The University is home to world-class programs in the performing arts through the Eastman School of Music as well as programs in , , and in the School of Arts and Sciences. The new ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½” a 25,000-square-foot facility on the River CampusÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½”is slated to open in fall 2020 and will house a theater, scene shop, dressing rooms, costume shop, and green room.
Each month, weÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™ll interview a faculty member, student, or visiting artist in the areas of music, theater, or dance. Learn more about performing arts on the .
A native of Vermont, Siena Facciolo ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™19 graduated from the ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ with a degree in music. In 2018, while still at student, she released her first album, Dear House. A well-rounded artist, sheÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s a pianist, songwriter, and vocalist, and recently accepted a job at the City of RochesterÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s Academy of Health Science Charter School as a 5th-grade music teacher.
Chris Palace ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™18 earned a degree in audio and music engineering at the . A drummer, he has studied under Chase Ellison, a faculty member at the Eastman Community Music School, with Bill Tiberio, a faculty member at the , and Kerfala (Fana) Bangoura, an adjunct instructor in the . HeÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s a founder of , a five-piece funk-jazz-rock ensemble that has been on two tours and released two studio albums.
Facciolo and Palace can be seen performing FaccioloÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s soul-folk music at Nox at the Village Gate as part of the .
What did you most appreciate about studying music on the River Campus?
Facciolo: The music history curriculum [in the Department of Music] on the River Campus is extremely rigorous. The music professors on the River Campus are top notch. I looked at music from different perspectives and I could also see my peers were interested in looking at music from a variety of perspectives. For example, I had a classmate who was into Catholic music history, and one classmate into Sondheim musicals and musical theater. I had another classmate who was into Beethoven and wanted to be a conductor. All these people were doing very different things and they enriched my learning so much.
What are you working on now?
Palace: IÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™ve been on two tours this summerÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½”one with Juicy Connotation and then I went on an international tour through Europe with the band Archive Ravens. IÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™m also about to release an album thatÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s my own project, Dream Float. I play in a ton of bands as drummer. But I also teach lessons at Roberts Wesleyan College, at its community music school.
Facciolo: IÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™m slow-and-steady-wins-the-race moving towards my next album. IÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™m writing songs for it. I already recorded one of the songs. IÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™m really working on practicing and making my own technique better. [My current job] is my first teaching job, so IÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™m anticipating itÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s going to take a lot of energy and balance. My other project is teaching piano lessons to young students.
What was your most memorable experience in performing arts at Rochester?
Facciolo: I went to the end-of-semester dance performance, and that was so inspiring that I would go and practice afterward because I needed to create. The student lighting was amazing. The dancing and choreography were incredible. Going to see other performing artists at the University was really inspiring.
Todd [Union] is also right near the practice rooms, so I could practice right before a show and go see a show and then practice afterwards. The close proximity and accessibility really helped.
I also took a meditation class, which was part of the Program of Dance and Movement, my first semester and that was life-changing. It really helped my music and makes the piano a relaxing space for me.
Palace: I regularly used the audio studio at Rettner Hall. I was the recording engineer for three of the song’s on Siena’s album. Stephen Roessner [a lecturer in audio and music engineering] really believes that the only way to become really good is to keep working on projects independently. He knows from his own experience that you have to record in bands; make and mix records. He makes the studio available to you as long as youÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™ve taken the class [on studio rules and guidelines.]
Q: WhatÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s something that people might not know about you?
Facciolo: In February of 2019, we both [Siena and Chris] organized a music and arts festival at the Yards at the Rochester Public Market. We also both played for the event. I also planned a senior showcase with two of my classmates for all the music majors on the River CampusÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½“which had never happened before. I plan events that I think the community needs and that I think people would really benefit from; or I plan events that I think will build community. IÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™m obsessed with building communities and nurturing themÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½“which is probably why IÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™m a teacher.
