CCM Alumna Karen Zhang Wins Prestigious MTNA Teacher Fellowship

CCM alumna Karen Zhang (BM Piano Performance, ’16; MM Piano Performance, ’18) is the 2020 recipient of the Music Teachers National Association’s MarySue Harris Studio Teacher Fellowship. This $3,000 grant, funded by the MarySue Harris Endowment Fund, is presented annually to a recently graduated independent studio music teacher who demonstrates commitment to the music teaching profession and outstanding studio development.

During her time at CCM, Zhang studied with CCM Professor of Piano Eugene Pridonoff and Associate Professor of Piano Soyeon Kate Lee. Zhang was a winner of CCM’s Van Cliburn Scholarship Competition and the Glenn Miller Society Scholarship Competition, as well as the first-place winner of the $9,400 prize at Three Arts Scholarship Competition. She also participated in the 2017 Pianofest, held in Hampton, New York. As a CCM master’s degree student, she was a graduate assistant in secondary piano.

After graduation, Zhang and her husband Jaesung Kim founded their Cincinnati-based piano studio, Musical Moments. Her students have been winners of numerous competitions, including the University of Kentucky’s Nathaniel Patch Piano Competition, OhioMTA Auditions Festival and the 88 Tri-State Piano Concerto Competition. Many of her students have also been recognized with Distinction-level certificates from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Zhang has been invited to teach and perform in numerous pre-colleges and venues in Asia, including those in Seoul, Chengdu, Chongqing, Taishan and Beijing.

Zhang has also taught through the City Gospel Mission’s Whiz Kids Music Program, an after-school program that gives music classes and lessons to students in the Cincinnati area whose schools do not offer music classes. CCM Preparatory and Community Engagement connects collegiate students with teaching and mentoring opportunities through the CCM AfterSchool program, which has partnered with Whiz Kids, Cincinnati Public Schools and other education and community organizations.

About MTNA and MarySue Harris

MTNA is a nonprofit organization of some 20,000 independent and collegiate music teachers committed to furthering the art of music through teaching, performance, composition and scholarly research. Founded in 1876, MTNA is the oldest professional music teachers’ association in the United States.

MarySue Harris, a long-time MTNA member from Nebraska, has devoted her teaching career to nurturing young music students. Her commitment to pedagogy and the beginning music teacher led to her establishment of the MarySue Harris Endowment Fund.

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Story by CCM Graduate Student Alexandra Doyle

Featured image at top: Memorial Hall, which is part of the CCM Village on UC’s campus. Photo/UC Creative + Brand.

CCM Sophomore Violinist Makes New York Carnegie Hall Debut

Described as a “wondrous and natural talent in the purest sense,” KayCee Galano performs J.S. Bach’s complete Solo Sonatas and Partitas on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, at Weill Recital Hall at New York City’s Carnegie Hall.

Philippine violinist Kristine Clair Uchi “KayCee” Galano performs the complete J.S. Bach Solo Sonatas and Partitas from memory on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

The 18-year-old violinist is currently a sophomore at CCM, where she studies with Professor Kurt Sassmannshaus, the Dorothy Richard Starling Chair in Classical Violin. Galano’s performance is presented by the Starling Project Foundation Cincinnati. Details and tickets for Galano’s New York recital are available on Carnegie Hall’s website.

Galano became an overnight sensation in her home country in October 2018 when she stepped in as a soloist for Max Brunch’s first violin concerto with the Philippine Philharmonic with just a few days’ notice. Conductor Gerard Salonga, Music Director of the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra and Resident Conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, said:

“In 2018 I had the good fortune of meeting KayCee for the first time in her hometown of Dumaguete in the Philippines. What immediately struck me about her was her beautiful sound, technical security, keen phrasing and natural musicality. KayCee is also a wonderful, positively charged human being, and a delight to work with. I really cannot say enough about what a talent she is, and how proud she is making her country. We should all look forward to hearing her contributions to the music world.”

From an early age, Galano had an irresistible fascination with the violin. At age 10, she attended the Great Wall International Music Academy in Beijing to study violin with Sassmannshaus. When she returned to her home in Brunei, Galano enrolled as a scholarship student in Sassmannshaus’ Starling Preparatory String Project at CCM, and she began weekly, long-distance lessons over Skype with Sassmannshaus. She quickly began to establish herself as one of the leading young violinists of her generation.

Galano has won first prize at the Malaysian Youth Music Festival and at the Great Wall Violin Concerto Competition in Beijing. At age 12, she performed in the first Asian broadcast of NPR’s “From the Top” show. The following year she performed Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto with the Metro Manila Concert Orchestra. At age 14, Galano toured the U.S. with renowned pianist Rohan De Silva, and has since collaborated and recorded with him many times.

“I tremendously enjoy performing with KayCee Galano,” said De Silva. “Her infectious musicality and magnetic stage presence were obvious in our first encounter. I foresee and wish her a blessed life as an important musician. Ms. Galano is a charming and stellar artistic ambassador for her native country of the Philippines.”

Her concert tours in China include performances at the National Centre for the Performing Arts and the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, as well as a tour of many Chinese cities with the Starling Chamber Orchestra. In 2017, Galano performed Korngold’s violin concerto with the Jena Philharmonic in Germany.

Five years after she began the Skype lessons with Sassmannshaus, Galano moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, to complete her studies in CCM’s Starling Preparatory String Project and finish high school. She enrolled at CCM to pursue a BM in violin in fall 2018.

In anticipation of her Carnegie Hall debut, Galano’s teacher and mentor Sassmanshaus said:

“KayCee’s affinity and love of Bach’s Solo works has been a source of inspiration in her young life for many years. Her captivating interpretations show the rare confluence of a youthful spirit and uncommon maturity — and both continue to deliver delightful surprises. Her New York Recital Debut of the complete Bach solo violin works at age 18 will be both the culmination of in-depth study of many years, and the beginning of a life-long journey.”

Recital Information

Carnegie Hall Debut by CCM Sophomore Violinist KayCee Galano
Presented by the Starling Project Foundation Cincinnati

Repertoire: J.S. Bach: Six Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo (Complete)

Time: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019

Location: Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Please visit Carnegie Hall’s website for directions and parking.

Tickets: $30; student and senior discount tickets are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office. Tickets can be purchased through Carnegie Hall’s website or over the phone by calling the Carnegie Hall Box Office at 212-247-7800.

About the Starling Preparatory String Project

Founded in 1987 by CCM Professor Kurt Sassmannshaus, the Starling Preparatory String Project is a specialized honors program training young string students. The program is generously funded through a grant by the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation. The superbly talented musicians perform as the Starling Chamber Orchestra and are selected by audition.

Students receive one hourly lesson per week, and take music theory, chamber music and orchestra each Saturday. Instructors include CCM faculty and graduate students specially trained and chosen by Professor Sassmannshaus. Most of the students are from the greater Cincinnati area, and many others commute on Saturdays from other states. SCO has a concert series at Robert J. Werner Recital Hall at CCM and tours regularly. For more information on the Starling Preparatory String Project, visit www.starling.org.

CCM Grand Uses Arts to Strengthen Bonds Between Grandparents and Children

The University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music Preparatory and Community Engagement (CCM Prep) is thrilled to announce CCM Grand, its first intergenerational arts program for families. Creativity has no age limit in this summer workshop, which runs from July 24-26, 2019.

Alumni grandparents and their grandchildren (ages 8-13) are invited to return to UC for a unique, fun-filled arts experience. This camp is designed to create lasting memories and strengthen the special bond that exists between generations.

CCM Grand offers grandparents the opportunity to spend quality time embedded within a rich and creative learning environment with their grandchildren. Grandparents who previously attended UC can explore and re-familiarize themselves with our inspiring campus, which is among the world’s most beautiful campuses according to Forbes Magazine.

During this camp, attendees will actively participate in engaging arts workshops taught by renowned CCM Prep and collegiate faculty, tour the UC campus and experience life on campus at the newly renovated Marian Spencer Hall. Tuition is $350 per person, which includes all activities, on-campus housing and six meal vouchers for the campus dining hall.

Register for CCM Grand online at: https://bit.ly/2EhxS6m

For more information, call the CCM Prep office at 513-556-2595 or email Amy Dennison at Amy.dennison@uc.edu.

Looking for more summer arts opportunities for your family? CCM Prep offers a variety of music, dance and theatre arts programs for youth, teens and adults. Learn more about CCM Prep’s Summer 2019 offerings.

CCM Prep Presents Spring Youth Ballet This Weekend

CCM Preparatory and Community Engagement presents the Spring Youth Ballet Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4, 2019. CCM Prep’s young dancers will exhibit their skills by performing excerpts from the ballet repertoire and new works, including several choreographed by CCM Prep students.

This year, six graduating high school seniors choreographed original pieces that will be presented at the concert. In addition to these student-created works, the program also features Fireborn, choreographed by CCM Prep instructor Heather Cameron Johnson, as well as Umbrella Dreams, choreographed by CCM Prep instructor Ana Bird. These two pieces will showcase CCM Prep Dance’s Mini Company, with students ages 8 to 11, and the Junior Ballet Company, ages 11 to 13.

The second half of the program consists of excerpts from Ludwig Minkus’ Don Quixote. CCM Prep instructors Thomas Bell, Isabele Elefson, Jonnie Lynn Jacobs-Percer and Tricia Sundbeck staged and choreographed these excerpts, which are based on Marius Petipa’s original choreography. The performances will include the “Bridesmaids’ Dance,” “Kitri’s Variation,” and a grand ensemble finale, plus 15 other excerpts.

You can see the CCM Prep’s Spring Youth Ballet Concert this weekend in CCM’s Patricia Corbett Theater. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for non-UC students and FREE for UC students with valid ID. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 for more information.

Performance Times

• 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 3
• 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4

Location
Patricia Corbett Theater, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati

Purchasing Tickets
Tickets to CCM Prep’s Spring Youth Ballet Concert are $15 general, $10 non-UC students and FREE for UC students with a valid ID. Tickets can be purchased in person at the CCM Box Office, over the telephone at 513-556-4183 or online now through our e-Box Office! Visit ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice for CCM Box Office hours and location.

Parking and Directions
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit uc.edu/parking for information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors. Additional parking is available off-campus at the U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.

For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.
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Story by CCM Graduate Student Alexandra Doyle

Register now for CCM Prep Summer Arts Experiences for Youth, Teens and Adults

Arts enthusiasts of all ages and abilities are invited to register now for summer 2019 music, dance and theatre arts programs offered through CCM Preparatory and Community Engagement.

CCM Prep provides enjoyable and accessible arts opportunities within a highly creative environment that educate and inspire the whole student. Courses are taught by CCM Prep and collegiate faculty members and guest artists.

Summer programs include “Animal Crackers” or “Join the Circus” theatre arts and music workshops for young performers in preschool and elementary school. Middle and high school students can start summer on a high note by joining the “Summer Band Experience,” hone their skills in dance classes or become a “triple threat” musical theatre star at “Camp Bravo.”

Adults can also enjoy summer arts experiences in the New Horizons Orchestra or by participating in CCM Prep’s first intergenerational residential camp. “CCM Grand” is open to students and their grandparents who want to share and make new memories while experiencing dorm life at UC’s Marian Spencer Hall.

For more information, view the complete course offerings listed by age group below. Register for courses and view CCM Prep’s summer 2019 course offerings in the links below and at https://register.asapconnected.com/default.aspx?org=1185.

Please contact CCM Prep at 513-556-2595 or ccmprep@uc.edu for more information.

Preschool and Elementary | Ages 3-12

Animal Crackers | Ages 3-6
9 a.m.-noon July 8-12, 2019
Tuition: $160
Amy Dennison, instructor
Stories about the circus inspire creative play, songs, movements and games for our youngest performers. Circus skills like juggling and walking on stilts are adapted for this age!
Register online.
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Join the Circus! | Ages 7-9
9 a.m.-3 p.m. July 15-19, 2019
Tuition: $315
Amy Dennison, instructor
Whether you join the circus or act on the stage, acting, singing, dancing and drumming are waiting for you at this jam-packed week of circus fun! At the end of the week, dazzle your family with a performance showcasing your new skills.
Register online.
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Suzuki Strings Summer Camp | Grades K-6
9 a.m.-4 p.m. July 29-August 2, 2019
Tuition: $260
Joyce Chan Grabell, instructor
Practice your instrument, gain new friends and have fun learning and reviewing skills and songs while improving your technique! CCM Preparatory faculty are planning a full week of classes, rehearsals, enrichment and games for Suzuki string students from pre-twinkle through Book 4 (students will be placed in age appropriate groups). Previous Suzuki experience is required.
Register online.
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Elementary and Middle School | Ages 9-14

Summer Band Experience | Grades 6-8
9 a.m.-noon June 3-7, 2019
Tuition: $160
Rick Canter, instructor
Start your summer on a high note by playing in our band! Spend each day learning new music, through band and small group instruction and developing your musical skills while practicing in a great environment! The band will be featured in concert at the end of the week. Open to all woodwind, brass and percussion players who have completed fifth through eighth grade and have been playing their instrument for at least one year.  
Register online.
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Camp Bravo at CCM | Ages 9-14
9 a.m.-4 p.m. June 3-7, 2019; 9 a.m.-noon June 8
Tuition: $315
Becky Childs, instructor
Prepare to wow family and friends at the end of this popular musical theatre camp. Learn valuable stage skills, tips and repertoire by our seasoned faculty while preparing for an exciting performance starring you! The camp culminates with a performance at 10 a.m. on June 8! No audition for entrance; audition for parts will happen at the beginning of the week. Please note: this camp is designed for students with previous experience and training in musical theatre.  
Register online.
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Camp Bravo at St. Thomas | Ages 9-14
9 p.m.-4 p.m. June 10-14, 2019
Tuition: $315
Karie-Lee Sutherland, instructor
Prepare yourself for applause, cheers and rave reviews with our musical theatre camp. Begin your journey to becoming a triple threat with acting, dance and voice classes taught by the professional teaching artists of the CCM Preparatory faculty. Take a bow at the concluding performance! Please note: this camp is designed for students with little experience or are new to musical theatre.
Register online.
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Middle and High School

Drop-In or Punch Card Ballet Classes
For students in levels 5 through adult
June 3-August 3, 2019
6:15-7:45 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays
11 a.m.-noon on Saturdays
Current CCM Preparatory students in these levels do not need to audition. New students should contact Jonnie Lynn Jacobs-Percer at 513-556-3214 or by e-mail at jacobsji@uc.edu for further information. Punch cards may be purchased at CCM for $60 for 6 classes. Summer ballet punch card classes, typically $17 each, are subsidized by the support of a generous donor. There will not be classes the week of July 1-6.
Register online.
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Back to Ballet Bootcamp
For intermediate and advanced students in levels 5-7
5:15-6:45 p.m. August 26-29, 2019
Tuition: $120
CCM Preparatory’s Back to Ballet Bootcamp is designed for dancers currently in levels 5-7 and offers comprehensive training for young men and women in ballet technique in our state-of-the-art facility.
Register online.
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Looking for more high school summer arts offerings? Students can also study piano, jazz, ballet, musical theatre and more in CCM Prep’s High School Arts Immersion programs. Learn more.

Intergenerational and Adult

New Horizons Orchestra and Chamber Music | Ages 50 and up
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 8, 10, 12, 15, 17 and 19
Tuition: $130
Betty Anne Gottlieb, instructor
Join us for two weeks of music making in July. Open to amateur adult string players at any level, we meet in the mornings 3 days each week for sectionals, large ensemble rehearsals and special topic sessions. The two weeks culminate in an informal performance. For those interested in additional music making, chamber music may be offered in the afternoon for an additional fee.
Register online.
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CCM Grand | Ages 8-13 and their grandparents
July 24-26, 2019
Tuition: $350 per person (with dorm) or $300 per person (without dorm)
Amy Dennison, instructor
Remember, share and make new memories here at CCM this summer at CCM Grand, our first intergenerational summer program. Grandparents along with their grandchildren ages 8-13 are invited to our first residential camp of this kind. Families will actively participate in courses taught by preparatory and college faculty that will inspire all ages and create memories for a lifetime! Experience dorm life circa 2019, and see CCM and UC with new eyes. We ask that an existing or previous relationship with CCM (college or preparatory) be established within the family. The dorm for this experience is Marian Spencer Hall.
Earlybird discount: $325 per person. Lock in this rate by registering before March 15!
Register online.
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Looking for more summer arts opportunities for collegiate students and adults? Study instrumental music, playwriting, opera, music education and more in CCM’s Summer Programs. Learn more.

Registration

Register and find more details for each program in the registration links included in the listings above.

You can also register and find more information online. Find courses in the “A to Z” index or in the “Summer for All Ages” links included in the menu on the left on CCM Prep’s online registration website.

Questions?

For more information, please contact CCM Prep at 513-556-2595 or ccmprep@uc.edu.

CCM Preparatory Presents Fall Youth Ballet Concert This Weekend

CCM Preparatory and Community Engagement presents the Fall Youth Ballet Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14 and Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. Directed by Jonnie Lynn Jacobs-Percer, CCM Prep’s dancers exhibit their skills by performing excerpts from the ballet repertoire and new works.

The annual dance concert features CCM Prep students from ages nine through adult performing works choreographed by CCM Prep faculty and students. Tickets are available through the CCM Box Office.

The program begins with For the Beauty of the Earth, choreographed by CCM Prep student Emilie Hatton to music by Folliott S. Pierpoint. Hatton also choreographs I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, based on the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and set to music by Casting Crowns.

CCM Prep’s Mini Ballet Company will also perform Visions of Sugarplums, with choreography by CCM Prep instructor Heather Cameron-Johnson and music by Tchaikovsky. The Adult Ballet Company will perform Orion, with choreography by Jacobs-Percer and music by Metallica.

The program also includes The Little Match Girl, with choreography by Jacobs-Percer and CCM Prep instructor Ana Bird set to Antonín Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings, and excepts of Act II of Swan Lake, based on the original choreography by Marius Petipa and restaged by instructors Thomas Bell, Isabele Elefson and Tricia Sundbeck.

You can see the CCM Fall Youth Ballet Concert this weekend in CCM’s Patricia Corbett Theater. Single tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for non-UC students and FREE for UC students with valid ID. Visit the CCM Box Office website or call 513-556-4183 for more information.

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Performance Times:

• 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14
• 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec.15

Location:
Patricia Corbett Theater, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati

Purchasing Tickets:
Tickets to CCM Prep’s Fall Youth Ballet Concert are $15 general, $10 non-UC students, UC students FREE.

Tickets can be purchased in person at the CCM Box Office, over the telephone at 513-556-4183 or online now through our e-Box Office! Visit ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice for CCM Box Office hours and location.

Parking and Directions:
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Please visit uc.edu/parking for more information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors. Additional parking is available off-campus at the U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.

For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.

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Story by CCM graduate student Alexandra Doyle

CCM Preparatory Offers Performing Arts Experiences For All

CCM Prep offers a wide variety of music, dance and theatre arts programs for youth, teens and adults. Register now or sign up for auditions for CCM Prep’s 2018-19 programs!

Arts enthusiasts of all ages and abilities are invited to register now for 2018-19 music, dance and theatre arts programs offered through Preparatory and Community Engagement at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music (CCM Prep).

CCM Prep’s 2018-19 programs begin in September! Students and families can register online now for select performing arts experiences at ccm.uc.edu/prep.

CCM Prep provides enjoyable and accessible arts opportunities within a highly creative environment that educate and inspire the whole student — including youth, teens and adults. Courses are taught by CCM Prep faculty members and guest artists.

Registration is not yet open for the programs listed below that require auditions or placements. These will be open for registration after auditions and placement results are announced. Please see individual listings below to sign up for auditions or visit the CCM Prep website for audition information.

Visit CCM Prep’s website for complete program offerings: ccm.uc.edu/prep.

YOUTH PROGRAMS

ACTING: INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED (Ages 10-15)
Class begins on Sept. 8, 2018
Acting classes emphasize basic acting skills including improvisation, characterization, movement, vocal production, script analysis and scene study. All classes require audition or approval by instructor. New students must audition for placement within the Intermediate/Advanced Class.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/theatre_arts/classes
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BALLET (Ages 7-13)
Class begins on Sept. 4, 2018
Open ballet class for returning and new students! The philosophy of this program is that every student deserves careful and individualized training from qualified instructors. Classes are small and instructors are specially trained to teach for appropriate ages and skill levels. This class requires all students to audition for placement within the program.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/dance/classes
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CINCINNATI JUNIOR STRINGS (5th-9th grades)
Class begins on Sept. 16, 2018
Cincinnati Junior Strings is a high-achieving, performing orchestra designed to augment area private studios and public school string programs in training young players. This class requires all students to audition for acceptance into the program.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/music/ensemble/cjs
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JAZZ EXPLOSION! (7th-10th grades)
Class begins on Sept. 23, 2018
This ensemble is especially for students who have a strong interest in learning both jazz improvisation and authentic jazz styles. Open to any instrumentalist, but some limitations may be made for certain sections of the group. This class requires all students to audition for acceptance into the program.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/music/ensemble/Jazz
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JUNIOR CINCINNATI YOUTH WIND ENSEMBLE (6th-8th grades)
Class begins on Sept. 16, 2018
Junior CYWE is designed to be an enhancing and enriching experience for area students, and is designed to supplement (not replace)
students’ experience in their own school bands. This class requires all students to audition for acceptance into the program.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/music/ensemble/jrcywe
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JUNIOR MUSICAL THEATRE INTENSIVE (Ages 9-14)
Class begins on Sept. 8, 2018
Junior Musical Theatre Intensive (Jr. MTI) provides a challenging and disciplined educational experience for students ages 9-14 who have a special interest in musical theatre. The students receive instruction in audition preparation, vocal music, dance and performance technique while working toward a full-scale musical production. This class requires an online audition for acceptance into the program. Submit audition materials through CCM Prep’s Get Acceptd online portal by Aug. 17, 2018.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/theatre_arts/jrmti
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TEEN PROGRAMS

ACTING CERTIFICATE I & II (9th-12th grades)
Class begins on Sept. 8, 2018
Students will develop skills and processes essential for their work on stage, and take a variety of courses, including Shakespeare, characterization, movement, vocal technique, improvisation, scene work and Meisner Technique. This class requires all students to audition for acceptance into the program.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/theatre_arts/theatreprograms
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BALLET (Intermediate levels 5 and up)
Class begins on Sept. 8, 2018
Open ballet class for returning students, new placements and company auditions. The Youth Ballet Company performs two fully produced concerts each year. To audition for ballet companies, students must be enrolled in our leveled ballet classes. This class requires all students to audition for acceptance into the program.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/dance/ballet-companies
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CINCINNATI YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA (10th-12th grades)
Class begins on Sept. 30, 2018
The Cincinnati Youth Jazz Orchestra offers a high-level challenge in a big band setting. Emphasis will be placed on developing professional musical, improvisational and performance skills. CYJO performs a wide array of styles within the big band genre, with performances held on and off campus. Members will also get opportunities to perform and work with local, collegiate and international jazz artists. Any student playing an instrument within standard big band instrumentation, as well as vocalists, are encouraged to audition for this group. This class requires all students to audition for acceptance into the program.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/music/ensemble/Jazz
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CINCINNATI YOUTH WIND ENSEMBLE (9th-12th grades)
Class begins on Sept. 16, 2018
In partnership with CCM’s Collegiate Wind Studies program and the Music Education division, CCM Preparatory presents the only wind ensemble for high school students in the greater Cincinnati area. This class requires all students to audition for acceptance into the program.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/music/ensemble/CYWE
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DANCE STYLES (Ages 10-18)
Class begins on Sept. 8, 2018
Open dance class for Dance Styles placement. Dance Styles is designed for the musical theatre and acting students. During this 90-minute weekly class, students will work in tap, musical theatre dance, fundamentals and/or street styles. This class requires all students to audition for placement within the program.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/dance/youth-dance
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HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ COMBO (10th-12th grades)
Class begins on Sept. 9, 2018
The members of the jazz combos will learn jazz standards and contemporary tunes with a primary emphasis on improvisation and small-group interaction. There will be on and off campus performance opportunities throughout the year. This class requires all students to audition for acceptance into the program.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/music/ensemble/Jazz
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HONORS HIGH SCHOOL ACTING (9th-12th grades)
Class begins on Sept. 8, 2018
High School Honors Acting is an intensive one year pre-professional/pre-collegiate program designed to create well-rounded, curious and thoughtful theatre artists. This class requires all students to audition for acceptance into the program.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/theatre_arts/theatreprograms
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MUSICAL THEATRE INTENSIVE (9th-12th grades)
Class begins on Sept. 8, 2018
Students serious about musical theatre are encouraged to audition for acceptance into CCM Prep’s Musical Theatre Intensive, which runs through May 2019. Training focuses on musical theatre dance, acting, vocal performance and seminar/rehearsal. Audition preparation is a major component, along with master classes and seminars led by working professional artists.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/theatre_arts/theatreprograms
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ADULT PROGRAMS

ADULT JAZZ COMBO (18 and up)
Class begins Sept. 23, 2018
The members of the jazz combos will learn jazz standards and contemporary tunes with a primary emphasis on improvisation and small-group interaction. There will be on- and off-campus performance opportunities throughout the year. This class requires all students to audition for acceptance into the program.
Audition and tuition information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/music/ensemble/Jazz
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NEW HORIZONS ORCHESTRA (Adults over 50)
Class begins on Sept. 8, 2018
New Horizons Music programs provide entry points to music-making for people over age 50, including those with no musical experience at all and adults who were active in school music programs, but have been inactive for a long period.
More information: ccm.uc.edu/prep/music/ensemble/horizons

Two Cincinnati Middle School Students Win Grants to Attend the CCM Experience Camp

Two Cincinnati students who participated in the Educational Theatre Association’s JumpStart Theatre program will have the opportunity to attend the CCM Experience performing arts camp at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Thanks to a generous gift to CCM from the Cincinnati Symphony Club, JumpStart Theatre students Keyshawn Townsend from Aiken New Tech High School and Tychod “Jay” Smith from Oyler School will each receive a grant that will cover camp tuition for the students to attend July 9-20.

Tychod “Jay” Smith at JumpStart Theatre.

JumpStart Theatre is a three-year scalable program designed to bring musical theatre into schools that currently do not have a performing arts program, created by the Cincinnati-based national association, Educational Theatre Association, in collaboration with New York City-based companies iTheatrics and Music Theatre International (MTI). Townsend and Smith participated in the program during the 2017-18 school year, which culminated in a showcase performance at Memorial Hall in May.

CCM has contributed to JumpStart Theatre by sharing resources of costumes and props for student productions. The two organizations are also connected through CCM Preparatory and Community Engagement (CCM Prep) instructors Becca Kloha Strand and Dee Anne Bryll, who are both program coordinators at JumpStart Theatre. Strand is the director of the musical theatre track at the CCM Experience, where Bryll is a guest artist. CCM Prep Coordinator of Special Projects and Programs Amy Dennison is the director of the summer arts camp.

Keyshawn Townsend at JumpStart Theatre.

Strand said, “Keyshawn performed the role of Horton the Elephant in Seussical, Jr. last year at Aiken New Tech, as a part of the JumpStart Theatre program. As a leader both on stage and off, he truly embodied the role of Horton. The CCM Experience camp will be a wonderful opportunity for Keyshawn to exercise and grow his talents as a younger performer.”

Tiffaney Hamm, enrichment program manager at Oyler said, “Tychod is a special young man with a lot of talent. We chose him for this camp because his dream is to perform on stage, as he wants to have a life of acting and performing. This was Jay’s first year at Oyler and he came alive, forming great connections with his cast mates and peers. He continues to work hard in school even when obstacles get in the way. He is a really great kid, and I am proud to have him as a student.”

Offered through CCM Prep, the CCM Experience is an exciting new two-week summer program that combines dance, theatre and music for students ages 8-15. Students study at one of the finest performing arts schools in the country and take classes in multiple areas of concentration including instrumental music, acting, musical theatre, voice or dance. Each day students will have the opportunity to try something new, take a tour, make their own props, costumes and instruments, and learn more about how to be a professional artist. The program culminates with a fantastic showcase where students are put front and center on one of CCM’s stages.

“We look forward to our first CCM Experience Camp and are excited to welcome the two Cincinnati Symphony Club scholarship recipients from JumpStart Theatre,” said John Martin, Assistant Dean of CCM Preparatory and Community Engagement. “CCM Prep, the Cincinnati Symphony Club and the Educational Theatre Association share the same goal — to support excellence in the performing arts and provide engaging and accessible arts education to the community at large.”

Learn more about the Educational Theatre Association online at schooltheatre.org/about/mission.

About Jumpstart Theatre
The JumpStart Theatre pilot started in Cincinnati in the 2015-16 school year, and three schools moved to self-sustainability this year after completing three years in the program: Holmes Middle School, Finneytown Middle School, and James N. Gamble Montessori High School. In November 2017, the first expansion to St. Louis and San Diego was announced, and in June, 2018 an expansion to Atlanta for the 2019-20 school year was announced. In total 39 middle schools will have sustainable musical theatre programs where there previously were none.

About CCM Preparatory and Community Engagement
CCM Prep offers a wide variety of programs in music, dance and theatre arts for all ages and levels — pre-professional students preparing for a future in the performing arts and arts enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. Programs are offered throughout the year for youth, teens and adults at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and through numerous satellite locations and community partnerships. We aim to provide excellent and accessible arts opportunities within a highly creative environment that educates and inspires the whole student, serving as a catalyst for transforming and empowering our communities. Learn more at ccm.uc.edu/prep or contact CCM Prep directly by emailing ccmprep@uc.edu or calling 513-556-2595.

CCM Prep Presents “Into the Woods Jr.” on May 3-5

CCM Preparatory and Community Engagement presents a miniature production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s cult-classic musical, Into the Woods. Co-directed by CCM Prep instructors Becca Kloha Strand and Becky Childs, the 60-minute junior version of the musical is presented on Thursday, May 3 through Saturday, May 5, 2018, in CCM’s Cohen Family Studio Theater.

The production features the students of CCM’s Junior Musical Theatre Intensive program, who range from 9 to 14 years old. Into the Woods Jr. features beloved fairytale characters — Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (and his beanstalk) and the Witch — in a whimsical retelling of classic Brothers Grimm fables.

Audience members familiar with the original Into the Woods will recognize most of the junior version from act one of the original. Into the Woods premiered on Broadway in 1987, where it won Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Book. It has been revived many times at major playhouses, and it was adapted for film in 2014, which received three Academy Award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations.

You can see the CCM Prep’s Into the Woods Jr. this weekend in Cohen Family Studio Theater. Single tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for non-UC students and FREE for UC students with valid ID. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 for more information.
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PERFORMANCE TIMES

• 7 p.m. Thursday, May 3
• 7 p.m. Friday, May 4
• 3 p.m. Saturday, May 5

LOCATION
Cohen Family Studio Theater, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati

ADMISSION
Tickets to CCM Prep’s Into the Woods Jr. are $15 general, $10 non-UC students and FREE for UC students with a valid ID. Tickets can be purchased in person at the CCM Box Office, over the telephone at 513-556-4183 or online now through our e-Box Office! Visit ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice for CCM Box Office hours and location.

 

PARKING AND DIRECTIONS
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Please visit uc.edu/parking for more information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors. Additional parking is available off-campus at the U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.

For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.
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CCM Season Presenting Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation
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Story by CCM Graduate Student Alexandra Doyle

CCM Prep Presents Spring Youth Ballet Concert

CCM Preparatory and Community Engagement presents the Spring Youth Ballet Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28, 2018 in Patricia Corbett Theater. CCM Prep’s young dancers will exhibit their skills by performing excerpts from the ballet repertoire and new works.

This year, five graduating high school seniors choreographed original pieces that will be presented at the concert. In addition to these student-created works, the program also features Wishes on the Wind, choreographed by Prep instructor Heather Johnson, as well as Flower Whispers, choreographed by CCM Prep ballet director Jonnie Lynn Jacobs-Percer.

The second half of the program consists of excerpts from Le Corsaire, a feature-length ballet based on Lord Byron’s poem of the same name. The excerpts to be presented include “Les Odalisques,” a pas de deux and a waltz. The choreography for these excerpts is based on that by Marius Petipa, with music by Adolphe Adam, Cesare Pugni and Leo Delibes.

You can see the CCM Prep’s Spring Youth Ballet Concert this weekend in CCM’s Patricia Corbett Theater. Single tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for non-UC students and FREE for UC students with valid ID. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 for more information.
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PERFORMANCE TIMES

• 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 27
• 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28

LOCATION
Patricia Corbett Theater, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati

PURCHASING TICKETS
Tickets to CCM Prep’s Spring Youth Ballet Concert are $15 general, $10 non-UC students and FREE for UC students with a valid ID. Tickets can be purchased in person at the CCM Box Office, over the telephone at 513-556-4183 or online now through our e-Box Office! Visit ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice for CCM Box Office hours and location.

PARKING AND DIRECTIONS
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit uc.edu/parking for information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors. Additional parking is available off-campus at the U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.

For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.
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CCM Season Presenting Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation
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Story by CCM Graduate Student Alexandra Doyle