CCM OVATION - Fall 2009

Rocco Dal Vera

CCM JOINS STEINWAY & SONS IN HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP By Katie Allen In November 2008, CCM made history by entering into an agreement with esteemed New York-based piano manufacturer Steinway & Sons to purchase 165 new pianos, the largest unit purchase of instruments in Steinway’s 156 years of operation. The acquisition has earned CCM the designation of “All Steinway School,” a distinction shared by the world’s top conservatories. What’s more, CCM is now in possession of one of the largest collections of Steinway pianos outside the company’s Long Island, N.Y. factory. CCM piano faculty were given the opportunity to travel to New York and Germany to select a wide range of instruments — from uprights to 9-foot concert grands — to revitalize the conservatory’s current inventory. The new instruments have replaced older pianos throughout the school, having been moved into concert halls, practice rooms and teaching studios. The $4.1 million cost of the pianos has been financed SHOWCASE/PIANOPALOOZA SPONSORS through a combination of income from multiple endowment The Otto M. Budig Family Trish & Rick Bryan funds. Cincinnati-based Premier Pianos handled the delivery Foundation Dianne & Tom Klinedinst of the new instruments, which arrived in multiple shipments Dianne & J. David Rosenberg Roz Harkavy between November 2008 and June 2009. Keating, Muething Kim & Gary Heiman “We are extraordinarily excited to have become an All & Klekamp, P.L.L. Family Foundation Steinway School,” says Dean Douglas Knehans. “This is both a Macy’s Katz, Teller, Brant & Hild The Netherland Rubber Co. mark of distinction, a high achievement and a profound signal Arlene & Bill Katz National City Bank of CCM’s commitment to quality, its students, faculty and Elizabeth Turnbull Anita & Hank Schneider community. With this purchase, CCM’s world class facilities Sprouts Robin & Murray Sinclaire will now be matched with the world’s finest pianos throughout WGUC/WVXU its performance, teaching and study spaces.” STUDENT FOCUSED. By Kit Anderson, Director of Development for CCM It is easy to forget that CCM is an educational institution. “When people see the professional quality of our performances with full staging and tech support, they get so caught up in the productions they come to think of us a presenting organization. But we are first and foremost an educational organization and we never forget that our reason for being is the student, not the production”, says CCM Dean Douglas Knehans. Ten talented undergraduates make up our first class of CCM Scholars, our college ambassadors for 2009-2010. Meet Keenan Larsen, one of the 54% of CCM undergraduate students who receive scholarship assistance. With declining state support, increasing special costs associated with a CCM education, (instruments, travel, individual coaching, etc.) the college must build a hefty “war chest” of scholarship funds to attract and keep the very best students. Larsen is currently in his second year at CCM, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in clarinet performance under the instruction of Richie Hawley. A graduate of the Youth Performing Arts School in Louisville, Ky., Mr. Larsen has participated in many local and national music programs, competitions and festivals. “To me, a CCM scholarship signifies a commitment to the support and welfare of the arts. It is this kind of encouragement and generosity that inspires me, as a recipient, to commit myself to the pursuit of excellence in my craft,” says Larsen. Perhaps you received scholarship support as a student here at CCM or know someone who did — make the decision today to make a gift to the CCM Annual Fund to help current and future students. A great college is created by the quality of its faculty and students; you can have a direct and immediate impact on CCM’s continued excellence by making your gift today.

Jiang Qi

bruce mcclung

Sandra Rivers

FACULTY FANFARES CCM Faculty earns OVATION. Below is a spotlight on how and why we celebrate them. Learn more about our esteemed faculty at www.ccm.uc.edu/faculty/index.aspx Associate Professor of Percussion Russell Burge received praise from the Cincinnati Enquirer for his “beautifully played” marimba during Cincinnati Opera’s regional premiere production of Daniel Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas in July 2008. Professor of Drama Rocco Dal Vera received UC’s George Barbour Award for Promoting Good FacultyStudent Relations at the all-university Faculty Awards ceremony in May 2008. Professor of Horn, Randy Gardner was a featured artist at the 40th Annual Symposium of the International Horn Society where he was joined by fellow CCM faculty member Mark Ostoich (oboe) and CCM Alumna Tomoko Kanamaru (piano) in performing the world premiere of Good to Go, a composition by former CCM dean Douglas Lowry created especially for the event. Associate Professor of Dance Jiang Qi received a bronze medal for choreography in China’s National Ballet Competition in fall 2008 honoring his work Space, which he created for the Shanghai Dance Academy. Oxford Community Press has announced a forthcoming paperback edition of the prize-winning book Lady in the Dark, Biography of a Musical written by bruce mcclung. mcclung was honored by the University of Cincinnati with the 2008-2009 Award for Excellence in Mentoring of Doctoral Students and membership to the Academy of Fellows for Teaching and Learning. Professor of Collaborative Piano Sandra Rivers performed a recital with violinist Gareth Johnson at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center as part of the Urban Music League Conference. Rivers performed recitals with CCM alumna DeAnn Letournea, concertmaster of the Las Vega Philharmonic. Rivers and fellow CCM faculty member Michael Chertock were soloists with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals for the Lollipop Series. Associate Professor of Voice Kenneth Shaw was selected by the CCM Tribunal to receive the 2008 Ernest N. Glover Outstanding Teacher Award, presented at CCM’s Graduation Convocation in June 2008. Professor and Director of Jazz Studies Rick VanMatre is serving as Jazz Coordinator and executive board member of the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA). Previously, he was the coordinator for the 2008 NASA Jazz Competition. Recent performances include as jazz soloist with the Gregg August Quartet, the Amy London Quintet, the Roland Vazquez Ensemble, the Xavier University Master of Swing Series, the PsychoAcoustic Orchestra and as featured jazz saxophonist with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra including its recent Telarc recording Vintage Cinema.

2009 FACULTY AWARDS The annual Faculty Awards Celebration recognized the accomplishments of 14 faculty members from all across the university. The CCM faulty honored for excellence are: Terence G. Milligan, DMA, Professor, Music, CCM George Barbour Award for Good Faculty-Student Relations Miguel A. Roig-Francolí, PhD, Professor, Music Theory, CCM George Rieveschl Jr. Award for Creative and/or Scholarly Works Kurt Sassmannshaus, MM, Professor & Starling Chair, Violin, Performance Studies, CCM UC|21 President’s Excellence Award Suzette Boyer Webb, Lecturer, Dance & Music Preparatory, CCM Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award Learn more about our faculty award winners at www.uc.edu/News/NR.aspx?id=10212

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1980s Kathy Panoff (’80 MA Music Education/Conducting) will become Director and Associate Dean of The University of Texas at Austin Performing Arts Center, effective Aug. 1. Douglas Stewart (’82 BA, ’84 MA Theater Arts) teaches technical theater classes at Central Florida Community College, Ocala, Fla., where he recently designed both sets and costumes for CFCC’s mainstage production of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. Kevin McCollum (’84 BFA Musical Theater) served as producer of the Broadway revival of West Side Story, which was nominated for a 2009 Tony Award and 2009 Outer Critics Circle Award for “Best Revival of a Musical.” Susan Boardman (’87 DMA Voice) retired after 15 years as head of the opera theater program at the Pennsylvania State University School of Music. In addition to her full-time position as professor of voice, she ran the university’s Opera Theater. Henry Orazi (’87 BM Piano) is a staff accompanist and keyboard harmony instructor at the University of Akron.

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1970s Jeffrey Gamblee (’75 BFA Broadcasting) was ordained to the Unitarian Universalist Ministry by the Community Unitarian Church at White Plains, N.Y. in January 2009. Prior to ministry, he spent 25 years in commercial and corporate television, including the Cincinnati stations WCPO and WLWT. Gamblee lives in Staten Island, N.Y. with his wife, Patricia Wallendjack (’75 MA History). Todd Wilson (’76 BM, ’78 MM Organ) joined the faculty of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University as a professor of organ. Wilson has won the Grand Prix de Chartres (France) and the Ft. Wayne Competition. An active member of the American Guild of Organists, Wilson holds the Fellow and Choirmaster certificates and was a featured performer for the Centennial National Convention of the Guild in 1996. Richard Crosby (’79 BM Music Education; ’81 MM, ’91 DMA Piano) is professor of music at Eastern Kentucky University where he teaches piano and music history. Several of his compositions have been published, including the Sonata for Trombone and Piano Op. 1, “Appalachian Variations” Op. 2 for band, “By The Waters of Memory” Op. 8 for solo piano, and a recent work for band and chorus, “A Walt Whitman Portrait,” which was performed this year at the Kentucky Music Educators Association convention. He is in his third three-year term as national president of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and is a trustee with the Sinfonia Educational Foundation. Helene Schneiderman (’79 MM Voice, ’81 AD Opera) has been singing in the United States and Europe (Stuttgart, London and Paris) and will be debuting at La Scala (Milan, Italy) in 2011. Since October 2007 she has been professor of voice at the Salzburger Mozarteum.

1990s Anthony Costa (’90 BM Clarinet/Music Education) joined the faculty at Pennsylvania State University as assistant professor of clarinet. Costa is also a new member of the Pennsylvania Woodwind Quintet, and he is bass clarinetist/ clarinetist with the Prestige Clarinet Quartet, composed entirely of CCM alumni. He is married to Robyn (Dixon) Costa (’92 BM Oboe). Jeffrey Gress (’91 MFA Theater Design and Production) is the faculty designer at Capital University (Columbus, Ohio), where he handles lighting, set and technical design. Gress was selected for a visiting scholar program at Harvard University. He is currently conducting research for a paper on the use of horror imagery and metaphor in the rock and roll industry. Gress is a youth lacrosse and soccer coach, and lives with his wife, Beth, and two sons in Granville, Ohio. Timothy Schwarz (’91 BM Violin) has just recently produced a CD on the Centaur Record label featuring works of Bartók, De Falla and Bach. Cooper Thornton (’92 BFA Drama) recently guest starred on the NBC television series, My Name Is Earl. John Burgess (’93 MM Trumpet) was a featured soloist with the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Orchestra at the Quadrennial UMC Global Conference held in Fort Worth, Texas. Richard Oberacker (’93 BFA Drama) saw his new song cycle about parenting, Don’t Make Me Pull This Show Over, co-written with Robert Taylor and directed by Richard E. Hess, performed during the 2008 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. It was named Audience Pick-of-the-Fringe and was shortly thereafter announced as the closing title of the 2008–09 season for Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. Oberacker’s musical Ace appeared at the Signature Theatre, Washington, D.C. during fall 2008. Kristin (Orr) Henderson (’94 BFA Drama) joined Cincinnati’s Seven Hills Middle School as drama teacher and director. She also appeared during the 2008 Cincinnati Fringe Festival in The True Body: A Radical Truth. Damian Baldet (’95 BFA Drama) has signed with Don Buchwald and Associates in New York City. He is working on a solo show called Pugilist, which he presented at the Barrow Street Theatre, NYC as part of their Fortnight Festival. He also is working on a two-man piece with Trey Lyford, whose multiple award-winning work has been performed in New York, Los Angeles, San Diego and across Europe. Annie Randall (’95 PhD Musicology) saw her book, Dusty! Queen of the Postmods, published in October 2008 by Oxford University Press. She received a Distinguished Alumna award from DePaul University School of Music in recognition of her contributions to the field of musicology through her three books, several articles, and her service as editor of Wesleyan University Press’s Music/Culture series. John Siler (’97 BM Organ/Composition) recently signed publishing contracts with Neil Kjos Publishers for his four sacred anthems. William McConnell (’98 DMA Choral Conducting) has been named associate dean for adult and extended programs at St. Andrews Presbyterian College, Laurinburg, N.C. John Graham (’99 BFA Drama) completed his first year as an assistant professor of voice and movement at Utah Valley State College, Orem, Utah. Ashley Sandor Sidon (’99 BM, ’01 MM, ’04 DMA Cello) is a professor of cello at Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa. She recently released her debut CD on the MSR Classics label.

2000s Dominic Bogart (’00 BFA Drama) continues as Norm Waxman in the hit production of Jersey Boys at the LaSalle Bank Theatre, Chicago. Michael Blum (’01 BFA Electronic Media) has been awarded the Blue Chip Access Award for his feature on Peter Frampton’s performance of Peter and the Wolf at the William E. Durr Branch of the Kenton County Public Library, Independence, Ky. He is chairman of the Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky’s Advisory Committee, and he is a public relations/ development associate and phone services coordinator for the Kenton County Library. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife, Jennifer, and daughter, McKenzie. Timothy Semon (’01 BFA Theater Design and Production) was recently stage manager for the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line. In summer 2008 he was stage manager for 9 to 5, the new musical based on the feature film. Annie Hendy (’02 BFA Drama) finished a run of her hit play, The Catholic Girl’s Guide to Losing Your Virginity, at the Pico Playhouse, Los Angeles. She also completed the screenplay for a film version of the show. Tory Ross (’02 BFA Musical Theater) joined the cast of the new musical 9 to 5 in Los Angeles, following a run of the musical Cry Baby on Broadway. Sara Hillner (’03 BFA Electronic Media) recently wrapped work editing ABC Television’s The Mole. She has joined Intuitive Entertainment, where she is working on pilot television projects. Jackie Vanderbeck (’03 BFA Musical Theater) completed a Japanese tour singing Belle from Beauty and the Beast in a Disney On Classic concert tour with the Tokyo Philharmonic. During spring 2008 she played Roxane in Cyrano De Bergerac at the Sacramento Theatre Company, Calif. Vanderbeck is founder and executive director of Sing For Your Seniors, Inc., a nonprofit organization that brings performers into senior living centers in New York City. Ashley Brown (’04 BFA Musical Theater) recreates the title role in Disney’s Mary Poppins in Chicago and Los Angeles. Eric Santagata (’04 BFA Musical Theater) appeared as Riff in the Alabama Shakespeare Festival revival of West Side Story during summer 2008, following a run of Dancing in the Dark at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. Chris Belluscio (’05 BM Trumpet) is pursuing a doctorate at Boston University. Danny Percefull (’05 BFA Musical Theater) joined the national tour of A Chorus Line as a pit orchestra musician playing keyboards. Brandon VanWaeyenberghe (’05 MA Arts Administration) joined the Houston Symphony as director of corporate relations. Norman Goecke (’06 MM Jazz Studies) is currently a graduate associate at The Ohio State University where he is pursuing a PhD in ethnomusicology with a minor in AfricanAmerican and African studies. He is also co-leader and cofounder of the Breathairean Ensemble, a Cincinnati-based jazz organization whose mission is to promote health awareness to the community. Caitlyn Lynch (’06 MM Voice) won a Sara Tucker Career Grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation. Morgan Rosse (’06 BFA Drama) played Ophelia and Guildenstern in Hamlet for an educational tour for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, N.Y. Travis Hagenbuch (’07 BFA Theater Design and Production) was selected to be the Associate Lighting Director for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Travis will be the ALD on the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as the Lighting Director for the nightly Victory Ceremonies, during which the medals are awarded.

The Dance Department gratefully acknowledges the support of The Corbett Endowment at CCM.

1960s Robert Engle (’67 BS Music Education) conducted the U.S. national Samoan mass choir at the World Conference of Samoan Assembly of God Churches in Apia, Samoa. The chorus sang two of Engle’s compositions in the Samoan language.

John Warren (’89 MM Choral Conducting) is the director of choral activities at Syracuse University, New York.

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ALUMNI APPLAUSE CCM OVATION will regularly offer alumni news and profiles and allow you to make connections with fellow alums wherever they may be. We want to celebrate your work and success. Please submit up to 40 words about recent announcements and accolades. 1950s William Holroyd (’50 BM, ’51 MM Piano) had two compositions, Chocolate Leaves (voice/piano) and Interlude (sextet), received with acclaim at The Mansion at Strathmore, Bethesda, Md., in spring 2008. He also performed three piano recitals in Charlottesville, Va., during the last year, including works by Scarlatti, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt and Ravel. Alvin Marcus (’57 BM Composition) retired from public music education and established the Marcus Music Studio in California.

Rick VanMatre

CCM OVATION 2009–2010 FALL QUARTERLY NEWS AND EVENTS BULLETIN

DEAR FRIENDS: Welcome to CCM OVATION, a new quarterly publication with news about the people and programs at CCM. It replaces Communiqué and the Quarterly Calendar of Events. This new design reflects a way to streamline our expenses and increase our efficiencies as well as our desire for open and lively exchanges. To stay in touch with subscribers, alumni, patrons, donors, students, families and all the friends of CCM, we are incorporating more social media and technology into our means of communicating. You will find a bold box of all these addresses in this issue. We are all justifiably proud to know that CCM continues to be ranked among the finest conservatories in the country. We are committed to retaining our position in the top tier by recruiting and retaining the very best students and faculty from around the world. Scholarships are critical to our efforts. In this issue you will meet one of our CCM Scholars and be reminded that your contributions to CCM scholarships are so very appreciated. When you visit CCM Village to attend a performance, see faculty or visit with current students, I hope that you will stop by to say hello. I welcome you and encourage your participation to keep CCM the strong and well-respected college you know and love. You are our greatest advocates. We appreciate and applaud your support. We give you OVATION. With every good wish,

Douglas Knehans, Dean

CCM USHERS IN A NEW ERA WITH CURTAIN RISING With champagne and song, CCM welcomed Dean Douglas Knehans at Curtain Rising held in October 2008. Hosted by the Friends of CCM, over 500 CCM supporters, members of the Greater Cincinnati arts community and CCM students joined in the festivities, which began in the Dieterle Vocal Arts Center with cocktails, dinner and entertainment by CCM faculty. Guests moved to Corbett Auditorium for a rousing concert by the CCM Philharmonia Orchestra, an event that also marked the kickoff of CCM’s 2008 Tchaikovsky Festival. The evening concluded with a thrilling rendition of the 1812 Overture, punctuated by booming canons and confetti and marking a triumphant start to the 2008-2009 year.

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JOIN THE FRIENDS OF CCM Excellence and achievement in music, opera, musical theatre, drama, dance and media have made CCM one of the nation’s top-ranked schools. The Friends of CCM support the talented students and faculty and make possible a wide variety of opportunities including scholarships, travel, development grants, special projects and more. The Friends of CCM enjoy terrific special events, one-of-a-kind master classes and behind-the-scenes opportunities all year long. Join today to help CCM’s talented students achieve their dreams. Call the Friends of CCM hotline for more information at 513-556-5000.

20 years ago, CCM Musical Theatre performed the American Tribal Love/Rock Musical Hair. As part of their 40th Anniversary, CCM Musical Theatre will restage Hair with a special opening night celebration November 14, an extended performance run and a roster of related special events. Cover photo by Sandy Underwood, CCM, 1989

NOTEWORTHY BENCHMARKS You’ve applauded, cheered, sang, danced, cried, and laughed in Corbett Auditorium, Patricia Corbett Theater, Wilson Auditorium, Showboat Majestic and the Cohen Family Studio Theater on cold winter days and Hot Summer Nights as you followed the CCM Drama and Musical Theatre Departments. Both celebrate noteworthy benchmarks.

IN 2009, CCM CELEBRATES THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS MUSICAL THEATRE PROGRAM CCM’s Musical Theatre program is the oldest in the country. It served as the model for the National Association of Schools of Music and the National Association of Schools of Theatre for the accreditation of musical theatre programs in the U.S. “Working with our talented musical theatre majors is so rewarding,” says Aubrey Berg, now in his 23rd year heading the program. “About 800 high-school hopefuls audition each year, and the ones who make it are the crème de la crème of young performing talent. From coast to coast, they come to study at CCM and make the school a vibrant and challenging educational environment. They are true ‘triple threats’ — singing, dancing and acting up a storm — and it’s thrilling to see them performing on Broadway once they have graduated.” “Perhaps my most vivid recollection concerning musical theatre,” reminisces Terrell Finney, “has to do with driving a UC van, off-road, through the bumpy countryside of Kentucky, in search of a cave.” Finney started as a part-time teacher; 26 years later, he heads of the entire division of OMDA — opera, musical theatre, drama, arts administration, and theater design and production. His cast was doing research with an expert spelunker for a musical production of Floyd Collins, a pioneer caver who, while seeking a new entrance to a system of underground caves, became trapped in a narrow crawlway. Finney continues, “We found the cave and down we went. It was a frightening, exhilarating experience, and I would prefer to wait another 40 years before doing it again!” CCM has graduated many students who have made a name for themselves as performers, stage directors, musical directors, choreographers and producers. The first graduate of the program, Pamela Myers, was nominated for a Tony Award for her first Broadway musical, Company, and since then CCM-trained performers have earned many Tony nominations and awards: Faith Prince for Guys and Dolls, Michele Pawk for Hollywood Arms, composer Stephen Flaherty for Ragtime, Kevin McCollum as producer of the musicals In the Heights, Avenue Q and Rent, and in 2009 Karen Olivo for West Side Story. A selection of retrospective photos representing productions from the past four decades is available at www.ccm.uc.edu/musical_theatre/forty.htm.

CCM CELEBRATED THE DRAMA DEPARTMENT’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2008 Faculty members Diane Kvapil, Michael Burnham and Terrell Finney have been around since 1983 when UC shifted theatre from an academic major in liberal arts to a professional training program at CCM. For a quarter-century CCM’s drama department has coalesced around a concerted focus on students by these and other faculty members who create a dynamic, successful program. The contributions of faculty have evolved into a unique training program for theatre students from across the country, augmented by residencies featuring notable playwrights, directors and actors. Drama majors are recruited via auditions held in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Louisville and Las Vegas, building an annual ensemble of 50 performers. At least once during their four years at UC, drama students are The Trojan Women (1993), required to find work with one of Cincinnati’s professional or semi-professional featuring k. Jenny Jones theatre companies. Landing off-campus performance opportunities is one way the and Kristin (Orr) Henderson. program prepares aspiring performers to get hired after graduation. “We’re not just taking their tuition and giving them a nice hobby,” explains Richard Hess, chair of the drama department. “We’re training professionals.” Graduating seniors participate in annual showcases in New York City and in Los Angeles, where many CCM grads work in film and television. Finney says, “We create actors who are emotionally resilient, willing to go wherever the text asks them to go.” That’s what a conservatory drama program is all about.