ENJOY THE SUMMER BREAK!

CONTACT US: [email protected]

Join Music for Veterans at the Irondequoit Resource and Wellness Expo on August 19 from 9am-12pm!

Providing veterans and their immediate family members with instruments, printed music and instruction! Enrich your life with the joy of music!

"Through regular practice and group performances, our
members experience the joy of music while building
meaningful connections within a supportive network."
— Dr. Roy Ernst, Founder
of Music for Veterans National Association

MVNA was founded by Dr. Roy Ernst, professor emeritus of The Eastman School of Music and founder of New Horizons International Music Association.The local Rochester chapter was founded by Judy Rose. This is the third music program for veterans under the umbrella of the Music for Veterans National Association, Inc. Music for Veterans (Rochester), also known as ROCVETSMUSIC, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) music program serving veterans and their immediate family members in the Greater Rochester Area. Come to learn a musical instrument and perform music together!Talk to ROCVETS at:
[email protected]
(585) 626- 2726This opportunity is made possible by a generous contribution from Andy Nahas, a Rochester philanthropist and his charity MusicPower.org

DIRECTORS

[email protected]

ALDEN SNELL

Dr. Alden Snell, Chair of the Department of Music Teaching and Learning of the Eastman School of Music; Eastman graduate students

JUDY ROSE

Executive director of and founder of Music for Vets Rochester chapter, Judy is passionate about bringing the joy of music to her local community. She has a background in education and has been inspired to spread the healing power of music to those in need.

PEDRO SPERB

Currently a student in the doctoral program at Eastman School of Music under the mentorship of Paul O’Dette, Pedro Sperb’s study of historical plucked strings and modern guitar has granted him many years of experience as a performer and educator.

Performing either solo or Basso continuo, Pedro seeks for historical music awareness, having entered early music under Dr. Silvana Scarinci. While a variety of experiences intertwine, Pedro is currently Chapter Leader for the Lute Society of America, where he directs the educational program Lute4KIds. Pedro’s Brazilian origin guides his Mission of representing diverse populous demographics in his performances, especially Latin-American Baroque music.As educator, Pedro currently holds a position of Secondary Professor at Eastman School of Music and has given Early Music Appreciation lectures at Universities in California, South Carolina and Colorado, while also serving as higher education Teacher Assistant the for classes of Counterpoint, Harmony, Analysis, Music Aesthetic, Chamber Music, Symphonic and Wind Orchestras. As a modern musician, Pedro had collaborated with compatriot composers in debuting contemporary guitar pieces with the Porto Alegre Contemporary Music Ensemble and at age 17, Pedro was finalist in the Souza Lima Guitar Competition (SP-Brazil). In 2018, Pedro received his Master of Arts in Music performance at Azusa Pacific University of Southern California and in 2022, Pedro graduated as a Master in Arts Lute/Guitar under John Schneiderman at the University of California, Irvine.

SPECIAL THANKS TO MARCIA

We sincerely thank Marcia Bornhurst Parkes for her expertise as a Music Director, to which she brought her experience and success in higher education, and community music schools, and beyond. Our first wind instructor, her support was crucially important in helping this program succeed from the very beginning.

Schedule | 2026-27

Classes begin September 19. To participate, please register for Music for Veterans so that you will be included in the database.

Registration Form

Classes begin September 19. To participate, please register for Music for Veterans so that you will be included in the database.

If you would prefer to fill out this form on paper and mail it in, please download and print the PDF below and send it to:[Mailing Address]

We gratefully dedicate this page to:
Andy Nahas, whose generous support made it possible to launch Music for Veterans in Rochester, NY.

Andy is a philanthro-activist and singer who founded Music Power, which supports initiatives that use music as a tool for helping to solve problems in society. "I really wanted to support the rollout of RocVets Music because creating music is ideally suited for improving the psychological well-being for many veterans, including those with trauma. Additionally, the camaraderie of group playing offers a therapeutic benefit by bringing together people who share a past experience that the rest of us might not be able to relate to."