CCM’s Amy Dennison Receives 2013 National Guild Milestone Certificate of Appreciation

Jonathan Herman, Executive Director of the National Guild, with CCM Assistant Dean Amy Dennison.

We are delighted to report that Amy Dennison, Assistant Dean and Director of CCM’s Preparatory Department, has received the 2013 Milestone Certificate of Appreciation from the National Guild for Community Arts Education for her long-standing, exceptional service to the field! Dennison is one of seven community arts education leaders to receive this honor.

The goal of the Milestone program—now in its second year— is to recognize executive directors or divisional directors at Guild member organizations who have demonstrated a commitment to supporting and advancing community arts education for more than 20 years. Certificates were presented at the Guild’s Annual Meeting at the Conference for Community Arts Education in Chicago last Friday, Nov. 1.

“The National Guild is thrilled to recognize these exceptional leaders for their vision and dedication to community arts education,” said Jonathan Herman, executive director of the National Guild. “Through their decades-long work with communities and their service to the field, this year’s Milestone recipients have each made a powerful contribution to increasing access to arts education for all.”

CCM’s Preparatory Department Launches ‘New Horizons Orchestra’ Program for Adults

The Preparatory Department of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM Prep) is delighted to announce the launch of the New Horizons Orchestra, an innovative program for beginning musicians over the age of 50 who want to learn to play a musical instrument. No previous musical experience is required, and it truly is “never too late” to learn!

CCM Prep will host a series of informational “play days” in November, giving prospective new students the chance to learn more about the New Horizons Orchestra and to try out various string instruments under the guidance of CCM educators and other local string professionals. Instrument purchase and rental information will also be available at each meeting. Those who would like to know more, but are unable to attend one of the informational meetings, may contact CCM Prep at 513-556-2595.

Information “Play Day” Sessions

• 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at UC Blue Ash (OLLI Brown Bag Lunch Class)
• 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Sycamore Senior Center
• 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, at the Mayerson JCC
• 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, at St. James Episcopal Church in Westwood

Starting Jan. 15, 2014, CCM Prep will hold its first New Horizons Orchestra lessons and rehearsal. Lessons and rehearsals will be held on Wednesday mornings from 9-11 a.m. on the fourth floor of the Tangeman University Center (TUC), which is located next to CCM with easy access from the CCM garage. The cost of the program will be $125, not including instrument rental. BettyAnne Gottlieb, Assistant Professor of Music Education (Strings) at CCM, will serve as the New Horizons Orchestra’s conductor assisted by area string teachers and CCM music students. Complete information including cost and registration information is available at ccm.uc.edu/prep.

CCM Student Thanapol Setabrahmana Achieves Second Place in National ‘American Prize’ Competition

CCM graduate student Thanapol Setabrahmana.

We are delighted to report that DMA candidate Thanapol Setabrahmana has achieved second place nationally in the band/wind ensemble division of The American Prize‘s 2013 Conducting Competition!

Setabrahmana was selected from applications reviewed this summer from all across the United States. One competition judge commented, “this is a first class musician. Good control over his scores and very solid technique.” Setabrahmana can next been seen at CCM conducting Morton Gould’s “West Point Symphony” as part of the CCM Wind Orchestra’s Sept. 27 concert.

The American Prize is a series of new non-profit competitions unique in scope and structure, designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, ensembles and composers in the United States based on submitted recordings. The American Prize was founded in 2009 and is awarded annually in many areas of the performing arts.

For a list of additional conducting and ensembles winners for 2013, please visit theamericanprize.blogspot.com.

CCM Announces Fall 2013 Calendar of Major Events

Download a copy of CCM’s Fall 2013 Calendar Booklet today!

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is delighted to announce its fall schedule of major events. The largest single source of performing arts events in the state of Ohio, CCM presents more than 120 major public performances from Sept. 4 through Dec. 14, ranging from faculty and guest artist concerts to fully supported opera, musical theatre, drama and dance productions.

View a digital copy of CCM’s Fall 2013 Calendar Booklet today by visiting on.uc.edu/CCMFall2013. Refer to the listings below for more details.

Event Information
All events listed here will take place in CCM Village on the University of Cincinnati campus unless otherwise indicated. Admission is free to many CCM performances, although some events do require purchased tickets or reservations. Please see individual event information for details and ordering information.

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 Prep Offers ‘Drop In’ Classes for Adults This Summer

Experience a casual evening of the arts on Thursday nights this summer, as the Preparatory Department of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM Prep) presents “drop in” classes for adults! No experience is necessary, just a willingness to have fun and explore the performing arts.

CCM Prep’s summer “drop in” classes run 7 – 8:30 p.m. every Thursday from June 13 through August 1 (with the exception of Thursday, July 4), 2013. Admission to each class is $10 at the door. $50 punch cards are also available, offering six classes for the price of five!

Refer to the schedule below for more details on each class. Call CCM Prep at 513-556-2595 to reserve a space or just drop in! Preregistration required for the class on July 25.

CCM Prep’s Spring Event Series Showcases Young Artists

CCM’s Preparatory Department will present a number of end-of-season performances between April 24 and May 19. Tickets for these events are available now (and admission to several of these events is FREE).

Date, time, venue and admission information is below.

CCM Prep Presents Disney’s ‘Little Mermaid, Jr.’ April 26-27

The Preparatory Department of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM Prep) proudly presents Disney’s Little Mermaid Jr. at 8 p.m. on both Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27, in UC’s Patricia Corbett Theater. Karie-Lee Sutherland directs, with musical direction by Rebecca Childs and choreography by Elaine Eckstein.

CCM Winds, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Guitar And More On Display This Weekend!

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You will find something for everyone on the CCM stage this weekend!

At 8 p.m. this evening (Friday, April 12), the CCM Wind Orchestra closes out its successful 2012-13 season with a survey of contemporary American composers. The eclectic program will include works by Samuel Barber, Warren Benson and more! Learn more about this performance here.

CCM welcomes acclaimed tenor Lawrence Brownlee to the stage at 8 p.m. this Saturday, April 13, for an encore performance of the program from his recent Carnegie Hall debut. Brownlee will be accompanied by composer, conductor and pianist Damien Sneed for this special performance. Learn more about this performance here.

CCM’s Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Lab Band will celebrate the impact of adjunct instructor of jazz drums and “living guru of big band drumming” John Von Ohlen with a swinging tribute concert at 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 14. Learn more about this performance here.

CCM’s Department of Classical Guitar Celebrates 40 Years with Free Anniversary Concert on April 6

CCM Classical Guitar Ensemble members (left to right) Kirk Redman, Evan Fiehrer, Donald Broerman and Andrew Otte.

CCM presents a special 40th Anniversary Concert of classical guitar music performed by students and alumni from the Department of Classical Guitar at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 6 in Patricia Corbett Theater. This performance is FREE and open to the public, and a gala reception will follow in the Baur Room in UC’s Corbett Center for the Performing Arts.

The performance is the centerpiece of a celebratory weekend during which students, alumni and supporters of the Classical Guitar Department will gather at CCM to celebrate the department’s 40th year. The concert will showcase CCM talent at all levels, featuring the CCM Classical Guitar Ensemble, three young guitarists from the Preparatory Department and several alumni duos and trios.

CCM Announces Partnership with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and World Piano Competition

2012 World Piano Competition Gold Medal Winner Alexander Yakovlev.

Cincinnati’s World Piano Competition, an annual classical piano competition featuring top performers from across the globe since 1956, is undergoing 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 University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO). Beginning with the July 2013 competition, finalists in the Artist Division will have the distinct honor of performing with the world-renowned CSO, made up of some of the world’s finest musicians and an ensemble that regularly collaborates with classical music’s premier performing artists. The performances featuring the finalists  will be led by CSO Associate Conductor Robert Treviño. The event will also move to CCM, one of the nation’s top performing and media arts conservatories, where the acclaimed faculty will oversee upgrades to the competition’s jury system.

Learn more about this exciting new partnership in today’s issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer.