Alumna will lead the Eastman School of Music

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Kate Sheeran has been named Joan and Martin Messinger Dean of the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, effective July 15.

Sheeran is an experienced teacher, academic administrator and professional musician. She is currently executive director of the Kaufman Music Center in New York City.

“Kate Sheeran brings to Eastman extensive and impressive leadership experience in music education, including unique experience in both higher education and community music education,” said Sarah Mangelsdorf, UR president. “As an Eastman alumna and a deeply gifted musician, I know she will immediately embrace the school’s world-class intellectual and creative environment and contribute in extraordinary ways to her place in the community and in the world.”

In Eastman’s 100-year history, Sheeran is only the eighth dean and the first woman to hold the position.

She succeeds Jamal Rossi, who has been Dean of Joan and Martin Messinger since 2014. In May 2023, Rossi announced his departure from the deanship after ten years in the role and at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year.

Prior to her current role, Sheeran served as provost and dean of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In addition, Sheeran served on the leadership team at the Mannes School of Music in New York City, where she served as assistant dean and led all pre-college and continuing education. She has been a faculty member at Dickinson College, Susquehanna University, Bucknell University and Mannes Prep, part of Mannes School of Music.

Sheeran earned a bachelor’s degree, a certificate in arts leadership and an artist certificate from Eastman, and a master’s degree in music from the Yale School of Music.

“I am deeply honored to take on the role of dean of the Eastman School of Music,” said Sheeran. “It’s a place that I truly love, and that has shaped me as a musician, a leader and a person.”

Eastman has 900 bachelor’s and master’s students, including 110 full-time and 56 part-time teachers.

Each year, Eastman students, faculty and guest artists present more than 900 concerts to the Rochester community. In addition, more than 1,700 members of the Rochester community, from young children to seniors, are enrolled in the Eastman Community Music School.

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