The Eastern Music Festival & School, based at Guilford since 1962, announced Oct. 6 that its Board of Directors has voted to dissolve the organization, which is independent from the College. More information about the decision to cease operations is available at easternmusicfestival.org.

Guilford’s connections with the festival and school run deep, including the creation of the EMF Classical Guitar Summit in 2015 by Kami Rowan, Dana Professor of Music and current Provost at the College.

“On behalf of Guilford College, I want to express our sadness at the dissolution of EMF after more than six decades of enriching the musical arts in Greensboro and beyond,” said Jean Parvin Bordewich, President of the College.

The organization was founded during the presidency of Clyde Milner by Sheldon “Shelly” Morgenstern, a celebrated orchestral conductor and one-time Guilford faculty member. He remained the primary conductor and music director until 1997.

His vision was an immersive summer program focused on educating and engaging young classical musicians aspiring to careers as music professionals. More than 10,000 student musicians from around the world participated in the highly regarded music education program.

Festival alumni include Grammy award-winning trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Concertmaster Stephanie Collins Matsuo and cello sensation Sterling Elliott, among other notable artists.

Besides providing an extraordinary student experience, the festival drew thousands of concert-goers to Dana Auditorium on the Guilford campus each summer.

“Many people in the wider community recognize the long-term partnership between Guilford and EMF,” Jean said. ”Even as we acknowledge the decision of the organization to cease operations, we celebrate the opportunity we had to welcome EMF students, faculty and patrons to our campus.”