Pfaudler Lecture Series - History of Eastman School & Theatre

Vince Lenti, Eastman School of Music, Official Historian The Eastman School of Music is celebrating its centennial, and Vince Lenti has been around the place for just about two-thirds of that entire history. Originally from Long Island, he arrived at the school in September 1956, earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees, and then joined the faculty as a member of the school's piano department. He was named the official historian of the Eastman School of Music in 2002 and has written a three-volume history of the school, published by the University of Rochester Press. Although officially retired since 2020, Vince has continued in his role as the school's historian and has also done some post-retirement teaching. He is with us to share the story of how millionaire philanthropist George Eastman and University of Rochester President Rush Rhees shared a common vision that led to the establishment of the Eastman School of Music in 1921 and the construction and opening of the Eastman Theatre in 1922.