Just to bring us up to date.  The Eastman Rochester Symphony (town and
gown) no longer exists.  It was disbanded upon Hanson's retirement in 1964.

These days, the first orchestra of the Eastman School of Music is the
Phiharmonia.  It's music director for a number of years was David Effron.
Although it is all student (graduate level and upperclassmen), it is the
most prestigious ensemble of the Eastman School.  Were it ranked along with
professional orchestras, it would probably fall within the top 20--maybe
the top 10--of the nation.

The school's second orchestra is the ESSO--Eastman School Symphony
Orchestra.  Again, all student, mainly undergraduates and lower classmen.

The city's full-time professional orchestra is the Rochester Philharmonic,
which has a non-ESM-affiliated core of some 55 musicians.  It also performs
(on a rental basis) in the Eastman Theater.  For bigger works it augments
from the community pool of union musicians, which quite naturally includes
some faculty and students at the ESM.  The RPO's music director is
Christopher Seaman.  Past music directors have included David Zinman
and Mark Elder.

Regards,

John M. Proffitt
General Manager & C.E.O.
Radio Station KUHF-FM