CCMONSTAGE Online: Get the latest news from CCM

Experience the artistry and expertise of our students, alumni, faculty and staff through our CCMONSTAGE Online e-newsletter. Our latest edition features details on how to watch the Ariel Quartet’s recently streamed concert, an exciting announcement from our new Division of Media Production and other campus news!

Sign up to receive CCM’s e-newsletter at ccm.uc.edu/subscribe.

Get the latest news from CCM:

Watch the Ariel Quartet’s digital concert

The Ariel Quartet performs with CSO/CCM Diversity Fellows Cristian Diaz and Denielle Wilson in the latest episode of CCM’s streaming concert series. Watch the online concert.

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CCM Idea Lab shares collaborative storytelling during the pandemic

Students and faculty from across the college work together to create innovative multimedia projects

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CCM Media Production launches new curriculum for 21st-century storytellers

Program updates focus on exciting new opportunities for students to prepare them for future success

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Moveable Feast sponsors and audiences support CCM students

Thank you to the CCM community for helping the college fuel the future of the arts

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‘Rising-star’ student conducts in Cincinnati Opera’s Digital Winter Festival

William R. Langley leads the opera’s “Wanderlust” concert on March 5

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CCM Summer offers collegiate and adult arts programs in 2021

Collaborate with fellow arts enthusiasts and study baroque music, opera, music education and more

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Cincinnati Business Courier: Opera, book, film cast light on UC’s Ohio Innocence Project

Mark Godsey is UC law professor and director and co-founder of the OIP

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Additional Resources

Celebrate Black History Month at UC

Take part in the African American Cultural and Resource Center’s tribute to Black history

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UC Online programs ranked among best in the nation

U.S. News places UC colleges, programs among best for online education, supporting student success

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UC’s Center for Integrative Health and Wellness

The University of Cincinnati’s Center for Integrative Health and Wellness is providing information and resources to promote wellness. Learn more about the center’s wellness tips during times of stress and consider signing up for their email newsletter.

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FAQs and Online Resources

Please continue to refer to CCM’s coronavirus resource website to help answer your frequently asked questions. This website is updated as new information develops, so please check back often.

For more information about the University of Cincinnati’s response to COVID-19, please visit uc.edu/publichealth

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Sign up to receive CCM’s bi-weekly e-newsletter at ccm.uc.edu/subscribe.

CCM’s Virtual Moveable Feast Premieres Tonight

CCM’s Moveable Feast is making its online debut, and you have the best seats in (your) house! Join the arts fundraiser at 8 p.m. tonight, Jan. 22 to enjoy student and alumni performances that span the spectrum of the performing arts. Tickets are available online.

Get your first taste of Moveable Feast: From Coast to Coast by watching the teaser trailer, featuring clips of performances that will be featured in the event.

Moveable Feast: From Coast to Coast features performances by student and alumni stars from across the country, including offerings from New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cincinnati and more! Program highlights include:

• CCM Opera alum and 2020 Glyndebourne Opera cup winner Edward Nelson singing “Someone to Watch Over Me”
• Current students of CCM Musical Theatre Class of 2022 performing with Broadway alumni Leslie Kritzer (Beetlejuice, Something Rotten!), Noah J. Ricketts (Frozen, Beautiful The Carol King Musical), Stephanie Jae Park (Hamilton, War Paint), John Riddle (Frozen, The Visit) and Nikki Renée Daniels (Hamilton, The Book of Mormon)
• An original piece called “We Dare to Dream” featuring CCM acting alumni Diana Maria Riva (Dead to Me), Dominic Bogart (Fear the Walking Dead), Blake Kubena (Vikings), Torie Wiggins (Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati), Brandon Jones (Wildflowers) and more!
• Student performances by the CCM Wind Symphony, CCM Philharmonia and CCM Jazz Orchestra
• Student performances also showcase CCM Dance and CCM Piano as well as video pieces by CCM E-Media and Theatre Design and Production students

In addition to the performances, Moveable Feast’s virtual debut features a silent auction, private VIP chat rooms and dinner at home from Jeff Thomas Catering for Cincinnati audiences.

Audiences can learn more about Moveable Feast: From Coast to Coast in the event details below and in news coverage by Broadway World, Musical America, Cincinnati Enquirer, Local 12, WGUC, Behind the Curtain Cincinnati and arts reporter Janelle Gelfand.

Hosted by CCMpower — a dedicated volunteer group comprised of friends, advocates and alumni — Moveable Feast generates essential support to fund student scholarships, projects and travel opportunities. These unique educational offerings are essential to the CCM experience and provide creative opportunities for students that are vital to their growth as creators and collaborators. This year, COVID-19 cancelled paid work that students rely on and drastically changed students’ family financial circumstances. Our students need scholarship and emergency funds now more than ever. Your support will set the stage for our students to be and to create what is next in the arts.

Virtual Moveable Feast: From Coast to Coast

8 p.m. Jan. 22, 2021

Schedule of events:

• Sponsor pre-show chat: 6:30-7:45 p.m.
• Performances: 8-9 p.m.

Program details:

CCM Jazz Orchestra
Scott Belck, director
KAI ECKHARDT: The Shadow, arranged by Joe Duran (BM, ’13; MM, ’15)

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CCM Wind Symphony
Kevin Michael Holzman, conductor
OMAR THOMAS: A Mother of a Revolution!

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Edward Nelson, baritone (BM, ’11; MM, ’13)
Accompanied by San Francisco Opera guest artist Ronny Michael Greenberg, piano
GEORGE GERSHWIN: Someone to Watch Over Me

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CCM Ballet Ensemble
Excerpts from Napoli (1842)
Originally choreographed by August Bournonville
Restaged by Tricia Sundbeck
Set to “Pas De Six” by Niels W. Gade, Edvard Helsted and Holger Simon Paulli
Featuring student dancers Maia Blake, Amanda Kenner, Ying-Chi Lu, Anne McGovern, Gabby Savka, David Lopena and Garrett Steagall

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CCM Chamber Choir
Joe Miller, conductor
THOMAS MORLEY: Nolo mortem peccatoris

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The Ariel Quartet with CSO/CCM Diversity Fellow Cristian J. Diaz, viola
W. A. MOZART: String Quintet in G. Minor No. 4, K. 516 (1787), IV. Adagio-Allegro

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Electronic Media
Documentary: The Making of “Hope After Hate”
Hagit Limor, executive producer
Featuring students and alumni Carlee Coulehan, Nicole Fishburn, Kela Parker, Skylar Heizer, Jonathan Kilberg, Ed Kohls, Jason Obergefell, Ethan Qureshi, Dillon Trafzer, Gianna Vitali, Madison White, Thomas Zins and Michael Stanwick
Special thanks to Michael Benedic and Eric Dietrich

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CCM Acting
“We Dare to Dream”
Richard Hess, producer
Original music composed and performed by Colin Edgar
Text: Nobody Knows My Name (James Baldwin) and He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven (W.B. Yeats)
Featuring alumni Torie Wiggins (BFA, ’03), Aaron Serotsky (BFA, ’97), Sarah Ellen Stephens (BFA, ’08), Jabari Carter (BFA, ’20),  Jaclyn Chantél (BFA, ’14),  Blake Kubena (BFA, ’07),  Ellyn Jameson (BFA, ’13), Brandon Jones (BFA, ’03),  Diana Maria Riva (BFA, ’91; MFA, ’95) and Dominic Bogart (BFA, ’00)

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CCM Piano
Featuring student Jiajun (David) Lai, piano
J.S. BACH: Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 – I

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CCM Philharmonia
Mark Gibson, conductor
Featuring student artist Brittany Logan, soprano
GUSTAVE CHARPENTIER: “Depuis le jour” from Louise (1900)

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CCM Jazz Orchestra
Featuring student artists Maya Threat, vocals; Ricky Roshell, tenor saxophone; Myles Twitty, trumpet; Anthony Bryson, trombone; Chris Caporale, piano; Mason Daugherty, bass; Derek Johnson, drums
ABEL MEEROPOL: “Strange Fruit” arranged by Myles Twitty

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CCM Musical Theatre
Eric Santagata, editor and producer
Featuring the Musical Theatre Class of 2022 and alumni guest artists John Riddle (BFA, ’12), Stephanie Jae Park (BFA, ’14), Leslie Kritzer (BFA. ’99), Noah J. Ricketts (BFA, ’14) and Nikki Renée Daniels (BFA, ’01)
STEPHEN SONDHEIM: “No One is Alone” from Into the Woods, arranged by Julie Spangler

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Silent Auction

Guests will pre-register for access to the silent auction through the Moveable Feast event website. The auction officially opened on January 15 and closes at 11:59 p.m. EST on January 25.

There are over 50 items to peruse and bid on, ranging from “buy it now” experiences including:

• A special serenade from CCM students and accompanying gift certificate to Graeter’s Ice Cream to make a birthday or anniversary memorable
• An evening with CCM alumnus Aaron Lazar (star of Fox’s Filthy Rich)
• A visit to a Warner Bros. Sound Stage to witness a recording for a popular primetime television show episode
• A private coaching by Aubrey Berg and Patricia Linhart for an aspiring CCM Musical Theatre student.
• And more!

There are also many items for those who also love the visual and sculptural arts including pieces from local artist Bill Feinberg, a football signed by Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and a special Zoom experience with Reds Legend Johnny Bench.

Purchasing Tickets

Tickets to Moveable Feast are on sale now and can be purchased online at foundation.uc.edu/MoveableFeast2021 or over the telephone at 513-556-2100.

General Admission and Young Professional tickets cost $25 each; CCM Alumni tickets cost $15.

After purchasing tickets, audience members will receive registration information on how to access the event website. If you don’t live in the Eastern Standard Time zone or simply want to watch Moveable Feast at a different time, the performances will be accessible at your convenience on the event website with your login information.

Sponsorship and host levels range from $150-$10,000. To discuss benefit details or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Libby Coletta, Assistant Director of Development, at 513-556-2100 or olivia.coletta@uc.edu.

In Memoriam: CCM Professor Emeritus Eiji Hashimoto

We are saddened to share news of the passing of CCM Professor Emeritus Eiji Hashimoto, Professor of Harpsichord and Harpsichordist-in-Residence at CCM from 1968 to 2001. Hashimoto passed away on Jan. 14, 2021, at the age of 89. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Hashimoto; his three children: Christine (Kirk) Merritt, Ken (Allison Dubinski) Hashimoto, and Erica Hashimoto; and five granddaughters: Katherine and Elizabeth Merritt, Scarlette and Sabina Hashimoto, and Naomi Hashimoto. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.

An internationally renowned concert artist and scholar of baroque music, Hashimoto performed with critical acclaim throughout the United States and around the world. As a soloist, he dazzled audiences in more than 50 international tours and released numerous CDs. His own editions of 18th-century keyboard music remain highly regarded.

Born in Tokyo in 1931, Hashimoto began musical training as a child and graduated from the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music with a major in organ in 1955. He came to the US under a Fulbright study grant to pursue graduate studies in musicology and composition at the University of Chicago (Master of Arts in 1959) and then in harpsichord at the Yale University School of Music (Master of Music in 1962) under Ralph Kirkpatrick.

Upon returning to Japan, Hashimoto taught at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo until he was invited by the French government to spend six months in France doing research in 1967. During his subsequent US tour, he performed in Cincinnati, which led to an invitation to teach at CCM beginning in 1968.

Hashimoto maintained an active performance and recording schedule throughout his 33-year long tenure at CCM. During this time he performed with many CCM ensembles, spent several summers conducting for CCM’s Opera Theatre of Lucca program in Italy, and also performed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and at the May Festival.

Hashimoto also formed CCM’s Ensemble for Eighteenth Century Music, recording with the ensemble and taking it on several tours, including to Japan in 1988, to Mexico in 1993, and to many cities across the US. The El Porvenir newspaper in Monterrey, Mexico, declared “They came, they played and they conquered” following Hashimoto’s November 1993 performance with CCM’s Ensemble for Eighteenth Century Music. In 2001, Hashimoto’s then-colleague (and now emeriti faculty member) Clare Callahan told the Cincinnati Enquirer, “Eiji is our Baroque touchstone … and his dedicated work with the Eighteenth Century Orchestra gave students and faculty alike a sense of the fun people had with music of that time.”

In 1978 and 1981, Hashimoto received the Prize of Excellence from the Japanese government for his recitals in Tokyo. In 1984, he received UC’s coveted Rieveschl Award for Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Works. He was a recipient of the Ohio Arts Council’s solo artist grant, was also selected for the 1988-89 Arts Midwest Performing Arts Touring Program and was awarded the “Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels,” the highest honor awarded by the state of Kentucky for special achievements, by the governor of Kentucky in 1990. He was twice awarded research grants by the Rockefeller Foundation for scholarly residencies in Bellagio, Italy.

Please join us in sending your thoughts, prayers and condolences to Eiji’s family and friends. You can learn more about Eiji’s career by visiting Janelle Gelfand’s “Janelle’s Notes” blog. Tributes can be shared through the Neidhard-Young Funeral Home website. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. Eiji influenced and inspired multiple generations of students, colleagues and music lovers during his three decades at CCM. He will be deeply missed.

CCM’s Moveable Feast makes virtual debut on Jan. 22, 2021

Enjoy the artistry of CCM students and prominent alumni — all from the comfort of your own home during the college’s virtual fundraising event. Tickets are on sale now.

Cincinnati’s premier arts fundraiser gets a virtual makeover when CCM presents Moveable Feast online on Jan. 22, 2021. Join us as we travel around the country to see firsthand how CCM sets the bar in the arts world.

Enjoy an evening with the CCM family, despite the miles or the social distance that may separate us. Audiences from coast to coast can experience CCM’s student and alumni stars in a variety of online performances that showcase the full spectrum of the performing and media arts.

Alumni guest artists include stars from popular titles of the stage and screen like Hamilton, Frozen, Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Netflix’s Dead to Me and more! Featuring CCM Musical Theatre alumni Nikki Renée Daniels (BFA, ‘01), Noah J. Ricketts (BFA, ’14) and Stephanie Jae Park (BFA, ’14); Opera alumnus Edward Nelson (BM, ’11; MM, ‘13); and Acting alumni Diana Maria Riva (BFA, ’91; MFA, ’95), Aaron Serotsky (BFA, ’97), Torie Wiggins (BFA, ’03), Blake Kubena (BFA, ’07) and more. Moveable Feast offerings feature performances by the college’s Wind Symphony, Philharmonia and Jazz Ensemble, and by students in CCM’s Musical Theatre, Dance and Piano programs. The program also showcases video pieces by CCM Media Production and Theatre Design and Production students. The full lineup of alumni guest artists and program details will be announced in the coming weeks!

In addition to the performances, Moveable Feast’s virtual debut features a silent auction, private VIP chat rooms and dinner at home from Jeff Thomas Catering for Cincinnati audiences.

Hosted by CCMpower — a dedicated volunteer group comprised of friends, advocates and alumni — Moveable Feast generates essential support to fund student scholarships, projects and travel opportunities. These unique educational offerings are essential to the CCM experience and provide creative opportunities for students that are vital to their growth as creators and collaborators. This year, COVID-19 cancelled paid work that students rely on and drastically changed students’ family financial circumstances. Our students need scholarship and emergency funds now more than ever. Your support will set the stage for our students to be and to create what is next in the arts. Learn how to become a sponsor of Moveable Feast.

Virtual Moveable Feast: From Coast to Coast

8 p.m. Jan. 22, 2021

Schedule of events:

• Sponsor pre-show chat: 6:30-7:45 p.m.
• Performances: 8-9 p.m.

Purchasing Tickets

Tickets to Moveable Feast are on sale now and can be purchased online at foundation.uc.edu/MoveableFeast2021 or over the telephone at 513-556-2100.

General Admission and Young Professional tickets cost $25; CCM Alumni tickets cost $15.

After purchasing tickets, audience members will receive registration information on how to access the event website. If you don’t live in the Eastern Standard Time zone or simply want to watch Moveable Feast at a different time, the performances will be accessible at your convenience on the event website with your login information.

Sponsorship and host levels range from $150-$10,000. To discuss benefit details or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Libby Coletta, Assistant Director of Development, at 513-556-2100 or olivia.coletta@uc.edu.

Program Spotlight: CCM Classical Guitar

Declared “one of this country’s leading conservatories” by the New York Times, CCM provides first-rate Bachelor of Music and Master of Music programs in Classical Guitar. Applications are open to join CCM’s fall 2021 class; apply by December 1.

Study is strongly performance-based and the cornerstone of the program is private lessons with faculty, who serve as mentors for students and direct their individual musical, performing and teaching growth.

Classical Guitar curriculum emphasizes the development of the well-rounded, holistic musician by providing a solid background in music history and theory as well as areas specific to each musical medium. Undergraduate students enjoy a close collaboration with the University of Cincinnati through a general education core that supplements their education with academic course work while graduate students specialize more precisely in their chosen field.

“In the CCM guitar program we never neglect the past, but we can’t afford to pretend we don’t live in the present,” says Chris Wilke, director of CCM Classical Guitar. “Our ultimate goal is to prepare true musicians for a professional career in the 21st century.”

All incoming students in 2021-22 will receive an iPad, which will be equipped for audio-visual work to help students gain digital career skills crucial for 21st-century musicians.

Program highlights include:

• Free iPad to all incoming 2021-22 classical guitar students
• Generous scholarships available for promising students
• Chamber music and networking opportunities
• Opportunities to explore historical plucked instruments and broaden skill sets
• 21st-century digital career integration

Applications and Additional Information

CCM is now accepting applications for fall 2021. The application deadline is December 1. Learn more at ccm.uc.edu/admissions.

Learn more about the CCM Classical Guitar program.

CCMONSTAGE Online: Stay connected with the latest news from the college

Although we are still unable to perform for you live, you can continue to experience the artistry and expertise of our students, alumni, faculty and staff through our CCMONSTAGE Online e-newsletter. Our latest edition features performance videos, stories and other resources designed to help us stay connected even when we have to temporarily stay apart.

Sign up to receive CCM’s e-newsletter at ccm.uc.edu/subscribe.

Get the latest news from CCM:

CCMONSTAGE: Watch the CCM Philharmonia’s Sept. 12 performance

The virtual concert also features mezzo-soprano and CCM Professor Quinn Patrick Ankrum. Read more. 

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CCM alumni in Tony Award-nominated productions

Watch Aaron Tveit and CCM alumna Karen Olivo sing “Come What May” from Moulin Rouge! musical. Read more.

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CCM shares Spring 2021 registration details

Last week, CCM Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Stephanie P. Schlagel provided information on spring course registration and CCM’s online accommodation resources. Read more.

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CCM piano professor featured in upcoming streamed performances

Awadagin Pratt will perform as a soloist with three symphony orchestras in the next two months. Read more.

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Dada Rafiki honors CCM staff member for community engagement work

Anne Cushing-Reid has supported arts education in Greater Cincinnati for more than 25 years. Read more.

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Students take spotlight in UC commercial

Meet the Bearcats behind the university’s latest TV spot, “Push Forward.” Read more.

 

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Arts Engines: CSO/CCM Diversity Fellow graduate speaks to the power of music

Aaron Dworkin interviews alumnus Ian Saunders about his experience in the program and his career. Read more.

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Classical Singer Magazine: CCM alumna harnesses girl power on the operatic stage

CCM Stage director Jennifer Williams discusses how to create empowered portrayals of women in opera. Read more.

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Additional Resources

Bridging the divide

Meet the women tackling tough conversations about race at UC. Read more.

 

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UC Answers: How can mindfulness help us cope?

UC Center for Integrative Health and Wellness Director Sian Cotton, expert in mindfulness and its benefits, offers advice to the UC community. Read more.

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UC’s Center for Integrative Health and Wellness

The University of Cincinnati’s Center for Integrative Health and Wellness is providing information and resources to promote wellness. Learn more about the center’s wellness tips during times of stress and consider signing up for their email newsletter.

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FAQs and Online Resources

Please continue to refer to CCM’s coronavirus resource website to help answer your frequently asked questions. This website is updated as new information develops, so please check back often.

For more information about the University of Cincinnati’s response to COVID-19, please visit uc.edu/publichealth.

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Sign up to receive CCM’s bi-weekly e-newsletter at ccm.uc.edu/subscribe.

CCM’s Music Theory and Musicology Society hosts student conference Sept. 11-12, 2020

The conference is designed to engage UC and non-UC students in the broad field of music scholarship

The Music Theory and Musicology Society (MTMS) at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) hosts its eighth biennial student conference on Sept. 11 and 12, 2020 (rescheduled from April 3-4). Entitled “Conversations in Music,” the conference is designed to engage both UC students and students from other institutions in the broad field of music scholarship.

The conference features keynote speakers Daniel Goldmark (Case Western Reserve University) and Jennifer Beavers (University of Texas at San Antonio). It will be held in conjunction with the long-running Joseph and Frances Jones Poetker Thinking About Music Lecture Series at CCM.

The conference will include pre-recorded video presentations and live interactive sessions held virtually via Zoom. Please fill out the registration form below to receive emails with further information and links to access the presentation videos and Zoom platform.

Please note that the times listed in the schedule are in Eastern time zone.

Schedule

Friday, Sept. 11

2 p.m.

PIXAR’S MEMORIES: CONTEMPORARY CARTOON MUSIC SPEAKS TO THE PAST
Daniel Goldmark, Case Western Reserve University
The ever-increasing popularity of Hollywood animation, driven in part by the dominance of Pixar, has come about not just through technological advances or the breaking down of decades-old biases about cartoons being just for kids, but also through the emotionally nuanced storytelling deployed recently by studios. While practically all of Pixar’s features are overrun with issues of nostalgia, their more recent films—Inside Out, Finding Dory, Cars 3, Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4—do more than simply revel in the remembrance of times past (real or imagined): they also explore the creation of memory and the reasons why memories fade or endure. Sound and music have played key roles in the recollections and impressions of all these films. In this presentation, I look at trends in scoring and sound design in animation to show how the melodies of childhood—and adulthood—are being used to drive the stories of recent Hollywood animated features—and how these stories revolve around how our notions of the past speak to the present and guide our future.

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4:30 p.m.

MEET-AND-GREET “RECEPTION”

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5:30 p.m.

PRESENTER Q&A SESSION

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Saturday, Sept. 12

8-9:30 a.m.

CONFERENCE WORKSHOP
This year’s conference will include a workshop led by ethnomusicologist and CCM faculty member Scott Linford, PhD, inviting conference participants to engage in an interactive discussion focused on the application of sound studies in the areas of musicology, music theory and ethnomusicology.

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10 a.m.-2 p.m.

PRESENTER Q&A SESSIONS

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2 p.m.

The Music Theory and Musicology Society Conference Keynote
RAVEL’S SONIC ILLUSIONS
Jennifer Beavers, University of Texas at San Antonio
Ravel’s interwar compositions and transcriptions reveal a sophisticated engagement with timbre and orchestration. Of interest, is the way he uses timbre to connect and conceal passages in his music. In this talk, I look at the way he manipulates instrumental timbre to create sonic illusions that transform expectations, mark the form, and create meaning. I examine how he uses instrumental groupings to create distinct or blended auditory events. Using a sound-based analytical approach, I develop these descriptions of timbre and auditory scenes to interpret ways in which different timbre-spaces function. Through techniques such as timbral transformations, magical effects, and timbre and contour fusion, I examine the ways in which Ravel conjures sound objects in his music that are imaginary, transformative or illusory.

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Conference Registration

Register for the conference by filling out an online form.

CCM’s Music Theory and Musicology Society engages all interested members of the UC community to discuss issues relating to music theory and musicology. The MTMS regularly maintains forums for the purpose of discussing theoretical, historical and cultural topics in music. Past MTMS Conference programs are available online.

Please e­mail all inquiries to MTMS Executive Board Members Rebecca Schreiber, Jacy Pedersen, Hannah Blanchette and Kabelo Chirwa at ccm.mtms@gmail.com.

Stay Connected: CCMONSTAGE Online’s Latest Newsletter

Experience the artistry and expertise of our students, alumni, faculty and staff through our CCMONSTAGE Online e-newsletter. Our latest edition features performance videos, stories and other resources designed to help us stay connected.

UC plans to welcome back students to campus on Aug. 24 for the start of the fall semester. A thoughtful blend of in-person and virtual offerings, in addition to enhanced health and safety measures, will provide students with the best collegiate experience possible in this new era of living and learning. Learn more about UC’s Return to Campus.

Sign up to receive CCM’s e-newsletter at ccm.uc.edu/subscribe.

Get the latest news from CCM:

CCM Dance co-ops create pipeline from student to professional artist

The college’s co-op program connects students to professional ballet companies while they complete their BFA degrees, creating a pipeline that leads young artists to their future careers. Student Grace Mccutcheon and alumna Hannah Holtsclaw share how CCM Dance co-ops have impacted their careers so far. Read more.

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WVXU and CCM Acting’s “O’Toole From Moscow” is available to stream on demand

Listen online to enjoy Rod Serling’s comedy about confusion between Russians and the Cincinnati Reds. Directed by CCM Professor Richard Hess, the radio play features a cast of CCM Acting students with narration by Serling’s daughter, Anne. Read more.

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Internationally acclaimed stage director Greg Eldridge joins CCM’s opera faculty

Eldridge has worked across eight countries at some of the world’s most famous opera houses. His work has been praised by critics for its “thoughtful and effective” staging, with “detailed characterizations and considered through-lines” a hallmark of his directing style. Read more.

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Eight UC faculty recognized for excellence in mentoring undergraduate researchers

CCM Assistant Professor-Educator of Piano Andy Villemez was named one of this year’s outstanding research mentors. UC offers numerous opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in research and explore it as a possible career. Read more.

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Arts for all: CCM offers mix of online, in-person electives in fall 2020

CCM offers dozens of different general studies and arts elective courses in fall 2020. These credit-granting courses are open to all UC students and cover a wide range of topics including dance, movies and media, music and theatre arts. Read more.

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CCM Organ Professor spotlights C.B. Fisk Opus 148 Organ on “Around Cincinnati”

Cincinnati’s Christ Church Cathedral dedicated a new C.B. Fisk Organ Opus 148 in 2018. To learn more about this special instrument, WVXU’s Alexander Watson recently spoke with CCM Professor of Organ and Harpsichord Michael Unger and David Pike, head tonalist from C. B. Fisk Organ Builders. Read more.

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CCM Sounds Design student wins Pat MacKay Diversity in Design Scholarship

BFA Sound Design student Alena Milos is a recipient of the 2020 Pat MacKay Diversity in Design Scholarship, presented by Questex’s Live Design International (LDI) in partnership with TSDCA and USITT. Live Design, a creative and technical resource for live design professionals, recently featured Milos in a Q&A published online. Read more.

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FAQs and Online Resources

Please refer to our coronavirus resource website to help answer your frequently asked questions. This website is updated as new information develops, so please check back often. See more UC answers to your important questions.

For more information about the University of Cincinnati’s response to COVID-19, please visit uc.edu/publichealth.

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Sign up to receive CCM’s bi-weekly e-newsletter at ccm.uc.edu/subscribe.

Internationally acclaimed stage director Greg Eldridge joins CCM’s opera faculty

 

CCM Dean Stanley E. Romanstein has announced the addition of acclaimed stage director Greg Eldridge to the college’s roster of distinguished performing and media arts faculty members. Eldridge joins CCM as Associate Professor of Opera Directing.

Greg Eldridge. Photo/Andrej Uspenski

Originally from Australia, Eldridge has worked on over 60 productions across eight countries at some of the world’s most famous opera houses. His work has been praised by critics for its “thoughtful and effective” staging, with “detailed characterizations and considered through-lines” a hallmark of his directing style.

A former recipient of a Bayreuth Scholarship from the Wagner Society of Victoria, Eldridge is one of only two people to have graduated from both of the world’s most prestigious opera directing programs – the Merola Program in San Francisco and the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme in the UK. He has received 5-star reviews for his work for the national opera companies of Australia, Iceland and the United Kingdom, and has been the recipient of awards including Most Outstanding Director (OperaChaser Awards, 2018) and Best Director (Broadway World Awards in Sydney, 2019).

After receiving the 2004 Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Study of Philosophy, Eldridge studied Opera Directing at The Opera Studio Melbourne in Australia and the Accademia Europea di Firenze in Italy before relocating to the United Kingdom. After serving as Trainee Resident Director at The King’s Head Theatre in London, Eldridge worked on productions including I gioielli della Madonna for Opera Holland Park, all four operas of Der Ring des Nibelungen for Longborough Festival Opera, Così fan tutte for the Landestheater Rudolstadt and he became the youngest director ever engaged by the state opera company in his hometown when he directed Ludus Danielis for Victorian Opera.

In 2013, Eldridge became the youngest – and first Australian – director to join the young artist program of The Royal Opera, Covent Garden in London. There, he worked under luminary directors including Sir David McVicar, Sir Richard Eyre, John Copley and Kasper Holten, along with conductors including Sir Antonio Pappano, Mark Wigglesworth, Alexander Joel, Nicola Luisotti, Marc Minkowski, Ivor Bolton and Gianandrea Noseda. Eldridge has also worked alongside international opera stars including Jonas Kaufmann, Sondra Radvanovsky, Rolando Villazón, Sonya Yoncheva, Sir Bryn Terfel, Anne Sofie von Otter, Sir Willard White, Dame Sarah Conolly, Nina Stemme, Roberto Alagna, Denyce Graves, Angela Gheorghiu and many others.

In 2016, The Royal Opera created a new position especially for Eldridge – the Jette Parker Associate Director – and Eldridge joined the board of Stage Directors UK (SDUK), the industry body representing and advocating for directors of live theatre throughout the United Kingdom. During his time on the board, SDUK published papers exposing inequalities in the freelance artist sector, provided evidence-based studies to government bodies and authored a major report alongside the National Theatre, RADA and The Old Vic that provided recommendations for structural changes in the way arts training organizations and theatres engage with directors from underrepresented demographics.

Eldridge has contributed articles to publications including Limelight Magazine, The Guardian UK and OperaNow Magazine, and has given guest lectures at the Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne, the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and St John’s College Cambridge, among others. He holds an Exceptional Talent visa from the United Kingdom, and has been recognized as an Artist of Extraordinary Ability by the United States government.

“CCM’s Departments of Opera and Voice provide unparalleled training programs for singers, stage directors and opera coaches. Our students will benefit from Greg’s vast experience on the world stage,” said Romanstein. “I want to thank our search committee – which was co-chaired by Robin Guarino and Denton Yockey, and included Bill McGraw, Mary Stucky, Jim Gage and Mark Gibson – for their help identifying CCM’s next great opera faculty member.”

About CCM Opera

The Department of Opera at CCM boasts one of the most comprehensive training programs for opera singers, coaches and directors in the United States. Students at CCM work with some of the most renowned teachers and artists active in the field today.

CCM students frequently advance to the final rounds of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, which is widely considered to be the nation’s most prestigious vocal competition. In 2019, soprano Elena Villalón (BM Voice, ’19) was named a Grand Finals Winner at the competition while she was still finishing her undergraduate degree at CCM. CCM’s other recent Grand Finals Winners include Jessica Faselt (MM Voice, ’16) in 2018, Amanda Woodbury (MM Voice, ’12) and Yi Li (AD Opera, ’13) in 2014 and Thomas Richards (MM Voice, ’13) in 2013. At least two CCM singers advanced to the Upper Midwest Regional Auditions in this year’s Met National Council Auditions: artist diploma students Amber Monroe and Teresa Perrotta.

CCM singers also recently won awards in other prestigious national competitions. Jessica Faselt won a $10,000 award and Alisa Jordheim (DMA Voice, ’15; MM Voice,’ 10) won a $1,000 Encouragement award at the 2020 George London Foundation Awards Competition for young American and Canadian opera singers. Jasmine Habersham (AD Opera, 2015; MM Voice, 2013) won the silver medal in the 2020 American Traditions Vocal Competition. Edward Nelson (BM Voice, 2011; MM Voice, 2013) won first prize at the 2020 Glyndebourne Opera Cup. Perrotta also advanced to the finals of the 2020 Lotte Lenya Competition.

In addition, CCM Opera productions have received some of the National Opera Association Production Competition’s highest honors throughout the years.

CCM Opera graduates have performed on the stages of the world’s greatest opera companies, including Cincinnati Opera, Metropolitan Opera (New York), Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Royal Opera (London), La Scala (Italy) and more.

Learn more at ccm.uc.edu.

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Featured image at top: A production photo of La scala di seta directed by Greg Eldridge at Royal Opera House Covent Garden London. Photo/Holly Pigot

Grammy-Nominated Pianist, Composer and Educator Sergio Pamies Joins CCM’s Jazz Faculty

UC College-Conservatory of Music Dean Stanley E. Romanstein has announced the addition of Sergio Pamies, DMA, to the college’s roster of distinguished performing and media arts faculty members. An accomplished pianist, composer and educator, Pamies’ appointment as Assistant Professor of Jazz Piano begins on Aug. 15, 2020.

Born in 1983 in Granada, Spain, Pamies has published four albums under his name: EntreAmigos (PSM, 2008), Borrachito (Bebyne Records, 2011), What Brought You Here? (Bebyne Records, 2017) and Summer Night at La Corrala: Solo Piano(expected October 2020). Critics have acknowledged his talent for composition, the lyrical qualities of his playing, and his natural and spontaneous ability to fuse the traditional jazz language and flamenco music of his childhood.

Pamies has performed at festivals in Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Colombia, Perú, China, Spain and the United States. He has collaborated with outstanding artists such as Dave Liebman, Christian Scott, Rubem Dantas, Antonio Serrano, Diego Amador, Pepe Luis Carmona “Habichuela,” Quamon Fowler, Brad Leali, Quincy Davis, Stockton Helbing, Ashleigh Smith, Samuel Torres, Tatiana Mayfield, Michael Miskiewicz and Joan Albert Amargós. Besides leading his own projects, he has produced other artists such as Verso Suelto (Verso Suelto, Youkali Music 2016), Korean singer Roja (My Shining Hour, Mirrorball Music, 2013) and The Zebras (Flamenco Jazz Project, North Texas Jazz, 2011).

Previously, Pamies taught jazz piano, jazz arranging and composition, in addition to leading the small group program, at University of Texas in Arlington. Pamies has given master classes and presented his research at Universidad de Granada (Spain), University of North Texas, University of Central Oklahoma, University of Texas at Arlington (USA), East Shanghai Normal University, Contemporary Music Institute of Zhuhai (China), Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, Universidad Industrial de Santander and Universidad EAFIT de Medellín (Colombia), among other institutions. Pamies is a frequent collaborator of the European Piano Teachers Association’s Piano Professional journal, and a reviewer for the scholarly journal Jazz Education in Research and Practice.

Pamies received his bachelor’s degree in Jazz Piano (Liceo Conservatory in Barcelona, 2007), and then moved to the United States to study with Stefan Karlsson and complete a master’s degree in Jazz Piano at the University of North Texas (UNT), where he was awarded “Outstanding Student” in 2011. Pamies finished his doctoral studies (DMA in Jazz Piano) in 2016. He was the pianist of the seven-time Grammy nominated One O’Clock Lab Band at UNT, where he had the opportunity to perform with guest artists such as Bobby McFerrin, Arturo Sandoval, Marvin Stamm, Wycliffe Gordon, Doc Severinsen and Chuck Findley. As a member of the One O’Clock rhythm section, he has accompanied artists such as Christian McBride, Peter Bernstein, Lewis Nash, Tim Hagans and Greg Osby, among others. He is the featured soloist on Rich DeRosa’s composition “Neil,” which received a Grammy nomination in 2016 for “Best Instrumental Composition.”

In 2015, Pamies was selected for the “Latin Jazz Traditions” concert organized by Carnegie Hall, performing there with Paquito D’Rivera, having his composition “Dudú” selected for the program. In 2014, Pamies was awarded with the “Best Representation of Granada in a Foreign Country” youth cultural award by the Youth Institute of Andalucía, Spain. He has received seven DownBeat student awards: Best Instrumental Soloist (2013), Best Large Ensemble (2014) and Best Latin Group (2012) among them.

“CCM is home to one of the country’s top-rated jazz programs, and Sergio’s expertise as a pianist, composer and educator makes him an ideal addition to our world-class faculty. He is a wonderful successor to our dear colleague Stephen Allee, who retired earlier this year.” said Romanstein. “I want to recognize the excellent work of our search committee chaired by Scott Belck, which included Craig Bailey, Rusty Burge, Aaron Jacobs and BettyAnne Gottlieb.”

About CCM Jazz Studies

Offering both bachelor and master of music degrees, the Jazz Studies program at CCM teaches the fundamentals of classical music, stylistic elements of each historical jazz period, strategies for enhancing originality, techniques of electronic media and today’s cutting-edge trends that defy categorization. In 2019, CCM’s Department of Jazz Studies was named the inaugural college affiliate of the acclaimed Jazz at Lincoln Center, a distinction reserved for the country’s top-ranked jazz programs.

By receiving a wide musical perspective and the command of a broad jazz language, students in CCM’s jazz programs are equipped to pursue a future in jazz music. At the same time, this thorough course of study serves as the best preparation for related careers in commercial music.

Learn more by visiting ccm.uc.edu and sign up for our new email newsletter at ccm.uc.edu/subscribe

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Featured image at top: New CCM Jazz Studies faculty member Sergio Pamies.