The Ģ����ý has launched the , a new interdisciplinary academic department bringing together two of Ģ����ý’s world-class schools—the and the . The integrated department advances research, education, creative practice, and public engagement at the nexus of sound, technology, and the musical arts.

The Department of Sound Arts and Engineering unites Hajim programs (the and the ) with Eastman’s , which houses the , as well as future programs in music creation and technology.

“Our newest department continues the story of the Ģ����ý’s longstanding history of research and teaching excellence in engineering, music performance, and innovation,” says University President Sarah Mangelsdorf. “By leveraging the strengths of two of our groundbreaking schools, we begin our latest chapter as leaders in creating and sharing music with new audiences and through new technologies.”

“The history of music is full of technology-driven disruptions and adaptations, from when the gramophone drove the dawn of the music recording industry to today’s advancements in artificial intelligence,” says Wendi Heinzelman, the John and Barbara Bruning Dean of the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. “Fusing the strengths of the Hajim School and the Eastman School allows us to create a one-of-a-kind program to prepare bright and talented students to lead the future of AI and creative practice, immersive audio, sound for games and film, and digital arts.”

“By leveraging the strengths of two of our groundbreaking schools, we begin our latest chapter as leaders in creating and sharing music with new audiences and through new technologies.”

“Eastman and Hajim have long been celebrated for excellence in their respective areas, and this new unified department bridges the gap between these two distinct but immersive areas—music and engineering—offering a multitude of career paths for future students,” says Kate Sheeran, the Joan and Martin Messinger Dean of the Eastman School of Music. “With established programs and exciting forthcoming degree paths, we are poised to lead the future world of music, technology, and engineering, with endless possibilities for learning, creativity, research, performance, and innovation.”

As of fall 2025, the Hajim School enrolls 62 students in its audio and music engineering and audio arts and technology programs, while Eastman’s Beal Institute enrolls 15 students in its film music and contemporary media graduate program. The newly formed department will grow enrollment and will soon announce new degree programs.

Chaired by Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering , the department will be composed of faculty from both schools, providing students with opportunities to learn from both areas of expertise, engage in collaborative projects, and take courses at both campuses.

The sound arts and engineering department offers state-of-the-art facilities across both campuses, including audio engineering spaces, audio production facilities, labs for acoustics, immersive audio, and sound design, mix rooms, and performance and synthesizer labs. Future space for this department includes the recently announced Beal Innovation Hub on Eastman’s campus, as part of the Beal Institute expansion—a collaborative center being built that will include 6,000 square feet of additional labs, creative spaces, classrooms, teaching studios, and a recording studio.

The department also serves as the academic home to faculty engaged in SoundSpace, a new transdisciplinary center advancing the University’s leadership in music and technology in partnership between both schools.

Jamal Rossi, the current dean of the at the , announced that he will not seek reappointment following his current appointment term, which ends following the 2023–24 academic year. Rossi has served as the Joan and Martin Messinger Dean since 2014, presiding over a transformational period for the renowned music school.

Prior to his appointment as dean, Rossi served as the executive associate dean at Eastman from 2005 to 2014, as well as interim dean and acting dean. During his tenure, Rossi hired more than 60 percent of the current Eastman faculty and oversaw several capital and infrastructure projects: the construction of the Eastman East Wing and renovations to Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, Kilbourn Hall, Lowry Hall, Messinger Hall, Howard Hanson Hall, and the Student Living Center. Rossi created several new divisions and programs at the school, including the Beal Institute for Film Music and Contemporary Media and Eastman Performing Arts Medicine, and spearheaded numerous new degrees and certificates, including the master of music in film music and contemporary media, the master of arts in music leadership (fully online), and the advanced diploma in performance. Under Rossi’s leadership, Eastman secured 138 new endowed scholarships (in addition to adding significant gifts to 74 existing endowed scholarships) and created 11 new endowed professorships, all thanks to the philanthropy of generous donors.

“Serving as the Joan and Martin Messinger Dean of the Eastman School of Music has been the greatest honor of my life,” Rossi says. “The opportunity to work with tremendously talented and dedicated faculty and staff colleagues in service of educating future generations of musicians has been an extraordinary privilege. I am proud of all that the Eastman community has accomplished together over the past ten years, and I look forward to an exceptionally bright future for Eastman and the University.”

As a leader deeply committed to issues of equity and inclusion, Rossi established Eastman’s first diversity committee; led the creation of the ROCmusic Collaborative, a partnership program with other arts and civic organizations to provide tuition-free music instruction at recreation centers throughout Rochester; forged a formal partnership with Gateways Music Festival; formed the Eastman Action Commission for Racial Justice; created the George Walker Center for Equity and Inclusion in Music; and hired the school’s first associate dean for equity and inclusion.

Internationally, Rossi created or renewed conservatory exchange agreements between Eastman and 13 leading music schools and conservatories around the world; cofounded the Global Music Education League to promote collaboration and shared teaching, learning, and music-making with more than 70 member institutions around the world; and supported Eastman ensemble tours to Austria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Mexico.

“The URochester, the Eastman School of Music, and the city of Rochester have benefited greatly from Jamal’s leadership and service,” says University Provost David Figlio. “An extraordinary judge of musical talent, Jamal has led Eastman with an eye to the future and reverence for the past for nearly 20 years.”

Most recently Rossi spearheaded the celebration of Eastman’s centennial, which included hosting national conferences and symposia and inviting countless guest artists to Eastman’s campus. Additionally, Rossi, who also serves as the director of the , commissioned more than fifty composers to write new works that premiered throughout the centennial celebration. To date, the Centennial Campaign for Eastman has raised more than $66 million toward its $100 million goal.

“Dean Rossi’s extraordinary commitment to the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the Eastman School has paved the way for a future filled with even greater possibilities, both for the school and for the University,” says President Sarah Mangelsdorf. “We deeply appreciate his years of dedicated service.”

In his final semesters as dean, Rossi remains focused on leading the school through a successful reaccreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music, continuing the significant fundraising progress made on the Centennial Campaign, and advancing the initiatives outlined in the school’s current strategic plan. The University will soon initiate a national search to identify the next dean of the Eastman School of Music. Figlio will name a dean search committee in the coming weeks.