nearly over so I hope you are all savoring those wonderful final days of warmth and sunshine!

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One of the benefits of Rochester Overture for me has been the extra motivation to get out to artistic events I might not have otherwise attended. In August, that meant attending a couple of visual arts events: First Friday on August 7th and the Memorial Art Gallery’s Block Party. In preparation for First Friday, I made a plan — plotted on a Google map — of how I was going to hit about five or six galleries, with others as back-up choices. But it all went a little haywire when I was out seeing art, wanting to savor the experience rather than rush to the next option, and deciding to head in unplanned directions. Because of that, a couple of exhibits I wanted to see were pushed to the 8 to 9 p.m. hour, and some of them closed before my later arrival, presumably because attendance seemed to taper off. A note to self (and to readers): go early for First Friday, especially for the smaller galleries and outer-limit spaces that might not attract the main crowds. The First Friday website does suggest hitting the suburban galleries first, which did bear out in my experience. The most surprising part of the experience was seeing Rochester geographically through art, emphasizing the widespread nature of our city’s creative community.

Read about August’s First Friday here:
Citywide Gallery Crawl Spotlights Local Art Makers

Last night, Thursday the 13th, I attended the Memorial Art Gallery’s first-ever Neighborhood of the Arts Block Party. I brought my nine-year-old daughter and we enjoyed the opportunity to not simply look at art but to take part in creating it. There was sidewalk chalk art outside, crafting tables inside, a printmaking tutorial (led by the Flower City Arts Center), along with options to try out Garth Fagan’s dance technique and martial arts (courtesy of the Universal Kempo Club). We additionally relaxed (as much as a nine-year-old can) for a sound bowl session led by Harold Taddy, in which the sounds accompanied images of sculptures from the John Rhoden exhibit and videos of Garth Fagan dancers, part of the “Determined to Be” exhibit that is on view through the end of the month. I wrote a bit about the exhibit in this article, back in May. I expected to attend for an hour, and we stayed nearly three. Although I didn’t plan to write about the block party, I did take some photos:

If things have been a bit quiet on the music front lately, this weekend and the week ahead will make up for it. Jazz fans will have two local festivals to choose from this weekend. The first is the Webster Jazz Festival, taking place Friday and Saturday.* The other is the 28th Clarissa Street Reunion on Saturday. Clarissa Street, in what was known as the Third Ward of Rochester, was a major site in Rochester’s jazz history, a jumping-off point for local artists during jazz’s mid-century heyday, and now hosts an annual festival to honor the site’s role in making Rochester a jazz destination. This year features three stages of local artists.

Lastly, the uber-popular vocal artist Josh Groban, whose smooth, soaring vocals have made him a favorite among fans of pop, light classical, and Broadway music, visits CMAC on Tuesday evening. But he’s not the only name on the bill that should pique interest. The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra will provide the symphonic swells. Groban is singing with local orchestras at each of his stops. I was able to catch up with Josh Groban this week as he embarked on this tour, and we had a nice chat about how this tour is going and his development as an unusually versatile artist.

Grammy- and-Tony-nominated singer Josh Groban Performs with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Tuesday at CMAC

And just in case you missed it, Sudha Brightman reported back on some films viewed during the Rochester Jewish Film Festival:

Film Roundup: 2026 Rochester Jewish Film Festival

Happy listening this week!

*A prior version of this newsletter mistakenly stated the Webster Jazz Festival dates. It is a two day festival, running Friday and Saturday.

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It can’t be easy to host a Jewish Film Festival right now, which is what Rochester’s Jewish Community Center is doing this week. Feelings of discontent have been growing against Israel due to its role in current Middle Eastern conflicts. If anything might serve as an antidote, it might be a film festival that deepens our understanding of a community that has faced more than its share of persecution. The films are timely looks at Jewish identity, both historic and current, coming at a moment when we need to understand each other more than ever. If art has a special ability to foster empathy, it may help our community navigate divisive current events.

The festival is covered this week by our first Rochester Overture contributing writer, Sudha Brightman. Sudha draws on degrees in film and media studies from Syracuse University, where she also directed and produced films. A psychotherapist by day, she also spent years appearing in New York City’s top comedy clubs by night. It’s a pleasure to have her insights on film in Rochester Overture.

Here are some stories you can catch right now at Rochester Overture:

Films at the Intersection of History and Modernity Featured at 26th Rochester Jewish Film Festival

Rochester Jewish Film Festival Spotlights Actress Tovah Feldshuh with Documentary and Q&A

Sudha will also be putting together some short reports of the films she saw throughout the festival. Keep your eyes on Rochester Overture’s “Field Notes.”

Last week, the Finger Lakes Opera also hosted a performance of the Kurt Weill/Bertold Brecht/Elisabeth Hauptmann musical theater/quassi-operatic work Happy End at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The production is returning to the Glimmerglass Festival this week as part of a multi-company collaboration among Glimmerglass, Finger Lakes Opera, Opera Saratoga, and the Seagle Festival. The direction of the wacky work about gangsters and missionaries engaged in metatheater, with moments exposing the theatrical framing, which was on par with Brechtian techniques. You can read more about the production, as well as some information about the Finger Lakes Opera’s upcoming production of The Marriage of Figaro in August:

Finger Lakes Opera Collaborative Production Features High Comedy and a Happy End

Early August coverage will be a little lighter as we get prepared for the fall arts season, with previews and interviews. Rochester Overture is committed to highlighting some of the great artistic work happening throughout the main arts season in our creative city.


Featured photo: A still from Swedishkayt, about Jews living in Sweden, which will be shown at the RJFF on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in the JCC Hart Theater.

ChamberFest Canandaigua kicked off its summer this week by bringing in the established and vibrant international harpist Bridget Kibbey, who joins the Eastman School of Music Faculty this fall, and continuing to link music with the area’s food and wine industry. For Rochester Overture this week, I interviewed the festival’s founding co-director Amy Sue Barston about how she and the other performers paired music with Ventosa Vinyards wines for a tasting concert this Sunday at 2 p.m.

You can read that here:
ChamberFest Canandaigua’s Concert Sunday Pairs Notes with Nodes

Rochester Overture also gave a glimpse of what’s in store for September’s ESL Rochester Fringe Festival – a circus arts extravaganza, among other performances for the festival’s 15th anniversary.

And if you’re looking for a summer getaway filled with music and deep listening, read about the 2026 Tanglewood Music Festival season here, in which I outlined some performances that may be of interest to Rochesterians, reviewed the opening weekend of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer season, and gave some recommendations for other sonic excursions in the Berkshires. It’s all only a four-hour trip from Rochester.

While there is a lot coming together in the background right now for Rochester Overture, here’s what’s immediately upcoming:

The Finger Lakes Opera presents the Weill/Brecht/Hauptmann musical Happy End tonight at Rochester Institute of Technology National Technical Institute for the Deaf’s Robert F. Panara Theatre, which has been making stops around New York State. After tonight, the production heads to the Glimmerglass Opera Festival in Cooperstown, New York, which means tonight’s an opportunity to hear a Glimmerglass opera in our backyard. I will report on the opera (where I’m looking forward to hearing the 2024 Lotte Lenya first prize winner, Ana Karneža, in the role of The Fly) as well as preview the FLO’s final main stage production of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, which will enjoy two performances on Thursday, August 6 and Sunday, August 9, again at the RIT NTID Panara Theatre.

Additionally, I’m pleased to welcome a new writer to Rochester Overture who will be covering the Ames Amzalak Rochester Jewish Film Festival, which begins this weekend and extends through the next.

Thanks, everyone, for reading and sharing!

As always, if you’d like to support Rochester Overture with a tax-deductible donation, you can do so at our Fractured Atlas fundraising page. I have also now enabled paid subscriptions on Substack, for those who prefer to contribute this way (it is not tax-deductible, but perhaps convenient). Right now, content will remain free and available to all readers. Your subscription supports and sustains the publication. A sincere thank you to all who have generously pledged subscriptions and donated thus far. For those who want to do more: please share articles you enjoy and spread the word so that Rochester Overture becomes a go-to community resource.

The Rochester International Jazz Festival wrapped up on Saturday, June 27, featuring more than 300 performances over nine days and attracting approximately 211,000 people. On a backdrop of perfect weather, the final night of the festival ranged from traditional swing (Count Basie Orchestra) to New Orleans party music (Trombone Shorty). And the night ended on a note of discovery for me, which is apropos for a festival with an “it’s not who you know” ethos.

You can read more about it:
Closing Day of the 2026 Rochester International Jazz Festival

Greg Bell at JazzRochester also had a comprehensive roundup of the festival that examined some of its changes (including thoughts on the new Wegmans Pavilion, which I agree is a great new community space). And audio engineer Scott Fybush wrote an entertaining reflection on the festival's final night on Jazz90.1’s Facebook page. The three of us have been, in a sense, a small editorial team, filling in reflections on concerts the others couldn’t get to and adding to the discourse on the ones we collectively heard. It’s all to say that critical discourse is strengthened when more of us participate, which in turn strengthens our arts institutions, so I hope you will also find your own ways to participate in conversations about Rochester’s arts scene.

The United States celebrated 250 years as a nation this past weekend, and several local performances took place around the milestone, including the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at the Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC), complete with fireworks. I hope wherever you were, you took a moment to reflect on our nation’s history and the foundation of freedom and democracy upon which our nation was built. In observance of the anniversary, the musical community has already focused on American works since the start of 2026, but American music will continue as a thematic center through the summer and into the fall arts season.

If the end of the jazz festival has you missing roaming the downtown corridor, there’s more: The RPO performs a free concert on Friday evening (July 10, 6 p.m.–10 p.m.) at Parcel 5. It will be conducted by the up-and-coming pops conductor Evan Roider, who led an RPO pops concert in a Broadway program this past spring.

Rochester Overture is currently on a field trip to Tanglewood, the famed summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I heard a BSO concert built around the towering and almost mythological figure Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. president who abolished slavery. The concert included a long-anticipated premiere of a Philip Glass Symphony based on Lincoln texts, a suite comprising selections from John Williams’s score to Lincoln, and Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, with actor Alec Baldwin narrating. And in a surprise discovery, the Lincoln texts in the Glass symphony were sung by baritone Zachary James, a winner of the 2009 Lotte Lenya Competition, held each year in Rochester by the Kurt Weill Foundation.

I also took in several thought-provoking visual and sonic experiences in a short diversion to MASS MoCA, and will participate in a sound meditation with sound bowls at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. An article detailing these sonic/creative experiences for those in Rochester looking for a culture-filled summer destination will be out soon after.

Before my report on my Berkshires trip comes out, with an overview of what’s on tap at Tanglewood for the rest of the summer, I do want to alert audiences that Eastman School of Music alumna, Beverly Sills Award winner, and Grammy-winning soprano Erin Morley will perform on the final movement of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony with the BSO and its music director, Andris Nelsons, this coming weekend, on July 11, at Tanglewood. She shares the program with pianist Emanuel Ax, who performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25. Because it’s coming up soon, I want to be sure those interested hear about it before I post something more formal about the Tanglewood season.

Excursions are fun, but I’ll soon be back in Rochester to cover the wealth of local and regional summer events that add to our glorious, if short, summers. (That is, when there’s not a heat dome oppressing our city.) That includes ChamberFest Canandaigua and the Skaneateles Festival, among other events throughout the summer. I hope you’ll keep reading, and I’ll send out updates on new articles as they drop.

Thanks again for reading!
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P.S. Many readers have kindly pledged funding for Rochester Overture on Substack. Thank you for believing in Rochester Overture’s mission! I know that Substack can be a convenient way to support community reporting efforts, and I will work on enabling it when I’m back from the Berkshires. It’s optional; I’m committed to keeping Rochester Overture accessible.

If you might be interested in a tax deduction for your donation, you can always donate through Rochester Overture’s Fractured Atlas fundraising page. To those who already donated at this publication’s earliest stages: your belief in this (and in me) fuels my writing and organizational efforts.

Your support, on any chosen platform, will allow me to bring on more contributors and continue building Rochester’s arts coverage year-round.

With much gratitude,

Anna Reguero
Founding Editor, Rochester Overture

We have one more night of the nine-day Rochester International Jazz Festival marathon. While I’m looking forward to a little more sleep, I’m also feeling saddened at the thought that the best week+ of the year in Rochester will be over so soon.

But here’s some reading to help you make the best of the evening. Your guide to tonight, plus reviews of last night’s performances:

• Jazz Festival Day 9 - Daily Festival Guide

And follow along for tonight at:

• Jazz Festival Live - Day 9

I’m pleased to say that Rochester Overture has received fiscal sponsorship from Fractured Atlas. If you believe in our mission to fill the coverage gap in Rochester’s arts community, you can make a tax-deductible donation to the cause. I’m so appreciative of your support of this important initiative.

And, more so, please read and share!

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Two more days left of the Rochester International Jazz Festival, and I’m starting to lose steam. That’s why I’m excited to hear artists like Kyle Roussel tonight, whose energy should pick me up and carry me into the final day of the festival.

Please do, however, excuse the later-than-usual newsletter. I was on WXXI Connections today to talk about the NYTimes Top 30 Living American Songwriters’ list, and it was a lively discussion with some local musicians, songwriters, and, of course, the fabulous WXXI host, Mona Seghatoleslami, who was prepared to take the conversation in any direction.

If you didn’t get to tune in, you can still watch it here.

Here’s your guide for tonight:

• Jazz Festival Day 8 - Festival Guide

And here’s where you can follow along for live updates for Day 8:

• Jazz Festival Live - June 26

  
  

I’m pleased to say that Rochester Overture has received fiscal sponsorship from Fractured Atlas. If you believe in our mission to fill the coverage gap in Rochester’s arts community, you can make a tax-deductible donation to the cause. I’m so appreciative of your support of this important initiative.

And, more so, please read and share!

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We’re two-thirds of the way through the festival. Grab some coffee and hang on for another three full nights of music.

There’s always more to hear than can be consumed, but I point out three not-to-miss shows for tonight at Rochester Overture, in addition to singing the praises of French-American vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, who stunned me with her vocal prowess at last night’s Kodak Hall concert.

• Jazz Festival Day 7 - Daily Festival Guide

Follow along as I post live from the festival tonight at:

• Jazz Festival Live - June 25

Additionally, you can catch Anna Reguero tomorrow on WXXI Connections with WXXI Music Director Mona Seghatoleslami. We will be chatting about the New York Times‘s The 30 Top Living American Songwriters list. (That should be a gift link.) It drew a lot of ire from the music industry and should make for a lively discussion. It will be livestreamed here. Grab your lunch and listen in!

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Featured Photo: Anna Reguero

I’m pleased to say that Rochester Overture has received fiscal sponsorship from Fractured Atlas. If you believe in our mission to fill the coverage gap in Rochester’s arts community, you can make a tax-deductible donation to the cause. I’m so appreciative of your support of this important initiative.

And, more so, please read and share!

My head is still recovering from the ping-pong machine that was Hiromi’s show last night. I made it to the late set, knowing that there wasn’t going to be much more I could take in after her show. You can read more about it, along with information about several great shows tonight. I’m personally going to the Bad Plus, since our festival is a stop on the band’s farewell tour. But it will require crafty maneuvers to hear all the other worthy shows tonight.

• Jazz Festival Day 6 - Daily Festival Guide

And while you’re at the festival, keep your eyes on tonight’s Jazz Festival Live page for on-the-street updates, along with updates on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

• Jazz Festival Live - June 24

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I’m pleased to say that Rochester Overture has received fiscal sponsorship from Fractured Atlas. If you believe in our mission to fill the coverage gap in Rochester’s arts community, you can make a tax-deductible donation to the cause. I’m so appreciative of your support of this important initiative.

And, more so, please read and share!

We’re nearly at the halfway mark of the festival, with four days down and five more to go. While I had a very specific itinerary for the first three nights, my Monday night was more exploratory. You can read more about shows heard and recommendations for tonight at Rochester Overture. Here are the places to go for all your Tuesday night needs:

Jazz Festival Day 5 - Daily Festival Guide

Before you head out tonight, read a profile I wrote previewing jazz piano phenom Hiromi’s performance tonight. She plays not one but two club pass shows at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. If you don’t have a club pass, it’s $40 at the door.

Jazz Jedi: Hiromi Brings Sonicwonder to Kodak Hall

And while you’re at the festival, keep your eyes on tonight’s Jazz Festival Live page for on-the-street updates, along with updates on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Jazz Festival Live: June 23

I’m pleased to say that Rochester Overture has received fiscal sponsorship from Fractured Atlas. If you believe in our mission to fill the coverage gap in Rochester’s arts community, you can make a tax-deductible donation to the cause. I’m so appreciative of your support of this important initiative.


And, more so, please read and share!

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Saturday’s Rochester International Jazz Festival proved to be an unexpectedly strong night of shows and might end up as one of the most memorable ones of the festival for me for the high quality of music I heard. Some musicians were older masters, others were the next generation of greats, but all were class acts.

You can read reviews of those shows and read about where Rochester Overture is headed tonight:

Jazz Festival Day 3: Daily Festival Guide

And follow along tonight at:

Jazz Festival Live: June 21

I’m pleased to say that Rochester Overture has received fiscal sponsorship from Fractured Atlas. If you believe in our mission to fill the coverage gap in Rochester’s arts community, you can make a tax-deductible donation to the cause. I’m so appreciative of your support of this important initiative.


And, more so, please read and share!

After the early-afternoon rain, downtown Rochester was blanketed by golden sunlight. It was the perfect backdrop for the first day of the RIJF.

Here’s what to check out on Rochester Overture:

Rochester International Jazz Festival Day 2: Daily Festival Guide
Reviews and recommendations at this link.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Saxophonist Returns with a Roar and a Whisper
Jazz at Lincoln Center alto saxophonist and Eastman School of Music alumna Alexa Tarantino returns to the festival with her own quartet. I profiled her on Rochester Overture, so read about the show, and then get in line early for what will certainly be two packed sets at Kilbourn Hall.

Keep your eyes on Rochester Overture’s Jazz Festival Live: June 20 for quick concert reviews and news. Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for photos, videos, and more throughout the festival.

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Photo of Brandon Woody: Anna Reguero

I’m pleased to say that Rochester Overture has received fiscal sponsorship from Fractured Atlas. If you believe in our mission to fill the coverage gap in Rochester’s arts community, you can make a tax-deductible donation to the cause. I’m so appreciative of your support of this important initiative.


And, more so, please read and share!

Subscribe now

It’s finally here, the opening day of the Rochester International Jazz Festival’s 2026 edition! One fact obscured throughout much of the festival’s coverage is that the jazz festival in Rochester began 25 years ago. It’s not yet the 25th anniversary because the festival took a couple of years' break due to the Coronavirus pandemic. But it’s still an institution that has survived in our city for a quarter of a century, which is no small feat.

The jazz festival is now a major part of Rochester’s identity, and I’ve argued before that much of Rochester’s downtown revival is connected to the jazz festival’s growth. Starting today and for nine consecutive days, the downtown corridor gets an irresistible soundtrack.

I will be posting real-time updates throughout the festival on Rochester Overture, with on a special page that you can check back to throughout the night. Follow along at Jazz Festival Live: June 19 for opening night news and reviews.

You can also see all the nights of coverage in the Field Notes category on the site.

Please also follow along on social media, especially Facebook and Instagram, where I’ll be posting shorter updates, photos, and videos throughout the festival.

For profiles and recommendations, check out these articles on the site:

Jazz Festival Day 1: Daily Festival Guide - Read my recommendations for opening night, which includes a special concert celebrating the centennial year of John Coltrane.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Saxophonist Returns with a Roar and a Whisper - Read about Eastman School of Music alumna Alexa Tarantino, who is the first full-time female member of Jazz at Lincoln Center. An alto saxophonist and adept doubler on flute, she is featured with her own quartet tomorrow, Saturday, June 20, in Kilbourn Hall.

Jazz Jedi: Hiromi Brings Sonicwonder to Kodak Hall - Sonicwonder is the most appropriate name for Hiromi and her quartet, who have an updated take on jazz fusion and will perform on Tuesday night, June 23, in Kodak Hall. As I wrote in the article, when she plays, “you can expect a full sensory experience, from the splash of notes she throws down, to the bodily thrashing that overtakes her, to the bold clothes she wears, to her distinctive spiked-up hairdo.” She thinks of performances as something that engages all your senses. This show is my #1 pick of the festival.

Jazz Festival Live: June 19 - This is where you can follow for real-time updates tonight!

You can also expect extra newsletters in your inbox during the nine days of the Jazz Festival. But don’t fear: it’s only a temporary influx. I’m looking forward to seeing you all on Jazz Street this afternoon and comparing notes on shows!

I’m pleased to say that Rochester Overture has received fiscal sponsorship from Fractured Atlas. If you believe in our mission to fill the coverage gap in Rochester’s arts community, you can make a tax-deductible donation to the cause. I’m so appreciative of your support of this important initiative.

And, more so, please read and share!

It’s Not Who You Know: The Rochester International Jazz Festival’s Culture of Discovery

Other coverage:

CITY has a couple of great articles previewing jazz festival artists: one on guitarist Bill Frisell, who has graced our festival ten times prior to this year, by the wonderful Gary Craig, and another on Cécile McLorin Salvant by Justin Murphy.

I heard Cécile McLorin Salvant last summer at the Newport Jazz Festival, and I can say without hesitation that she’s worth the admission to hear. I was fortunate to photograph her there. She’s also collaborated with saxophonist Alexa Tarantino, who is performing at the festival on Saturday, June 20. You can read about Alexa in Rochester Overture next week.

Greg Bell is also working ahead, already posting his recommended concerts per night on his JazzRochester site.

Thank you for reading!
Anna Reguero, Editor and Founder of Rochester Overture

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