ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Eastman School of Music‘s free lunchtime organ recitals are returning to downtown Rochester.

Tuesday Pipes is a series of 25-minute pipe organ performances at Christ Church on East Ave. every Tuesday at 12:10 p.m. through the end of August.

What You Need To Know

  • Tuesday Pipes is a series of free organ recitals performed by Eastman School of Music students, faculty and visiting organists

  • The 25-minute concerts are free at Christ Church every Tuesday through August 31

  • Christ Church is home to two of Rochester’s most prized instruments: The Craighead-Saunders Organ and the Hook & Hastings Organ

Many of Eastman School of Music’s talented and hard-working organists are performing in front of live audiences for the first time in a year and a half. It's a treat for not only the audience, but for organists like Edith Yam from Sydney, Australia.

"It is the first time in a very, very long time where we can open the doors and resume Tuesday Pipes where people from all over Rochester can come and enjoy the music," said Yam. "It is wonderful to share the music with a live audience again."

Eastman professor of organ chair David Higgs says organ students travel from all over the world to study the organ at Eastman School of Music and play the school's organs at Christ Church.

“A lot of people who are music lovers who don’t really know much about organ music or have much experience with organ music are coming to hear these different instruments," said Higgs. "The concerts are played every week by students of ours in the Eastman Organ Department as well as visiting artists and European artists who come here because this instrument here especially is so special that everybody wants to play it.” 

This recital series is all part of the Eastman School of Music's initiative to bring outstanding organ music to Rochester.

Here’s a look at the upcoming organists who will be performing at Christ Church for the Tuesday Pipes series.

  • August 17: Ryan Chan
  • August 24: William Porter
  • August 31: Wendy Yuen

Christ Church is located at 141 East Avenue in Rochester.