Ä¢¹½´«Ã½

Graduate school can often feel like a lot of work and no play. As students, we often let the intensity of academic work take center stage in our lives, and we might miss out on enjoying the finer things in life-like the arts. Lucky for you, you don’t have to make the long trek down to a big city like NYC to catch a fantastic concert, play, or festival, because at any point in the year, there’s something to see in ROC.

Within the city limits, Rochester has several theater and concert venues that can satisfy almost any need for live performance. If you’re on the hunt for live music, you need only look to the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½’s own Eastman School of Music to find a variety of concerts and symphonies. At the , you can often find showcases put on by students and faculty, in addition to outside musical guests and ensembles. The is another great spot, offering a wide variety of shows ranging from orchestra to Rock n Roll tribute shows and even folk dance! If you’re looking for a venue that has the capacity to host big names, the is the place to visit. Throughout the year, you can catch almost any kind of show here- including comedians, concerts, and live dance shows- as the Kodak Center is one of Rochester’s premier, large concert venues to catch those big attractions.

If you fancy something more along the lines of an old-fashioned play or musical, Rochester has the Geva Theatre, the Blackfriars Theater, and West Herr Auditorium. The has a combination of mainstream shows and special productions that are unique to the local theater scene, both within the play and musical genre. Similarly, the maintains a ton of variety within its seasonal schedule. This spring season, you can catch anything from The Music Man to a special one-woman show hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race Star, Mrs. Kasha Davis! But if you’re a big theater fan and want to catch a traveling performance of a big-name production straight out of Broadway or the West End, check out the listings at the . During their “Broadway Season” they host Tony award winners like Wicked, Suffs, and & Juliet, all just 30 minutes from campus!

Rochester is also well-known for hosting seasonal , such as the Rochester Jazz Festival (Summer), Fringe Festival (Fall), Holiday Village (Winter), and the Lilac Festival (Spring). These events take place throughout the city and provide activities, food, drinks, and performances that connect the arts of Rochester to the beautiful outdoors. Check out the Lilac Festival this May, Rochester’s signature springtime event that happens to also be the largest lilac festival in North America!

So, once in a while, close that book, put down that pen, and make sure to take a break from the grind of Grad life and take in some of the dynamic arts offered here in our beautiful city, and at a fraction of the cost than you might find elsewhere! There’s so much to see if you know where to look- and it’s all in your own backyard.