CCM’s Virtual Moveable Feast Premieres Tonight

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Virtual Moveable Feast: From Coast to Coast

8 p.m. Jan. 22, 2021

Schedule of events:

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

Program details:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Silent Auction

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

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

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

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

Purchasing Tickets

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Virtual Moveable Feast: From Coast to Coast

8 p.m. Jan. 22, 2021

Schedule of events:

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

Purchasing Tickets

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

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

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

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

CCM presents new series of free digital concerts and performing arts presentations

CCM’s “stars of tomorrow” are back on stage, and you get the best seats in the house!

The University of Cincinnati’s nationally ranked and internationally renowned College-Conservatory of Music invites arts lovers from around the world to join in the viewing party for the debut episode of CCMONSTAGE Online at 7:30 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. The premiere will stream simultaneously on CCM’s homepage and YouTube channel.

Download the concert program.

This dynamic new series of digital concerts and performing arts presentations will allow audiences near and far to experience the unparalleled artistry and expertise of CCM’s students, faculty and staff.

“The performing arts help to build and sustain a sense of community,” says CCM Dean Stanley E. Romanstein, PhD. “Now more than ever, we crave the sense of fellowship that comes through shared cultural experiences. While we may not yet be able to welcome audiences back to the CCM Village for live performances, we are excited to help you stay connected to the arts and to each other through our new CCMONSTAGE Online performance series.”

A behind-the-scenes look at the CCM Philharmonia’s video shoot.

Recorded live at CCM while adhering to strict health and safety precautions, each installment of this new performance video series spotlights a different CCM program or ensemble.

The debut installment features the CCM Philharmonia student orchestra performing a program of Classical Virtuosity that includes works by Claude Debussy/Maurice Ravel, Ottorino Respighi, Julia Perry and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Each episode also features insight into the repertoire and commentary on the process of rehearsing and performing during the era of COVID-19.

A behind-the-scenes look at the CCM Chamber Choir’s video shoot.

Future episodes will showcase performances by the CCM Ballet Ensemble, the CCM Chamber Choir, and a collaborative concert with CCM string quartet-in-residence the Ariel Quartet and members of the CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship program. The performances by the CCM Ballet Ensemble and CCM Chamber Choir are further augmented by the cutting-edge artistry of students and faculty from CCM’s Theatre Design and Production programs. CCM will announce the premiere dates for these subsequent episodes later this fall.

CCM turned to the considerable expertise of its E-Media faculty and alumni to help produce this new series. Video production services for CCMONSTAGE Online are provided by MasseyGreenAVP, LLC. “Our goal was to capture the world-renowned talent that CCM has to offer through multiple cameras, providing CCM with professionally-produced videos to share with their fans virtually,” says CCM alumnus John Massey (BFA E-Media, ‘03), who directs each installment in this new series.

CCM alum John Tapogna preps his camera for the CCM Philharmonia’s video shoot.

Massey explains, “Our team is made up of videographers with decades of experience from the news, sports and entertainment industries. We were excited to be able to shoot in CCM’s beautiful facilities. We recruited E-Media grad John Tapogna (BFA Broadcasting, 1988), who has over 25 years’ experience as a sports videographer, to tackle providing tight shots. We sought to capture the energy and emotion of the performance up close while showing off the performers’ technical skill.”

All episodes of CCMONSTAGE Online will be digitally streamed for free. After the premiere broadcast, each installment in this ongoing series will remain available for on-demand viewing on CCM’s website and YouTube channel.

“Whether you’re a longtime CCM performance patron or a first-timer, we hope you’ll join us for one of our upcoming viewing parties to get a front row seat to see tomorrow’s stars today,” says Romanstein.

CCM student David Lopena participates in an interview during the CCM Dance video shoot.

This digital performance series is made possible by support from CCMONSTAGE Online Broadcast Sponsors CCMpower and ArtsWave, and CCMONSTAGE Online Production Sponsors Dr. & Mrs. Carl G. Fischer.

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Stay Connected!

Receive broadcast reminders and information on future episodes of CCMONSTAGE Online by subscribing to CCM’s YouTube channel and email newsletter.

Streaming Premiere

7:30 p.m. EST Friday, Dec. 11, 2020

Performance Repertoire

• Claude Debussy, orch. Maurice Ravel: Danse (1890)
• Ottorino Respighi: Trittico Botticelliano (1927)
• Julia Perry: Short Piece for Orchestra (1952)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 29 in A major, K. 201 (1774)

Orchestra Roster

The CCM Philharmonia
Mark Gibson, music director and conductor
Strings after principal stands are listed alphabetically

Violin I

Magdiell Antequera, concertmaster
Grace Brown, assistant concertmaster
Daniel Fields
Andrew Horak
Jade McClellan
Angkun Uabamrungit
Alayne Wegner

Violin II

Grace Wride, principal
Lauren Greene, assistant principal
Yasmine Bougacha
Sydney Ebersohl
Brittany Hausmann
Rachel Mancini

Viola (1st Half)

Julius Adams, principal
Murphy Combs
Javier Otalora
Aadhivan Ramkumar
Caleb Robinson

Viola (2nd Half)

Maya Fields, principal
Chloe Drake
Celeste Meisel
Nathaniel Sendi
Lucas Wardell

Cello

Maximiliano Oppeltz, principal
Marcel Bobe

Double Bass (1st Half)

Taiga Benito, principal
Zoe Heuser
Zachary Reich

Double Bass (2nd Half)

Caleb Edwards, principal
Esther Kwon
Peter McCutcheon

Flute

Vincenzo Volpe, principal
Caitlyn Lyerly

Oboe (1st Half)

Dylan Reynallt, principal
Daniel Outlaw

Oboe (2nd Half)

Yayi Senior, principal
Elena Suarez

Clarinet

Alyssa Berry, principal
Rachel Beil

Bassoon

John Robken, principal
Elizabeth Beeche

Horn (1st Half)

Sarah Yarbrough, principal
Jacob Speakman

Horn (2nd Half)

Will Morgan, principal
Sarah Palmer

Trumpet

Emery Hicks, principal
Kole Pantuso

Trombone

James Smith, principal
Jordan Rowan

Percussion

Jacob Ottmer
Ryan Thomas

Harp

Claire Greene
Madeline Arney (Debussy)
Janna Young (Respighi)

Celeste

Kara Piatt

Piano

Thomas Ryskamp

Graduate Assistants

Xiao Geng
Kara Piatt
Shimon Ohi
Sophie Mok
Kin Szeto
Caleb Glickman

Librarians

Rebecca Flank
Kristin Welke

Sponsors

Louise Dieterle Nippert Trust
Scholarship and Resident Artist Sponsor

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship Sponsor

The Corbett Endowment at CCM
Dance Department Sponsor
All-Steinway School Sponsor

H. Wayne Ferguson Family Foundation
Louise H. & David S. Ingalls Foundation, Inc.
Community Partners

The Joseph and Frances Jones Poetker Fund of the Cambridge Charitable Foundation, Ritter & Randolph, LLC, Corporate Counsel
Visiting Artists & Thinking About Music Sponsor

CCMpower: Friends and Alumni Fueling the Future of the Arts
ArtsWave: Funding Arts, Fueling Community
CCMONSTAGE ONLINE Broadcast Sponsors

Dr. & Mrs. Carl G. Fischer
CCMONSTAGE ONLINE Production Sponsors

Elizabeth C.B. & Paul G. Sittenfeld
Musical Theatre Showcase Sponsor

Genevieve Smith
Opera Production Sponsor

An Anonymous Donor
Estate of Mr. William A. Friedlander
Mrs. William A. Friedlander
Dr. Randolph L. Wadsworth
Judith Schonbach Landgren and Peter Landgren
Mr. & Mrs. Harry H. Santen
Elizabeth C.B. & Paul G. Sittenfeld
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Stegman
Dr. & Mrs. Theodore W. Striker
Mrs. Harry M. Hoffheimer
Ariel Quartet Sponsors

Jan Rogers
Willard and Jean Mulford Charitable Fund of the Cambridge Charitable Foundation
Choral Studies Sponsors

Robert & Debra Chavez
Three Arts Scholarship Fund
CCMpower Partners

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph W. Hirschhorn
Orchestral Sponsor

Mr. & Mrs. James L. Miller
Musical Theatre Production Sponsor

Graeter’s Ice Cream
Greg Mathein
Musical Theatre Performance Sponsors

Trish & Rick Bryan
CCMpower: Friends and Alumni Fueling the Future of the Arts
The Harmony Endowment Fund: Challenging Hate and Prejudice Through the Performing Arts
The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation
KMK Law
Paula Boggs Muething & Brian Muething
PNC
Jeff Thomas Catering
Event Sponsors

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A preeminent institution for the performing and media arts, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music offers nearly 120 possible majors, along with a wide variety of pre-collegiate and post-graduate programs.

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 stage.

For more information, please visit us online at ccm.uc.edu.

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All behind-the-scenes and performance photos by MasseyGreenAVP.

Program Spotlight: CCM Classical Guitar

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

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

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

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

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

Program highlights include:

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

Applications and Additional Information

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

Learn more about the CCM Classical Guitar program.

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

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

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

Get the latest news from CCM:

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

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

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CCM alumni in Tony Award-nominated productions

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

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CCM shares Spring 2021 registration details

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

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CCM piano professor featured in upcoming streamed performances

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

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Dada Rafiki honors CCM staff member for community engagement work

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

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Students take spotlight in UC commercial

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

 

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

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

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

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

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Additional Resources

Bridging the divide

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

 

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UC Answers: How can mindfulness help us cope?

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

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UC’s Center for Integrative Health and Wellness

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

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FAQs and Online Resources

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

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

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

Stay Connected: CCMONSTAGE Online’s Latest Newsletter

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

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

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

Get the latest news from CCM:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Eight UC faculty recognized for excellence in mentoring undergraduate researchers

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

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

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

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

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

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CCM Sounds Design student wins Pat MacKay Diversity in Design Scholarship

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

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FAQs and Online Resources

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

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

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

Watch CCM’s 2020 Musical Theatre Senior Showcase

Although the theaters and concert halls at UC’s nationally ranked and internationally renowned College-Conservatory of Music are temporarily silent, audiences can still experience world-class performances through the CCMONSTAGE Online video series. This week’s release features the CCM Musical Theatre Class of 2020’s Senior Showcase, which was performed on March 12, 2020, in Patricia Corbett Theater.

Featuring hit songs from Broadway, Off-Broadway and pop music, the Senior Showcase was created by CCM’s Musical Theatre Class of 2020 under the supervision of faculty. This year’s showcase was directed by CCM Musical Theatre alumnus Justin Bohon and advised by Rachel Hoffman. The showcase was associate directed by Katie Johannigman and produced by Diane Lala and Denton Yockey. Musical direction by Julie Spangler. The showcase also features an original song by CCM Acting alumnus Todd Almond.

Receive updates on future CCMONSTAGE Online performances by subscribing to our mailing list.

Get to know the graduating seniors by reading their professional summaries! 

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Get to know CCM Musical Theatre’s Class of 2020

Andrew Alstat: Originally from Pomona, Illinois. Regional credits: Chuck Cranston in Footloose (The Muny), Albert in Newsies (Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts), Emmett in Legally Blonde, Billy Crocker in AnythingGoes (McLeod Summer Playhouse). CCM credits: Rocky in The Rocky Horror Show, Frederick in TheHunchback of Notre Dame, Angie the Ox in Guys and Dolls, Jesus Christ Superstar. Proud member of AEA. For more, visit andrewalstat.com and follow @a12tat on Instagram.

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Nick Berninger:Originally from Wayne, New Jersey. Regional credits: A Gentleman’s Guide To Love And Murder (The D’Ysquith Family), Cabaret (Emcee), The Little Mermaid (Scuttle/Chef Louis) at Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, New Jersey Regional premier of School of Rock (Dewey Finn) at Union County PAC, South Pacific (Billis), Cats (Bustopher/Gus) at Interlakes Summer Theatre. CCM credits: 42nd Street (Julian Marsh), Guys and Dolls (Nicely Nicely Johnson), Mack and Mabel (Fatty Arbuckle) Seussical (Horton u/s) and The Secret Garden (Ben). Workshops/Readings: Home Street Home (Big John), Nasha America (Uncle Vadim) and Rocket Science (Doyle) with the CCM Musical Theatre Incubator Project. Proud member of the AEA. For more, visit nickberninger.com and follow @nick_berninger on Instagram. 

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Kurtis Bradley Brown: Originally from Louisville, Kentucky. Regional credits: 42nd Street at Bucks County Playhouse, Sondheim on Sondheim, Newsies and Legally Blonde at the Lexington Theatre Company in the Euan Morton track, as the Crutchie understudy and as “Kiki, the colorist” (fierce!), respectively. CCM Credits: Dickon in The Secret Garden and many more. Currently training at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. For more, visit kurtisbradleybrown.com and follow @kurtisbradleybrown on Instagram.

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Michael Canu: Originally from Rochester, Michigan. Regional credits: A Chorus Line (Mark) at the Cape Playhouse, Mamma Mia! (Sky) and West Side Story (Snowboy) at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, Footloose (Ren McCormack) and Newsies (Albert, Jack u/s) at the Clinton Showboat Theatre and The Nutcracker (Russian Soloist) with Michigan Ballet Theatre. He was also apart of the first symphonic version of Children of Eden (Adam) with Rochester Summer Music Theatre. CCM credits: 42nd Street (Andy Lee), Jesus Christ Superstar and Guys and Dolls (Harry The Horse). Michael won the Battaglia Scholarship Award for performance excellence in a musical. For more visit, michaelcanu.com and follow @michael_canu on Instagram.

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Matt Copley: Originally from Detroit, Michigan. Regional credits: Grease and Oklahoma! at Pittsburgh CLO. Footloose (Ren) and Newsies at Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts. Hockey: The Musical! (World Premiere) at City Theatre Detroit. Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy) at Riverbank Theatre. CCM credits: Guys and Dolls (Nathan Detroit), The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Jesus Christ Superstar. Additional credits: Writer, Composer and Creator of blueprint the musical, Niko in Home Street Home workshop. Proud member of AEA. For more, visit matt-copley.com and follow @matt_copley on Instagram.

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Madison Deadman: Originally from Ann Arbor, MI. Regional credits: Rock of Ages (Young Groupie) at PCLO, Cabaret (Sally Bowles) at Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, Les Miserables (Eponine), Joseph… Dreamcoat (Narrator) and Little Women (Amy) at Encore Musical Theatre Company, The Addams Family (Wednesday) at Thunder Bay Theatre. CCM credits: Godspell (Jesus), Theory of Relativity (Caroline). Workshops: Home Street Home (Mom) with Kevin McCollum, Jeff Marx and NOFX; Rocket Science (Jenny Ryerson) with Richard Israel. Television: PBS special: SciEngiMathePloration. Film: A Girl Like Her (Emily Sailler). Print: model for Kotex UBY. For more, visit madisondeadman.com and follow @mjdeadman on Instagram.

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Bailee Endebrock: Originally from Herrin, Illinois. Regional credits: Mamma Mia (Sophie), Singin’ in the Rain (Kathy Selden), Oklahoma! (Dance Captain) at Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts. A Chorus Line (Maggie) and Sondheim on Sondheim (Leslie Kritzer Track) at The Lexington Theatre Company. The Sound of Music (Liesl) and Bring it On (Campbell) at McLeod Summer Playhouse. CCM credits: 42nd Street (Peggy Sawyer), The Secret Garden (Dance Captain/Alice), Yeast Nation (Jan-the-Sweet), Guys and Dolls (Hot Box Girl). For more, visit baileeendebrock.com and follow @bailee_endebrock on Instagram.

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Zoë Grolnick: Originally fromBoulder, Colorado. Regional credits: Rock of Ages at Lake Dillon Theatre Company, Godspell at Center Stage Theatre Company. CCM credits: 42nd Street (Anytime Annie), Guys and Dolls (Hot Box Chick), Theory of Relativity (Jenny), A Chorus Line (Vicki/Swing), Hunchback of Notre Dame and Seussical. For more, visit zoegrolnick.com and follow @zoegrolnick on Instagram.

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Delaney Guyer: Originally from Seattle, Washington. Delaney studied Meisner at the Maggie Flanigan Studio in New York for two months following her sophomore year. She has performed in regional theatres across the country including the 5th Avenue Theatre of Seattle, Village Theatre of Issaquah, Washington, the Lexington Theatre Company in Kentucky, the KNOW Theatre of Cincinnati and Sound Theatre Company of Seattle. CCM credits: The Rocky Horror Show (Magenta)and Yeast Nation (Jan The Sly) Secret Garden (Lily), Gruesome Playground Injuries (Kayleen). For more, visit delaneyguyer.com and follow @delaneyguyer on Instagram.

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Madison Hagler: Originally from Rainsville, Alabama. Regional credits: Gabe in Next to Normal (Porthouse Theatre), Pastor Olgethorpe in Smoke on the Mountain and Ensemble/Brother in Joseph…Dreamcoat (Totem Pole Playhouse). CCM credits: Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden, Judas/John the Baptist in Godspell, Annas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Tap Ensemble in 42nd Street, Gargoyle/ King Louis XI in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Seussical the Musical, Children of Eden and Lewinsky in Rocket Science, a new musical workshop. As an expert magician, Madison has toured the southeast with his grand illusion show, and has appeared as Magic Consultant for shows such as Pippin, Godspell, Big Fish and The Bartered Bride. For more, visit madisonhagler.com or follow @MadisonAdamsHagler on Instagram. 

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Elijah Lee King:Originally from Arlington, Virginia. Regional credits: Man of La Mancha (Pedro) and Music Man at Porthouse Theatre, Mamma Mia! at Totem Pole Playhouse and Joseph…Dreamcoat (Joseph) at City of Fairfax Theatre Co. CCM credtis: The Secret Garden (Ian Shaw), 42nd Street (Assistant Director), Yeast Nation (The Youngest), Guys and Dolls (Big Jule), Jesus Christ Superstar (Solider), The Little Mermaid Ballet (King Triton), Mack and Mabel (Ensemble). TV/Film: Power (STARZ), I Was Possessed (Lifetime), Copycat Killers (REELZ) and Evil Kin (Discovery ID). For more, visit elijahleeking.com and follow @Elijah_Lee_King on Instagram.

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Kylie Liya Page:Originally adopted from China, from New York. Broadway credits: 2006 revival Les Miserables (Young Cosette/ Eponine) at the Broadhurst Theater. National Tours credits: How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Annie Who/ u.s. Cindy Lou), Les Miserables (Young Cosette/ Eponine) at Theater of the Stars. Readings/Workshops: The Nightingale by Duncan Shiek/Steven Sadar (Nightingale) NYSAF with James Lapine and at Vassar College with Moises Kaufman. Nasha America (Jackie) at CCM. Film/TV: Friends From College (Teenager) Netflix, Gossip Girl (Constance Girl) CW Network/ Netflix, Ninja Assassin (Young Kariko) Warner Bros., Step Up 3D (Ice Cream Truck Girl) Disney. Off Broadway: Carousel (Louise) NAAP at the Peter J. Sharp Theater. CCM credits: (Dance Ensemble) in Jesus Christ Superstar, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 42nd Street at CCM. She is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA. For more, visit kylieliya.com and follow @kylieliya on Instagram. 

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Sam Pickart: Originally from Wisconsin. Regional credits: Anything Goes (Billy Crocker) and Saturday Night Fever (Gus) at Mac-Haydn Theatre, Mamma Mia (Sam Carmichael) and Bonnie & Clyde (Bob Alcorn) at Summer Repertory Theatre, Parade (Frankie Epps) at Greendale Theatre. CCM credits: The Secret Garden (Dr. Neville Craven), Guys and Dolls (Benny Southstreet), Theory of Relativity (Paul), 42nd Street (Pat Denning), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Tribunal/Gargoyle). For more, visit sampickart.com and follow @sampickart on Instagram.

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Erich W. Schleck: Originally from Seattle, Washington. Regional credits: Jesus Christ Superstar (Peter) and Newsies (Finch) at NCC Summer Theatre, Spring Awakening (Melchior) and Cabaret (Emcee) at Ballyhoo Theatre and the Original Cast Recording of A Christmas Story: The Musical with the 5th Avenue Theatre. CCM credits: The Rocky Horror Show (Riff Raff), Yeast Nation (Jan-the-Wise), Guys and Dolls, Jesus Christ Superstar, Sondheim on Sondheim, Children of Eden and the CCM Musical Theatre Incubator of Rocket Science (Heston). He originated the role of Rodrich in Nasha America in Cincinnati and NYC with Alchemation. Erich is also a choreographer with work that includes Big Fish (Village Theatre), Spring Awakening, Wizard of Oz, RENT and Once on this Island (5th Avenue Award Recipient). His original dance show This Moment premiered at CCM during a workshop in Spring 2019. For more, visit erichschleck.com and follow @erichschleck on Instagram.

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Hank von Kolnitz: Originally from Alexandria, Virginia. Regional credit: West Side Story (Big Deal) at The Lex; Little Mermaid (Prince Eric), Jesus Christ Superstar (Pontius Pilate) at the Clinton Area Showboat. West Side Story (Riff), Chicago and The Drowsy Chaperone at Santa Rosa Summer Rep; Mamma Mia, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at Totem Pole Playhouse. CCM credits: Rocky Horror Picture Show (Eddie/Dr. Scott), Hunchback of Notre Dame (Ensemble), Seussical (Ensemble U/S Wickershams), Guys and Dolls (Rusty Charlie) and more. For more, visit hankvonkolnitz.com and follow @hankvonko on Instagram.

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About CCM Musical Theatre

The Musical Theatre program at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is the oldest in the country and was the first of its kind. A four-year bachelor of fine arts (BFA) program, it was used by the National Association of Schools of Theatre in formulating the guidelines for the accreditation of Musical Theatre programs nationwide.

The program provides professional conservatory training designed to help singers, dancers and actors become accomplished musical theatre performers. Students participate in a number of productions while in residence and create a freshman and a senior showcase, the latter functioning as their New York debut for agents and casting directors. In addition, students undertake courses in English, history, psychology, dramatic literature, social and ethical issues and the humanities.

CCM Musical Theatre is widely recognized for its “triple-threat” approach to training and many of its graduates are following careers as performers and creative artists in every facet of the entertainment industry. CCM Musical Theatre graduates are working on Broadway and throughout the nation in such productions as Anastasia, Hamilton, Waitress, Moulin Rouge, The Phantom of the Opera, The Book of Mormon, Pippin, Wicked, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables, Kinky Boots, Big Fish, Newsies and The Lion King. Students represent CCM in national and international touring productions, in dinner theatres and theme parks, on cruise ships, on television, in talent agencies, as producers and in many of the related entertainment fields.

The Musical Theatre program is part of a larger academic division known as TAPAA: Theatre Arts, Production and Arts Administration. At the time of its establishment in 1991, the Patricia A. Corbett Distinguished Chair of Musical Theatre at CCM was the only academic chair of its kind in the United States, the American equivalent of the Chair in Musical Theatre endowed by Cameron Macintosh in honor of Stephen Sondheim at Oxford one year later.

Learn more about CCM’s BFA Musical Theatre program.

Alumnus recruits MLB stars and musicians for virtual rendition of ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’

Warm up for the start of the Major League Baseball season with a special virtual performance of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” that showcases UC College-Conservatory of Music students and alumni with MLB players. The performance is available to watch online.

Alumnus Harrison Sheckler (BM Piano, ’19) brought 200 people together for the performance, which was professionally produced with help from former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo. The performance features singers and musicians from CCM and the Brooklyn College. Filling out the roster for the project are Bret Saberhagen (pitcher in the Royals Hall of Fame and 1985 World Series champion and former Met); Jim Day (FOX Red’s baseball announcer); Susan Roush Dellinger (author of “Red Legs and Black Sox” and granddaughter of Baseball Hall of Famer Edd Roush); Nick Martinez (pitcher for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball and former Ranger’s pitcher); Aristides Aquino (Red’s outfielder); Dale Scott (Former MLB umpire) and many others.

The video features 22 CCM students and alumni representing multiple areas of the college including violin, cello, clarinet, double bass, oboe, flute, piano, harp, horn and more. It also includes CCM Professor of Music (Tuba and Euphonium) Tim Northcut. It was produced by CCM Commercial Music Production alumni Armin Meyer and Grant Bayer, who are audio engineers at Cincinnati’s Zated Records. Many of these students and alumni also participated in Sheckler’s virtual performance of “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” CCM students and alumni involved in the “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” performance include:

• Armin Meyer (BM Commercial Music Production, ’18)
• Grant Bayer (BM Commercial Music Production, ’18)
• Natalie Orth (BM Violin, ’20)
• Jonathan Lin (BM Violoncello, ’18)
• Carolyn Regula – former DMA Violoncello student
• Peter Ryan (MM Violoncello, ’19) – current DMA Violoncello current
• Sarah Minnemanm – current DMA Oboe student
• Patrick Grimone (BM Oboe, ’19)
• Taylor Overholt (BM Clarinet, ’19)
• Collin Goff – current BM Music Education and Clarinet
• David Goist (BM Violin, ’16; MM Violin, ’18)
• Kanako Shimasaki – current DMA Violin student
• Taylor Fleshman (BM Harp, ’18)
• Evan Sacks-Wilner – current BM Tuba student
• Li-han Eliza Tseng (DMA Violoncello, ’19)
• Katie Riley – current BM Flute student
• Ryan Penshorn – former BM Horn student
• Eliza Edge (BM Horn, ’19)
• Phillip Palmore (BM Horn, ’20)
• Taiga Benito – current BM Double Bass student
• Harrison Sheckler (BM Piano, ’19)
• Tim Garner (BM Commercial Music Production, ’19)

The performance has earned media attention from the Cincinnati Enquirer, WGN-TV, Backstage and Spectrum News.

CSO and CCM announce 2020-22 class of Diversity Fellows

UC’s College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) have selected four outstanding musicians for their next class of CSO/CCM Diversity Fellows. Born out of a mutual desire to help American orchestras be more inclusive and to better represent the communities they serve, the performance fellowship program was launched in 2015 with a generous grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Through the collaborative program, CCM and the CSO provide graduate level academic study and professional development and performance opportunities for the Diversity Fellows while simultaneously catalyzing a more inclusive environment for underrepresented musicians in the orchestra field. The program’s tagline — “Bravos Without Barriers” — gets to the heart of its mission: eliminating obstacles that can prevent extraordinary musicians from achieving their full potential.

“The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra exists to serve our community. Our entire community.” said CSO President Jonathan Martin. “But how can we authentically serve our entire community if a significant part of that community doesn’t see themselves reflected in our organization? The CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship is one of many steps we are taking to address this disparity. By providing professional opportunities to a more diverse group of outstanding musicians, we hope to cultivate—and begin changing —the next generation of American orchestral musicians.”

“The University of Cincinnati’s ‘Next Lives Here’ initiative is built on the interdisciplinary pillars of innovation, inclusion and impact, and the CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship program is a perfect example of how those three principles can lead us into a new era,” said CCM Dean Stanley Romanstein. “Our Fellowship is designed to remove the barriers that can prevent talented musicians from pursuing professional carriers in music, but the work to change the face of American orchestras is ongoing. If we’re serious about enhancing racial and ethnic diversity in the arts, orchestras and conservatories have to work together to become more accessible to a diverse population of artists, and we have to do everything possible to help prepare them for long-term success.”

Four exceptional string players will officially join the two-year fellowship program in August 2020, bringing the total number of CSO/CCM Diversity Fellows to nine for the 2020-21 academic year and performance season. The new Fellows are:

• Maalik Glover, violin
• Amy Nickler, double bass
• Max Oppeltz-Carroz, cello
• Javier Otalora, viola

The CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship Program is open to exceptional violin, viola, cello and double bass players coming from historically underrepresented populations in classical music. The program is highly competitive, and each class of Fellows is selected through a rigorous series of auditions. Every year, hundreds of candidates audition for CCM faculty members for admission to the Conservatory. From that pool a select group is then invited back to Cincinnati for Diversity Fellowship auditions with CSO musicians. The program saw its largest finalist group ever during the 2019-20 audition cycle, with 21 applicants invited to the final round of physically distanced auditions on March 14, 2020.

The Diversity Fellows perform the equivalent of five weeks per season with the CSO while enrolled in a two-year Master of Music (MM) or Artist Diploma (AD) graduate degree program at CCM. The program also includes private lessons, mock auditions, professional development and audition travel assistance, career development workshops and mentorship from CSO musicians.

Each Fellow receives full tuition scholarship support from CCM, in addition to a $10,000 per year graduate stipend and a one-time Graduate School Dean’s Excellence Award of $3,000. Each Fellow also receives compensation of $8,000 per season while performing with the CSO.

The program also partners with the Chautauqua Institution which offers Fellows a summer residency with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and professional development opportunities during its nine-week summer season.

Twelve musicians have graduated from the CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship to date. The third class of Diversity Fellows, which is comprised of Camellia Aftahi (double bass), Yan Izquierdo (violin), Arman Nasrinpay (violin) and Alexis Shambley (violin), recently completed the program at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. Alumni have gone on to work with orchestras such as the Dallas, National, and Nashville Symphony Orchestras, as well as continuing as freelance artists and educators across the country.

Meet The Fellows

Maalik Glover

Maalik Glover

Master of Music (MM) student, Violin

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Maalik Glover has studied the violin since the age of 11. Glover’s first significant accomplishment was his acceptance into the Talent Development Program, an initiative launched by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra that targets gifted African-American and Latino music students to further develop their future careers as accomplished classical musicians. This program allowed him to meet and study with his first teacher, Justin Bruns (associate concertmaster of Atlanta Symphony Orchestra), during his adolescence. In 2015, Glover graduated with a Fine Arts Diploma Seal from Martha Ellen Stilwell School of the Arts.

Glover has performed in Italy, Canada and throughout the U.S. He made his first professional orchestra debut in October 2017 when he subbed with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra under the baton of George Del Gobbo. Glover has also spent two summers performing with the Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy in Powell River, British Columbia. While there, he received intense orchestral training from Dennis Kim and Richard Roberts, concertmasters of Pacific Symphony and Montreal Symphony Orchestra, respectively.

In May 2019, Glover graduated summa cum laude from Columbus State University’s Schwob School of Music. During his time here, he studied with Boris Abramov, principal second violinist of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. While attending the Schwob School of Music, Glover received recognition at competitions such as being awarded an honorable mention in the Schwob School of Music Concerto Competition and was a finalist in Lagrange Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition.

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Amy Nickler

Amy Nickler

Artist Diploma (AD) student, Double Bass

Born and raised in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Amy Nickler began playing the violin at age six. Six years later she switched to the double bass and has loved it ever since.

In recent years, Nickler has participated as a fellow in several festivals and orchestras such as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, The Orchestra NOW, Oslo Kammerakademi, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and Miami Music Festival. In July 2016, Nickler was a winner of the Concerto Competition honoring Ida Haendel with the opportunity to perform as a soloist in the New World Center with the Miami Music Festival Orchestra. Aside from performing, Nickler enjoys her time as a teaching artist for the Nat King Cole Generation Hope, Inc. and the Volta Music Foundation in Havana, Cuba.

Nickler received her Bachelor of Music at Lynn Conservatory in 2017 with Professor Timothy Cobb and she received her Master of Music at Yale School of Music with Professor Donald Palma in 2019.

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Maximiliano Oppeltz-Carroz

Maximiliano Oppeltz-Carroz

Artist Diploma (AD) student, Cello

Max Oppeltz-Carroz started playing the cello at the age of four as a student of El Sistema in Caracas, Venezuela. As a part of the world-renowned music program, Oppeltz-Carroz played in the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, the Chacao Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Caracas Municipal Orchestra. He studied with Cesar Noguera, Marek Gajzler and German Marcano. He also participated in numerous master classes with cellists such as Natalia Gutman and Phillip Muller.

In 2014, Oppeltz-Carroz moved to the U.S. to study at the Juilliard School with Professor Richard Aaron. As an undergraduate student, Oppeltz-Carroz participated in several lessons and master classes with cellist Franz Helmerson and studied chamber music with musicians such as Roger Tapping, Sam Rhoades, Sylvia Rosenberg and Jerome Lowenthal. In 2016, Oppeltz-Carroz was fortunate to attend the Music Academy of the West, the highlights of which were taking lessons with Lynn Harrel and performing alongside faculty Warren Jones and Kathleen Winkler.

In 2018, Oppeltz-Carroz moved to Denver to study at the Lamont School of Music as a Newman Graduate Fellow under Matthew Zalkind. While in Denver, he was fortunate to perform alongside faculty both at the University of Denver Lamont School of Music and at the Denver Chamber Music Festival.

Oppeltz-Carroz is extremely grateful to be playing on a 1880 French cello from the Caussin School, generously loaned by the Virtu Foundation.

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Javier Otalora

Javier Otalora

Artist Diploma (AD) student, Viola

Javier Otalora was born and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, and began playing violin at age six. In 2018, he graduated from Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he studied violin with Gregory Fulkerson and Sibbi Bernhardsson and viola with Kirsten Docter and Peter Slowik. Otalora is also a recent graduate of the University of Michigan where he received his Master of Music in viola performance with Caroline Coade on a full scholarship.

Otalora was an Orchestral Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival in 2019 and has attended summer festivals such as the Meadowmount School, the Red Rocks Chamber Festival, the Dali Chamber Festival and Spoleto Festival USA. Otalora is a passionate orchestra, chamber and contemporary music player. He has performed with musicians and groups such as the Lansing Symphony, the Aspen Conducting Orchestra, the Spoleto Festival Orchestra, members of the International Contemporary Ensemble, the University of Michigan’s Contemporary Directions Ensemble and Sibbi Bernhardsson from the Pacifica Quartet.

Otalora is also involved in music education, having taught violin and viola in Panama for two consecutive years through Oberlin’s “Panama Project.” In addition, he has taught violin, viola and chamber music at the Oberlin Community Music School and was also a strings teacher at Mitchell Elementary School in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In 2017, Otalora received the Martin L. King Career Grant which allowed him to return to Panama that summer and run his own chamber camp at the University of Panama. In his free time, Otalora  enjoys eating pizza with friends, reading about airplanes, and fixing computers and printers.

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About the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

With a rich tradition that dates back 125 years, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is considered one of America’s finest and most versatile ensembles. Led by Louis Langrée, the Orchestra’s distinguished roster of past music directors includes Frank van der Stucken, Leopold Stokowski, Eugene Ysaÿe, Fritz Reiner, Eugene Goossens, Max Rudolf, Thomas Schippers, Michael Gielen, Jesús López Cobos, and Paavo Järvi. Matthias Pintscher will be the Orchestra’s Creative Partner beginning with the 2020-21 season, and past Creative Directors include Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Lang Lanag, Philip Glass, Branford Marsalis and Jennifer Higdon. The Orchestra also performs as the Cincinnati Pops, founded by Erich Kunzel in 1977. John Morris Russell has led the Pops since 2010 and Damon Gupton is Principal Guest Conductor.

Since its beginnings, the CSO been a proponent of the music of its time, performing the American premieres of works by important composers including Claude Debussy, Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Maurice Ravel and Béla Bartók, and commissioning many works that have since become mainstays of the classical repertoire, including two iconic works by Aaron Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man and Lincoln Portrait. The Orchestra continues to commission works, amplifying new voices from a diverse array of backgrounds.

With groundbreaking initiatives including CSO Proof, CSO Look Around, LUMENOCITY and the MusicNOW Festival collaboration, the Orchestra champions innovation. As an ambassador for Cincinnati, the region, and for the U.S., the CSO has toured extensively, most recently to Asia and Europe in 2017. The CSO was the first American orchestra to be featured on a national radio broadcast and continues to reach millions of listeners across the country and around the world through the airwaves, digital streaming and commercial recordings on the CSO’s own Fanfare Cincinnati label.

The Orchestra also performs, records and tours as the Cincinnati Pops and elevates Cincinnati’s vibrant arts scene by serving as the official orchestra for the Cincinnati May Festival, Cincinnati Opera and Cincinnati Ballet.

Committed to inclusion and relevance and to enhancing and expanding music education for the children of Greater Cincinnati, the Orchestra 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. The groundbreaking CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship, a nationally recognized program in partnership with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, provides  Masters degree-level education and professional development and performance opportunities for extraordinary young musicians from  historically underrepresented populations in classical music.

About CCM

Nationally ranked and internationally renowned, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is a preeminent institution for the performing and media arts. The school’s educational roots date back to 1867, and a solid, visionary instruction has been at its core since that time.

CCM offers nine degree types (BA, BM, BFA, MFA, MM, MA, AD, DMA, PhD) in nearly 120 possible majors. 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 stage.

CCM works to bring out the best in its students, faculty and staff by valuing their unique backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. CCM’s student population hails from 43 different US states and 32 different countries. The school’s roster of eminent faculty members regularly receives distinguished honors for creative and scholarly work, and its alumni have achieved notable success.

For more information about CCM, please visit us online at ccm.uc.edu.

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Featured image at top: CCM graduate students Jordan Curry and Magdiell Antequera perform with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as CSO/CCM Diversity Fellows. Photo/Mark Lyons.

Stream the Ariel Quartet’s Final CCM Concert of 2019

Although the theaters and concert halls at the University of Cincinnati’s nationally ranked and internationally renowned College-Conservatory of Music are temporarily silent, audiences can still experience world-class performances through CCM’s new CCMONSTAGE Online video series. This week’s release showcases the Ariel Quartet’s concert of fugues from Oct. 22, 2019.

The performance features W.A. Mozart’s Adagio and Fugue in C minor, K. 546; Bartok’s String Quartet No. 1, Op.7; and Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Op. 130 and 133.

The concert from Oct. 22, 2019, features Beethoven’s Große Fuge (or “Great Fugue”), which the Ariel Quartet performed in its debut Beethoven cycle at CCM in the 2013-14 performance season. Arts reporter Janelle Gelfand praised the ensemble’s performance: “From start to finish, the musicians wonderfully captured Beethoven’s emotional grit and fire, coupled with some of the most sublime music ever written.”

Described by the American Record Guide as “a consummate ensemble gifted with utter musicality and remarkable interpretive power,” the Ariel Quartet has earned a glowing international reputation. The ensemble is comprised of Alexandra “Sasha” Kazovsky, violin; Amit Even-Tov, cello; Gershon Gerchikov, violin; and Jan Grüning, viola. The group was formed in Israel in 1998 and has served as CCM’s string quartet-in-residence since 2012.

The Ariel Quartet’s 2019-20 CCM concert series was made possible by the generous contributions of an anonymous donor, The Estate of Mr. William A. Friedlander, Mrs. William A. Friedlander, Dr. Randolph L. Wadsworth, Mr. & Mrs. J. David Rosenberg, Mr. & Mrs. Harry H. Santen, Elizabeth C. B. & Paul G. Sittenfeld, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Stegman, Dr. & Mrs. Theodore W. Striker and Mrs. Harry M. Hoffheimer.

Receive updates on future CCMONSTAGE Online performances by subscribing to our mailing list.

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Featured image at top: Ariel Quartet members Jan Grüning, Amit Even-Tov, Gershon Gerchikov and Alexandra “Sasha” Kazovsky. Photo/Marco Borggreve