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EMF Alumni
A History of Success
Since 1962, the Eastern Music Festival and School has had many students go on to achieve great success. The list of alumni is impressive. Several, like Wynton Marsalis, are sought after soloists, others are successful educators, and many are affiliated with America's top ensembles. Some of our distinguished alumni include:
Wynton Marsalis Chauncey Patterson Geraldine Walther Eliot Chapo Josef Burgstaller Rolando Morales-Matos Charles Putnam David Hardy Ricardo Morales Chris Rex Tom LeGrande David Cramer Manny Laureano Richard Hawley Manuel Barreuco Christopher Allen Charles Bell Holly Blake Thomas Booth James Box Rebecca Boyer Michael Chertock Robert Deutsch Robert deMaine Jonathan Dlouhy
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Jason Marsalis
Anne Fagerburg Rachel Fagerburg Kevin Finamore Colin Gatwood Laura Griffiths Sue Heineman David Kim John Moore Scott Mozlin Eliesha Nelson Elizabeth Ostling Paula Page Bruce Patti Hunter Scholar Angie Smart Douglas Smith Martin Smith Zachary Smith Sylvie Wang Bryan Dumm |
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Rolando-Morales Matos
“It wasn’t until that summer of 1981 that my appreciation of classical music was awakened. Since then, I have been focused on my music career; always knowing that it was during that summer that I discovered what would have to be done to become an artist.”
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Percussionist Rolando Morales-Matos began his musical studies at the prestigious high school for the performing arts, Escuela Libre de Musica. He received his BFA in music from Carnegie Mellon University, his MA from Duquesne University, and a Certificate of Professional Studies at Temple University.
His professional career has taken him all over the world, from Spain to New Zealand, where he has held principal timpani and percussion positions with their state orchestras. Currently Rolando is a percussionist and assistant conductor with Disney’s production of The Lion King. He is a well sought after Latin Percussionist and performs and records regularly in New York with various Latin Jazz groups.
Rolando is a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra Percussion Group, Extra- Percussionist with The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra and when needed, with The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He has been a featured performer with Nexus Percussion Group. Rolando also maintains a busy schedule giving clinics and master classes at many universities. He holds adjunct professor positions at both The Curtis Institute of Music and Duquesne University.
Rolando Morales-Matos attended the Eastern Music Festival in 1981 at the insistence of his brother, Jaime, who had participated the previous two summers. Rolando has fond memories of working with faculty member John Fedderson, learning how to make timpani mallets (which he still has!), and playing timpani on Sibelius’ Symphony #2 at the final concert.
EMF changed how Rolando viewed classical music and the dedication required of professional musicians. “The festival opened my eyes to the fact of how much I did not know. At the same time, it showed me the importance of discipline, not just from the teachers, but also through the other students who applied it in order to accomplish a given task, including the task of becoming a musician. The competition was very strong, but very healthy among fellow students. I had many people to look up to as they shared their knowledge. It wasn’t until that summer of 1981 that my appreciation of classical music was awakened. Since then, I have been focused on my music career; always knowing that it was during that summer that I discovered what would have to be done to become an artist.”
