Cincinnati World Piano Competition gold medal.

Cincinnati World Piano Competition Announces 2015 Finalists

After an incredible Semifinal Round on June 11, the 2015 Cincinnati World Piano Competition has its three finalists!

Congratulations to Artem Yasynskyy, Mei Rui and Nino Bakradze! You can learn more about each of these competitors below.

The final round will take place in Corbett Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The order of performance is as follows:

  • Mei Rui, United States
  • Artem Yasynskyy, Ukraine
  • Intermission
  • Nino Bakradze, Georgia

 The awards ceremony will follow immediately after the performances. Dessert and coffee with the medalists in CCM’s Baur Room will follow the awards ceremony.

Congratulations to all of our semi finalists and best of luck to our three final competitors! Order your tickets online at here.

Cincinnati World Piano Competition 2015 finalist Nino Bakradze.

CWPC 2015 finalist Nino Bakradze.

About Nino Bakradze
Nino Bakradze was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, into a family of musicians. From a very early age, she has presented piano recitals worldwide including Finland, Poland, Armenia, Georgia, China, Spain, Brazil and the USA. In 2014, she was a Prizewinner in Spain’s Maria Canals International Piano Competition, and in 2012, she was awarded Third Place at the BNDS International Piano Competition of Rio de Janeiro. She won both New England Conservatory’s Concerto Competition and the Piano Honors Competition. Ms. Bakradze was a prizewinner at the International A. Khachaturian Competition in Armenia, and at the J. Flier International Piano Competition. Awards from within her home country include First Place at the N. Gabunia National Competition and the R. Rozhok and E. Gurevich Young Georgian Piano Competitions.

During tomorrow’s performance, Bakradze will perform Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30.

Cincinnati World Piano Competition 2015 finalist Mei Rui.

CWPC 2015 finalist Mei Rui.

About Mei Rui
Pianist Mei Rui’s playing has been praised as “riveting,” full of “dramatic tension and lucidity” by the Boston Globe. Dr. Rui graduated from Yale, and holds degrees in molecular biophysics and biochemistry and music. While pursuing her D.M.A., she taught as Visiting Professor of Organic and General Chemistry at the City University of New York.

In September 2013, Dr. Rui played to a sold-out audience with violinist Xiang Yu at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. She has appeared at Yellowbarn, Taos, and Norfolk, and has collaborated with Itzhak Perlman, George Manahan, Shinik Hahm, Paul Katz and Roger Tapping.

At age 11, she made her orchestral debut soloing with the Beijing Radio Symphony and has since played with the Beijing Radio Symphony, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and the Yale Philharmonic. Recently she recorded Eric Nathan’s solo works to be released by Albany Records in 2015.

During tomorrow’s performance, Rui will perform Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30.

Cincinnati World Piano Competition 2015 finalist Artem Yasynskyy.

CWPC 2015 finalist Artem Yasynskyy.

About Artem Yasynskyy
Ukrainian pianist Artem Yasynskyy has appeared on many international stages. He has won prizes at major international piano competitions such as the Gina Bachauer Piano Artist Competition, the Sendai and Gian Battista Viotti Music competitions, as well as the Horowitz and First German competitions.

Mr. Yasynskyy has appeared at festivals such as the Bremer Musikfest, the Maggio Piano Festival Vercelli, the Summer Night Music Festival of Kiev, the Festival “Days of Slavic Culture” in Rome and the Polish Music Festival in Hamburg.

During tomorrow’s performance, Yasynskyy will perform Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23.

Performance Time
7 p.m., Saturday, June 13

Location
Corbett Auditorium, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati

Purchasing Tickets
Tickets to the Cincinnati World Piano Competition Finals Concert start at $35. Purchase tickets through the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra website at www.cincinnatisymphony.org or by calling the CSO box office at 513-381-3300.

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 more information on parking rates.

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

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

CCM News

Cincinnati World Piano Competition to Draw 24 International Competitors, June 7-13

The Cincinnati World Piano Competition, an annual classical piano competition featuring top performers from across the globe since 1956, welcomes 24 competitors from nine different countries from June 7-13. At stake is over $45,000 in prize money and a debut recital in New York.

Logo for the Cincinnati World Piano Competition.For the first time in the competition’s history, the round-by-round competition, all rounds of which take place at CCM’s Corbett Auditorium, will be head-to-head as determined by a randomly selected bracket. The bracket draw will be announced to the competitors at an Opening Party on Saturday, June 6. The first and second rounds (Sunday and Monday, June 7-8 and Tuesday, June 9, respectively) consist of 15-minute solo recitals. The third round on Wednesday, June 10 consists of 30-minute solo recitals, while the semifinal round on Thursday, June 11 involves 40-minute solo recitals. Competitors will be expected to perform a variety of repertoire for all rounds.

Three finalists will be selected at 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 11, who will then go on to perform a full concerto with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO), under the direction of rising star conductor Robert Treviño, during the final round of the competition beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 13. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony immediately following the performances.

Tickets are still available for all preliminary rounds as well as the final round with the CSO. The final performances for the 2013 and 2014 competition sold out.

The jury consists of pianists Akemi Alink-Yamamoto, Jura Margulis, Yoshikazu Nagai, Boris Slutsky and Frank Weinstock. Famed pianist and professor of piano/Artist-in-Residence at CCM, Awadagin Pratt, serves as the competition’s artistic director.

In 2013 the competition underwent an expansion with two exciting new collaborations and instituting a variety of changes aimed at enhancing the quality of the event and making Cincinnati a truly world-class destination for classical piano performance. Primary among the changes at the re-imagined Competition, already a highly respected event, are partnerships with two of the city’s cultural cornerstones – the CSO and CCM, an all-Steinway school.

This year marks the Cincinnati World Piano Competition’s 59th season. Tickets, starting at $15 for the first rounds, are available at the CSO Box Office at Music Hall, or by calling 513-381-3300. Competitor headshots and bios are available upon request.

Cincinnati World Piano Competition 2015 Schedule of Events 

Location
Corbett Auditorium, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati

  • First Round (Day One): Sunday, June 7, 2-5:45 p.m.
  • First Round (Day Two): Monday, June 8, 12-1:45 p.m. and 7-8:45 p.m.
  • Second Round: Tuesday, June 9, 10 a.m.-1:45 p.m., 4-5:45 p.m. and 7-8:45 p.m.
  • Third Round: Wednesday, June 10, 10 a.m.-1:15 p.m. and 5-8:15 p.m.
  • Semifinal Round: Thursday, June 11, 12-3 p.m., 6-9 p.m.
  • Final Round with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra: Saturday, June 13, 7:00 p.m.

Purchasing Tickets
One Day Passes for Preliminary Rounds start at $15 One Day Pass, $11.25 Group One Day Pass, $10 Student. Tickets for the final rounds are reserved seating starting at $35. Purchase tickets to all Cincinnati World Piano Competition Events through the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra website at www.cincinnatisymphony.org or by calling the CSO box office at 513-381-3300.

About Robert Treviño, final round conductor

Since his professional debut in 2003 at the age of 20, Robert Treviño has become an emerging force on the international music scene. The 2013/2014 season marks the third season as Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.  Further engagements this season include debuts with the China Philharmonic, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra de Cámara de Bellas Artes, National Orchestra of Guatemala, California Symphony Orchestra, Tallahassee Symphony, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Santa Fe Symphony, Alabama Symphony, Cincinnati Opera, and re-engagements with the Bolshoi Theatre, Slee Sinfonietta, and Cincinnati Symphony. Maestro Treviño steps into his role this season as the Principal Conductor of the Shippensburg Music Festival following his acclaimed debut last summer.

Treviño’s past symphonic and instrumental work includes numerous engagements with orchestras, festivals, and ensembles across North America, Europe, and Asia including the Symphonies of Cincinnati, Boston, St. Louis, Tallahassee, Napa Valley, New World, California, the Philharmonics of Los Angeles, Chicago, Louisiana, Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, Aspen Music Festival Orchestra, Suwon Philharmonic of South Korea, Wuppertal Symphony of Germany, Montpellier National Orchestra of France, Universidad Nacional Autonoma De Mexico Philharmonic of Mexico, the Millennium Chamber Players, and the Jusqu’aux Oreilles Festival of Canada. Of particular note was Treviño’s month-long residency with the Helsinki Philharmonic where he has assisted Music Director Leif Segerstam on the complete symphonies of Sibelius.

In addition to his great volume of work in the instrumental realm, an important component of Treviño’s career has been his work in opera. Treviño made an acclaimed debut with the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia conducting Puccini’s Tosca in the 2011/2012 season. His success with this production led to the orchestra bestowing upon him the title of ‘Honorary Maestro of the Bolshoi”. He was also immediately reengaged for two more seasons by the Bolshoi to conduct performances of Puccini’s Tosca as well as a new production and residency in the 2013/14 season for a new production of Verdi’s Don Carlos. Treviño served as Associate Conductor and Guest Conductor for the New York City Opera at Lincoln Center from 2009 – 2011, where he led the company in world premieres of five operas as part of the annual VOX: American Opera Series, in addition to his work on productions: Bernstein’s A Quiet Place and Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Additionally, in 2011 Robert conducted the Tanglewood Music Festival Opera Center’s production of Milhaud’s Trios Operas Minutes, directed by Mark Morris.

An avid advocate and performer of contemporary music, Maestro Treviño has commissioned, premiered, and worked closely with many leading composers of today such as: Augusta Read Thomas, Jennifer Higdon, Charles Wuorinen, Bernard Rands, Shulamit Ran, George Walker, David Felder, and John Zorn among others. He has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards from the Foundation for Contemporary Art, Gene Gutche Foundation, Soli Deo Gloria, the Renaissance Society, the Canadian Consular General to the USA and the University of Chicago.

Treviño has conducted the Ensemble Modern Academy Orchestra at the Klangspuren Festival (Schwaz, Austria), the Jusqu’aux Oreilles Festival, as well as the Slee Sinfonietta at the Robert and Carol Morris Center for 21st Century Music.

Robert Treviño is a laureate of the 2010 Evgeny Svetlanov International Conducting Competition and was awarded the 2009 James Conlon Prize for Excellence in Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival and School by David Zinman.

He also won a 2010 Career Assistance Award and the 2012 Career Development Award from the Sir George Solti Foundation, and was a featured conductor at the 2011 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview.  In summer 2011, Mr. Treviño was selected by James Levine to be one of three conducting fellows at the Tanglewood Music Festival as the Seiji Ozawa Conducting Fellow where he worked with artists such as Mark Morris, Kurt Masur, and Emanuel Ax.

Mr. Treviño has studied with Maestros David Zinman, Leif Segerstam, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Kurt Masur. For further information can be found at his website: roberttrevino.org.

About the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is a dynamic ensemble of some of the world’s finest musicians. The fifth oldest symphony orchestra in the U.S. and the oldest orchestra in Ohio, the CSO has played a leading role in the cultural life of Greater Cincinnati and the Midwest since its founding in 1895.

Louis Langrée began his tenure as the CSO’s 13th Music Director in the 2013-2014 season with a celebrated program The New York Times said “deftly combined nods to the orchestra’s history, the city’s musical life and new music.” Over the Orchestra’s 120-year history, it has also been led by Leopold Stokowski, Eugéne Ysaÿe, Fritz Reiner, Eugene Goossens, Max Rudolf, Thomas Schippers, Jesús López-Cobos, and Paavo Järvi, among others. The CSO has built a reputation as one of the world’s foremost orchestras, determined for greatness and heralded as a place of experimentation.

A champion of new music, the Orchestra has given American premieres of works by such composers as Debussy, Ravel, Mahler and Bartók and has commissioned works that have since become mainstays of the classical repertoire, including Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man. The CSO was the first orchestra to be broadcast to a national radio audience (1921) and the third to record (1917). The Orchestra continues to commission new works and to program an impressive array of music. Most recently, the CSO performed the world premieres of Nico Muhly’s Pleasure Ground, David Lang’s mountain, Caroline Shaw’s Lo and Daniel Bjarnason’s Collider as part of the groundbreaking collaboration with the MusicNOW Festival, Cincinnati’s premier new music festival, as well as the world premiere of André Previn’s Double Concerto in November 2014.

The Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra is Cincinnati’s ambassador with over 10 million units sold, many of which have received Grammy awards and nominations. In January of 2010, the CSO launched its own record label, Fanfare Cincinnati, which currently boasts six releases.

The CSO was the first American orchestra to make a world tour sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and continues to tour domestically and internationally, most recently to Europe in 2008 and to Japan in 2009, including two concerts at Tokyo’s Suntory Hall and the CSO’s first-ever nationally televised concert in Japan.

The CSO has performed at New York’s Carnegie Hall 48 times since its debut there in 1917, most recently to rave reviews in May of 2014. The Orchestra will perform again in New York as part of Lincoln Center’s prestigious Great Performers series in January of 2016.

The Orchestra also performs, records and tours as the Cincinnati Pops under the direction of John Morris Russell, and the CSO is the official orchestra for the Cincinnati May Festival, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Ballet and the Cincinnati World Piano Competition.

The CSO is Cincinnati’s own and committed to enhancing and expanding music education for the children of Greater Cincinnati and works to bring music education, in its many different forms, to as broad a public as possible. Education and outreach programs currently serve more than 80,000 individuals annually.

For more information about the CSO, visit www.cincinnatisymphony.org.

About the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

Nationally ranked and internationally renowned, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is a preeminent institution for the performing and media arts. Declared “one of the nation’s leading conservatories” by the New York Times, CCM provides life-changing experiences within a highly creative and multidisciplinary artistic environment.

CCM’s educational roots date back to 1867, and a solid, visionary instruction has been at its core since that time. The synergy created by housing CCM within a comprehensive public university gives the college its unique character and defines its objective: to educate and inspire the whole artist and scholar for positions on the world’s stage.

CCM’s faculty and staff and its state-of-the-art facilities make possible the professional training and exceptional education on which CCM believes the future of the arts relies. The school’s roster of eminent faculty regularly receives distinguished honors for creative and scholarly work, and its alumni have achieved notable success in the performing and media arts.

More than 150 internationally recognized faculty members work with students from around the world, specializing in the areas of Composition, Musicology and Theory; Electronic Media; Ensembles and Conducting; Keyboard Studies; Music Education; Performance Studies and Theatre Arts, Production and Arts Administration. In the most recent rankings by U.S. News and World Report, CCM was honored as the sixth top program in the country for pursuing a graduate degree in music. CCM ensembles have performed internationally, recorded for major labels and won ASCAP awards for excellence and programming.

The largest single source of performing arts events in the state of Ohio, CCM presents nearly 1000 major public performances each year, ranging from faculty and guest artist concerts to fully supported opera, musical theatre, drama and dance productions.

In 1999 CCM celebrated the completion of the CCM Village, the renovated and expanded home of the college. Its stunning, comprehensive performance and educational facilities are unrivaled in the nation. Designed by architect Henry N. Cobb, the CCM Village received a National Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects in 2001.

In 2009 CCM received the designation of “All-Steinway School,” a distinction shared by the top conservatories in the world. CCM has also become one of the largest repositories of Steinway pianos outside of the company’s Long Island City, N.Y.-based factory.

In 2011 CCM was officially recognized by the Ohio Board of Regents as the state’s first Center of Excellence in Music and Theatre Arts.

For more information about the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, please visit us online at ccm.uc.edu.

About the Cincinnati World Piano Competition

Held annually in Cincinnati, the Cincinnati World Piano Competition attracts applicants from every corner of the world. The talented artists and young artists proceed through a series of auditions to the Cincinnati World Piano Competition to compete for over $45,000 in prize money. The Gold Medal winner in the Artist Division is awarded a debut recital in New York and numerous performance opportunities worldwide.

The Competition is sponsored by ArtsWave, the Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Western and Southern Financial Group, and the Sarah Marvin Foundation for the Performing Arts.

CCM News

CCM Spotlights Talented Young Performers and Acclaimed Guest Artists During Summer 2015 Performance Series

Young artists from all corners of the globe will make their way to Cincinnati this summer to work with CCM’s world-class faculty and renowned guest artists while in residence at the state-of-the-art CCM Village.

CCM offers a wide array of high caliber summer programs, and the general public can experience the artistry themselves during a series of nearly 40 public performances and guest artist recitals running Tuesday, June 2, through Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015.

Logo for the Cincinnati World Piano Competition.A complete schedule of summer performances is listed below, with highlights including the Cincinnati World Piano Competition’s Finalists Concert featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra on June 13, the Art of the Piano’s Recital Series (curated by CCM faculty member and Cincinnati World Piano Competition Artistic Director Awadagin Pratt) running June 14 – 28, the Classical Guitar Workshops Concert Series running July 12 – 18 and a semi-staged production of Georges Bizet’s Carmen on Aug. 8.

Learn more about these and dozens of other performing and media arts events by referring to the list below.

Event Information

All events listed here take place in CCM Village on the campus of the University of Cincinnati unless otherwise indicated. Admission is free to many CCM performances, although some events do require purchased tickets. Please see individual event information for single ticket and subscription prices, along with ordering information.

Tickets to Cincinnati World Piano Competition events are available through the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Box Office. Tickets for all other summer performances are available through the CCM Box Office.

All event dates and programs are subject to change. Visit ccm.uc.edu or contact the CCM Box Office at 513-556-4183 for the most current event information.

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 more information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors. Additional parking is available off-campus at the new 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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JUNE

7 p.m. Tuesday, June 2
• Harpsichord & Cello/Continuo Workshop •
MICHAEL UNGER AND ADRIANA CONTINO RECITAL

Adriana Contino (cello) and Michael Unger (harpsichord) present an evening of sonatas, suites and reflections.
Location:
CCM Master Classroom (Mary Emery Hall Room 3250)
Admission:
FREE

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7 p.m. Wednesday, June 3
• Harpsichord & Cello/Continuo Workshop •
PARTICIPANT RECITAL
Location:
CCM Master Classroom (Mary Emery Hall Room 3250)
Admission:
FREE

____

7 p.m. Thursday, June 4
• Cincinnati Young Artist Chamber Music Workshop •
CYA FACULTY RECITAL
Featuring directors Sarah Kim and Alan Rafferty joined by guest faculty Annie Fullard and Mari Sato of the Cavani Quartet, CCM piano faculty Sandra Rivers and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra musician Gerry Itzkoff
Location:
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
Admission:
FREE

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7 p.m. Friday, June 5
• Cincinnati Young Artist Chamber Music Workshop •
CYA STUDENT RECITAL
Featuring 2015 Cincinnati Young Artists advanced Chamber Music Workshop students
Location:
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
Admission:
FREE

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1 p.m. Saturday, June 6
• Cincinnati Young Artist Chamber Music Workshop •
CYA STUDENT FESTIVAL
Location:
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
Admission:
FREE

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2 – 5:45 p.m. Sunday, June 7
12 – 1:45 p.m. and 7 – 8:45 p.m. Monday, June 8
• Cincinnati World Piano Competition •
CWPC FIRST ROUND
Competition Jurors: Akemi Alink-Yamamoto, Jura Margulis, Yoshikazu Nagai, Boris Slutsky and Frank Weinstock

The world’s best come to the Queen City during the 2015 Cincinnati World Piano Competition, hosted by UC’s College-Conservatory of Music and featuring the world-renowned Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra! During the Competition’s opening rounds, 24 pianists will compete head to head for their position in Round Two, with each day featuring 12 competitors. Each competitor will perform a 15-minute program.
Location:
Corbett Auditorium
Tickets:
$30 All-Access Pass to First Rounds & Semifinals, $15 One Day Pass, $11.25 Group One Day Pass, $10 Student. Purchase tickets through the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra website at www.cincinnatisymphony.org or by calling the CSO box office at 513-381-3300.

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10 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., 4 – 5:45 p.m. and 7 – 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, June 9
• Cincinnati World Piano Competition •
CWPC SECOND ROUND
Competition Jurors: Akemi Alink-Yamamoto, Jura Margulis, Yoshikazu Nagai, Boris Slutsky and Frank Weinstock

All 24 competitors will compete head to head in Round Two for one of 12 spots in Round Three. Each competitor will perform at 15-minute program.
Location:
Corbett Auditorium
Tickets:
$30 All-Access Pass to First Rounds & Semifinals, $15 One Day Pass, $11.25 Group One Day Pass, $10 Student. Purchase tickets through the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra website at www.cincinnatisymphony.org or by calling the CSO box office at 513-381-3300.

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10 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. and 5 – 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, June 10
• Cincinnati World Piano Competition •
CWPC THIRD ROUND
Competition Jurors: Akemi Alink-Yamamoto, Jura Margulis, Yoshikazu Nagai, Boris Slutsky and Frank Weinstock

12 competitors will compete head to head in Round Three for one of six spots in the Semifinals. Each competitor will perform at 30-minute program.
Location:
Corbett Auditorium
Tickets:
$30 All-Access Pass to First Rounds & Semifinals, $15 One Day Pass, $11.25 Group One Day Pass, $10 Student. Purchase tickets through the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra website at www.cincinnatisymphony.org or by calling the CSO box office at 513-381-3300.

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10 a.m. Thursday, June 11
• Cincinnati World Piano Competition •
CWPC JURY SYMPOSIUM
Competition Jurors: Akemi Alink-Yamamoto, Jura Margulis, Yoshikazu Nagai, Boris Slutsky and Frank Weinstock

Are you curious about how a jury member decides to advance one competitor versus another? Maybe you’d like to learn more about the processes jury members go through at competitions or maybe you’d like to hear feedback from the jury about the challenges and opportunities of judging a bracket-style competition for the first time. Come meet the jury and engage in a discussion about their role in the Cincinnati World Piano Competition. Coffee and donuts will be served.
Location:
Baur Room
Tickets:
$10, $8 student. Purchase tickets through the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra website at www.cincinnatisymphony.org or by calling the CSO box office at 513-381-3300.

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12 – 3 p.m. and 6 – 9 p.m. Thursday, June 11
• Cincinnati World Piano Competition •
CWPC SEMIFINALS
Competition Jurors: Akemi Alink-Yamamoto, Jura Margulis, Yoshikazu Nagai, Boris Slutsky and Frank Weinstock

Six competitors compete head to head in the Semifinals for one of three spots in the Finals. Each competitor will perform at 40-minute program. Advancing competitors will perform in the Finals with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The finalist announcement is scheduled for 9:30 p.m.
Location:
Corbett Auditorium
Tickets:
$30 All-Access Pass to First Rounds & Semifinals, $15 One Day Pass, $11.25 Group One Day Pass, $10 Student. Purchase tickets through the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra website at www.cincinnatisymphony.org or by calling the CSO box office at 513-381-3300.

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7 p.m. Saturday, June 13
• Cincinnati World Piano Competition •
CWPC FINALISTS CONCERT
Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Competition Jurors: Akemi Alink-Yamamoto, Jura Margulis, Yoshikazu Nagai, Boris Slutsky and Frank Weinstock

Three competitors will perform concerti with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for $45,000 in prize money, a debut recital in New York City and additional performance opportunities. The 2015 Awards Ceremony and a reception will follow the performances and jury deliberation.
Location:
Corbett Auditorium
Tickets:
Starting at $35. Purchase tickets through the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra website at www.cincinnatisymphony.org or by calling the CSO box office at 513-381-3300.

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7 p.m. Sunday, June 14
• CCM Summer Programs: Art of the Piano Guest Artist Series •
JURA MARGULIS RECITAL

Curated by Awadagin Pratt, the Art of the Piano Guest Artist Series presents Russian-born Jura Margulis in concert. Praised by the Los Angeles Times for his “excellent pianism,” Margulis has won numerous competitions, appeared at the Hollywood Bowl and recorded for Sony. Experience for yourself why the Washington Post has applauded his “titanic reserves of sheer power” and his “effortless spontaneity.”
Location:
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
Tickets:
$15 general admission; $10 student admission.

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7 p.m. Tuesday, June 16
• CCM Summer Programs: Art of the Piano Guest Artist Series •
URSULA OPPENS RECITAL

Curated by Awadagin Pratt, the Art of the Piano Guest Artist Series presents four-time Grammy winner Ursula Oppens in concert. Oppens performs with the world’s top orchestras and has premiered works by today’s leading composers including Ligeti, Carter and Corigliano, to name a few. This is a rare chance to hear Rzewski’s The People United Will Never Be Defeated!, a work premiered by Oppens. Her recording on the Vanguard label of the piece was named Record of the Year by Record World and received a Grammy nomination.
Location:
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
Tickets:
$15 general admission; $10 student admission.

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7 p.m. Wednesday, June 17
7 p.m. Thursday, June 18
7 p.m. Friday, June 19
7 p.m. Saturday, June 20
7 p.m. Friday, June 26
7 p.m. Sunday, June 28
• CCM Summer Programs: Art of the Piano Student Artist Series •
PARTICIPANT RECITALS

Students world-wide participated in a rigorous screening and audition process to play in master classes with some of the world’s most sought-after teachers. These students focus on their recital and competition repertoire while in Cincinnati, and performance is an important part of their residency at CCM. Take a break from the heat and catch some rising stars!
Location:
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
Admission:
FREE

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1 p.m. 11 a.m. Saturday, June 20
• Encore Chamber Orchestra Workshop •
ENCORE ADVANCED CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CONCERT
Location:
Patricia Corbett Theater
Admission:
FREE

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11 a.m. Friday, June 26
• CCM Preparatory Department •
JAZZ EXPLOSION WORKSHOP PERFORMANCE
Location:
Kings High School, 5620 Columbia Rd, Kings Mills, OH 45034
Admission:
FREE

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3 p.m. Friday, June 26
• CCM Prep Summer Theatre Arts •
CAMP BRAVO PERFORMANCE
Location:
Cincinnati Country Day School, 6905 Given Road, Cincinnati, OH 45243
Admission:
FREE

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7 p.m. Saturday, June 27
• CCM Summer Programs: Art of the Piano Guest Artist Series •
YONG HI MOON RECITAL

Yong Hi Moon has performed extensively throughout Asia, Europe and the US as a recitalist and with orchestras including the Osaka, Seoul, Tokyo and Korean National symphony orchestras. She is currently a faculty member at the Peabody Institute.
Location:
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
Tickets:
$15 general admission; $10 student admission.

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JULY

8 p.m. Sunday, July 12
• CCM’s Classical Guitar Workshop •
FACULTY ENSEMBLE RECITAL
Featuring Renato Butturi, Clare Callahan, Rodney Stucky, Jeffrey Van, Christopher Wilke, William Willits, Karl Wohlwend and Stanley Yates
Location:
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
Admission:
FREE

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8 p.m. Monday, July 13
• CCM’s Classical Guitar Workshop •
GUITAR CHAMBER MUSIC RECITAL
Featuring guest guitarists, instrumentalists and vocalists
Location:
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
Admission:
FREE

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8 p.m. Wednesday, July 15
• CCM’s Classical Guitar Workshop •
HANSER-McCLELLAN DUO RECITAL

John McClellan and Kirk Hanser began performing together in 1996, each already being an established solo artist in his own right. As a duo, they quickly became known for their choice of entertaining programs, their technical and musical prowess, and their abilities for connecting with audiences. Over the years, they have become recognized by critics and audiences alike as one of the most highly respected chamber music groups in the U.S.
Location:
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
Admission:
FREE

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8 p.m. Thursday, July 16
• CCM’s Classical Guitar Workshop •
STANLEY YATES RECITAL

British-born guitarist Stanley Yates has established an international career as concert performer and recording artist, teacher, arranger and scholar. Performing to wide critical and audience acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, he has been praised by the English magazine Classical Guitar as “one of an elite breed of guitarists,” the Fort Worth Star Telegram for the “transcendent quality of his interpretative abilities” and the Italian magazine Suonare for his “musical instinct and brilliant technique.”
Location:
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
Admission:
FREE

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7 p.m. Friday, July 17
2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 18
• Center Stage! Workshop •
BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH INTERNET CATS

Location:
Cincinnati Country Day School, 6905 Given Road, Cincinnati, OH 45243
Admission:
FREE

____

8 p.m. Friday, July 17
• CCM’s Classical Guitar Workshop •
SOLOS, CHAMBER MUSIC, GUITAR ORCHESTRA
Location:
Patricia Corbett Theater
Admission:
FREE

____

11 a.m. Saturday, July 18
• CCM Prep Summer Arts Immersion •
MUSICAL THEATRE SHOWCASE
Location:
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
Admission:
FREE

____

1 p.m. Saturday, July 18
• CCM Prep Summer Arts Immersion •
ACTING WORKSHOP SHOWCASE
Location:
Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission:
FREE

____

2 p.m. Saturday, July 18
• CCM’s Classical Guitar Workshop •
PARTICIPANTS RECITAL
Location:
Patricia Corbett Theater
Admission:
FREE

____

2 p.m. Friday, July 24
CINCINNATI PIANO INSTITUTE STUDENT RECITAL
Location:
CCM Master Classroom (Mary Emery Hall Room 3250)
Admission:
FREE

____

AUGUST

3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1
• CCM Ensemble-in-Residence •
CINCINNATI CHILDREN’S CHOIR SUMMER FESTIVAL CONCERT
Robyn Lana, director
Location:
Corbett Auditorium
Tickets:
$10 general. Tickets will go on sale beginning on July 27 and may be purchased by calling 513-556-0338.

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6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1
• CCM Summer Programs: Opera Studio •
OPERA STUDIO STUDENT RECITAL

A select group of talented young singers from around the country were chosen to spend three weeks in residence at CCM, under the guidance of a renowned faculty led by CCM Voice Professor Amy Johnson, with an emphasis on French repertoire. Join these young artists as they present an evening of art songs and operatic repertoire.
Location:
CCM Master Classroom (Mary Emery Hall Room 3250)
Admission:
FREE

____

4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7
• CCM Summer Programs: Opera Studio •
OPERA STUDIO SCENES

A select group of talented young singers from around the country were chosen to spend three weeks in residence at CCM, under the guidance of a renowned faculty, with an emphasis on French repertoire. Their experience culminates with an evening of operatic scenes under the direction of CCM’s Joseph Weinberger Chair of Acting for the Lyric Stage, Vincent DeGeorge.
Location:
Cohen Family Studio Theater Patricia Corbett Theater
Admission:
FREE

____

8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8
• CCM Summer Programs: Creating Carmen
CARMEN

Music by Georges Bizet
Libretto by Ludovic Halévy and Henri Meihac
Featuring student conductors from CCM’s Summer Workshops
Mark Gibson, artistic director
Jose Maria Condemi, stage director

Up to 12 young conductors, along with a carefully selected cast, were invited to participate in this one-of-a-kind “opera bootcamp” while in residence at CCM. Working with an internationally renowned faculty, led by Mark Gibson, Director of Orchestral Studies at CCM, these young artists have daily language instruction, text and style sessions and conducting and coaching master classes, and also participate in staging rehearsals, work with singers and lead orchestra rehearsals. The course culminates in a semi-staged performance, with orchestra, of Bizet’s beloved Carmen.
Location:
Corbett Auditorium
Tickets:
$15 general admission; $10 student admission.

________________________________

Tickets to the Cincinnati World Piano Competition events are available through the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Box Office.

Tickets to the Cincinnati Children’s Choir Summer Festival Concert are available by phone at 513-556-0338.

Tickets for all other summer performances are available through the CCM Box Office.

All event dates and programs are subject to change. Visit ccm.uc.edu or contact the CCM Box Office at 513-556-4183 for the most current event information.

CCM News
CCM Chamber Choir and Philharmonia Chamber Orchestra perform Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610. Photo by Andrew Higley/University of Cincinnati.

CCM Performances Make Critics’ “Best of 2014” Lists

In case you missed it, Music for All Seasons Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Enquirer and Music in Cincinnati have each published “year in review” stories, looking back on the great performances of 2014.

Rafael de Acha selected 10 special performances from 2014 for Music for All Seasons Cincinnati, including:

  • Professor Emeritus Frank Weinstock‘s return to the CCM stage as part of the 2014 Bearcat Piano Festival;
  • Guest artist Andreas Scholl‘s all-Lieder recital at CCM;
  • CCM’s Mainstage Series production of Les Misérables, which “won them a fine judgment from judicious lovers of the musical,” according to de Acha;
  • CCM’s Studio Series production of Chabrier’s L’ étoile;
  • CCM’s Opera d’arte Series production of Ravel’s L’ enfant et les sortilèges;
  • and CCM’s Mainstage Series production of Don Pasquale, directed by the-graudate student Omer Ben-Seadia, who was in “full command of the style that infuses the spirit of Donizetti’s masterpiece,” by de Acha’s estimation.

Janelle Gelfand picked her 14 highlights of 2014 for the Enquirer, including:

Mary Ellyn Hutton widened her selection to 21 highlights for 2014 for Music In Cincinnati, including:

The magic continues in 2015, as CCM presents over 125 major public performances during UC’s Spring Semester, beginning with a faculty artist recital by Pat Linhart and Julie Spangler on Sunday, Jan. 18, and concluding with the CCM Prep Jazz Extravaganza concert on Sunday, May 17!

See a full schedule of events at ccm.uc.edu/about/villagenews/notations-ovations/spring-2015-calendar-of-events!

CCM News

Professor Emeritus Frank Weinstock Returns to the CCM Stage This Evening

Professor Emeritus Frank Weinstock returns to CCM for the Bearcat Piano Festival.

Professor Emeritus Frank Weinstock returns to CCM for the Bearcat Piano Festival.

This evening, CCM welcomes back Professor Emeritus of Piano Frank Weinstock for the opening concert of the fifth annual Bearcat Piano Festival! Beginning at 7 p.m. in the Robert J. Werner Recital Hall, this performance is free and open to the general public.

Weinstock will perform Beethoven’s Alla ingharese quasi un Capriccio, Op. 129 (“Rage Over a Lost Penny”), Schumann’s Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17 and Schubert’s Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960.

About Frank Weinstock
American Frank Weinstock has had a distinguished career as a performer, teacher, and adjudicator. His appearances as recitalist, soloist and chamber musician have taken him throughout the United States, as well as to South America, Asia, Europe and Africa. As concerto soloist, Mr. Weinstock has appeared with such conductors as Jesús López-Cobos, Erich Kunzel, Keith Lockhart, Jorge Mester, Gunther Schuller, Markand Thakar and Luthero Rodrigues. An avid chamber musician, Mr. Weinstock has performed with the Tokyo and American String Quartets, Leonard Rose, Larry Combs, Glen Dicterow, the Percussion Group Cincinnati and with members of the Guarneri, LaSalle, Manhattan and Berkshire Quartets.

Frank Weinstock is Professor Emeritus of Piano at CCM where he taught for 31 years until his retirement in 2011; towards the end of that time, he also served as that school’s associate dean and interim dean. He is featured in Benjamin Saver’s book, The Most Wanted Piano Teachers in the USA. His current and former students hail from six continents, and are themselves prominent performers, competition winners, recording artists and professors at universities around the world. Mr. Weinstock has been a member of the performing faculties at the Aspen and Eastern Music Festivals, the Great Wall International Music Academy in Beijing, and the Opera Theater and Music Festival of Lucca (Italy), and has been a juror for many competitions, including the Gina Bachauer, Cleveland, Hilton Head and Virginia Waring International Piano Competitions, as well as the Canadian Music Competition and the American Pianists Association Competition.

CCM News

Cincinnati Public Radio, Cincinnati Enquirer and Gramophone Magazine Preview CCM’s February Performances

The latest installment of WVXU’s Around Cincinnati features a number of upcoming CCM performances! First up, guest artist D. Lynn Meyers gives Jim Stump a preview of this week’s Mainstage Production of Metamorphoses (Feb. 5 – 9). You can listen to their full conversation here.

Later on in the program, Brian O’Donnell speaks with CCM faculty members Awadagin Pratt and Michael Chertock about the Bearcat Piano Festival and Pianopalooza (Feb. 6 – 16). You can listen to the interview here.

The Cincinnati Enquirer‘s list of Top Arts Picks for February is also filled with CCM happenings, including the Bearcat Piano Festival, Metamorphoses, and Les Misérables (Feb. 27 – March 9). Read the full preview here.

Even Gramophone Magazine’s latest podcast features an upcoming CCM performance, as James Jolly speaks with guest artist Gerald Finley about his current tour with pianist Julius Drake, which comes to CCM’s Corbett Auditorium on Feb. 5! You can download the podcast here.

CCM Audio CCM News

CCM Presents a Plethora of Piano Performances This February

CCMWinter2014PianoPerformancesCCM will celebrate the art of the piano with a series of special events this February. The fifth annual Bearcat Piano Festival presents master classes and guest artist concerts from Feb. 6 – 11 in the Robert J. Werner Recital Hall and the Mary Emery Hall Master Classroom, followed by the ninth edition of CCM’s Pianopalooza showcase at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16, in Corbett Auditorium.

Launched in 2010 by CCM’s Piano Department Chair Awadagin Pratt, the Bearcat Piano Festival has grown into a veritable piano spectacular with several days of master classes and recitals by piano greats. This year’s Festival will feature a “Friends, Family and Favorites” theme:

  • Performances by “friends” include Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Louisville Dror Biran and University of Michigan doctoral student pianists.
  • The festival celebrates “family” as Professor Emeritus Frank Weinstock returns to the CCM stage, while Momoro Ono – Juilliard graduate and brother of UC President Santa J. Ono – makes his CCM debut.
  • As for “favorites,” CCM presents performances by acclaimed pianist Boris Slutsky and 2013 World Piano Competition Gold Medalist Marianna Prjevalskaya (who also studied with Slutsky). This will mark the first time in the history of the World Piano Competition that the winner is presented in a public recital.

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, Pianopalooza IX, directed by CCM’s Division of Keyboard Studies Head Michael Chertock, will include songs of love and romance. The program showcases spectacular student pianists and features special appearances by CCM faculty artists including Awadagin Pratt, James Tocco and Chertock himself. Pratt will perform music by Rachmaninoff, Tschaikovsky, Schumann and celebrated jazz pianist (and Cincinnati native) Fred Hersch. Tocco and Chertock will present selections from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story.

Pianopalooza IX and the Bearcat Piano Festival promise to excite audiences with the beautiful sound and versatile styles that this popular and complex instrument has to offer — the perfect listening opportunity for music and keyboard enthusiasts of all ages.

Event Information
Please see individual listings below for additional information. The Boris Slutsky, Marianna Prjevalskaya and Pianopalooza IX concerts require paid admission. All other Bearcat Piano Festival events are free and open to the general public. All dates and programs are subject to change.

CCM News

CCM’s Bearcat Piano Festival and Pianopalooza Showcase Return Feb. 6 – 16, 2014

CCM's 2014 Bearcat Piano Festival.

Next month, CCM celebrates the art of the piano with a star-studded series of master classes, guest artist concerts and more! Launched in 2010 by Piano Department Chair Awadagin Pratt, the 2014 Bearcat Piano Festival welcomes a plethora of visiting pianists this February, including:

The celebration culminates with the return of Pianopalooza on Feb. 16. In honor of the Valentine’s Day holiday, this year’s concert celebrates “Keys to Love and Romance!”

For a complete schedule of festival events and additional information, please visit ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice/bearcatpianofestival. Some performances require paid admission.

Stay tuned for even more information about this exciting series of events!

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CCM Announces Spring 2014 Calendar of Major Events

Download CCM's Spring 2014 Calendar Booklet today.

Download CCM’s Spring 2014 Calendar Booklet today.

UPDATED March 7, 2014: CCM is delighted to announce its spring 2014 schedule of major events. The largest single source of performing arts events in the state of Ohio, CCM presents nearly 150 major public performances from Jan. 12 through May 18, ranging from faculty and guest artist concerts to fully supported opera, musical theatre, drama and dance productions.

Highlights of CCM’s spring concert series include the return of Cincinnati’s premiere fundraiser “A Moveable Feast” on Jan. 17, the Ariel Quartet’s Beethoven Cycle running Jan. 23 – March 29, a performance of Schubert’s Winterreise song cycle by guest artists Gerald Finley and Julius Drake on Feb. 5, the fifth annual Bearcat Piano Festival running Feb. 6 – 11, the 17th annual PRISM concert on Feb. 23, a performance of John Adams’ El Niño on March 2 and a celebration of the music of jazz legend Thelonius Monk on March 9.

CCM’s Mainstage Series also continues in early 2014 with a production of Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses, directed by guest artist D. Lynn Meyers, running Feb. 5 – 9; the CCM debut of the iconic musical Les Misérables, running Feb. 27 – March 9;  Donizett’s comedic opera Don Pasquale, running April 3–6; and the quintessential romantic ballet Giselle, running April 17–19.

Learn more about these and dozens of other performing and media-arts events by referring to the list below. You can also view a digital copy of CCM’s Spring 2014 Calendar Booklet here.

CCM News

CCM Video: Introducing the 2013 World Piano Competition

The world will be watching this July as today’s most sought-after piano teachers and artists come together with up-and-coming international performers for the 2013 World Piano Competition!

CCM Village will serve as the home of this year’s Competition, and finalists in the Competition’s Artist Division will have the distinct honor of performing with the world-renowned Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, July 13! Don’t miss a moment of the excitement: order your tickets or all access passes today!

A complete schedule for the Artist Division Competition is listed below. Learn more about the 2013 World Piano Competition here.

Event Information
All events listed below take place on the campus of the University of Cincinnati unless otherwise indicated. Please see individual event information for single ticket and subscription prices, along with ordering information.

Tickets to World Piano Competition events are available through the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Box Office.

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