Hubbry Logo
University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of MusicUniversity of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of MusicMain
Open search
University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music
Community hub
University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music
University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music
University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

An aerial shot of the "CCM Village" on the campus of the University of Cincinnati in 2017. Photo/Jay Yocis
An aerial shot of the "CCM Village" on the campus of the University of Cincinnati in 2017. Photo/Jay Yocis

Key Information

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is a performing and media arts college of the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio.[4] Initially established as the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 1867, CCM is one of the oldest continually operating conservatories in the United States.[5]

The college, which enrolls less than 1,500 students a year, has been widely ranked as one of the best performing arts colleges in the United States.[6][7]

History

[edit]

Early years

[edit]

The Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music was formed in August 1955 from the merger of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, formed in 1867 as part of a girls' finishing school, and the College of Music of Cincinnati, which opened in 1878.[8][9] CCM was incorporated into the University of Cincinnati on August 1, 1962.[10] The college is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, its original name.

CCM's first opera department was established in 1917 under the leadership of Ralph Lyford, an American composer and conductor. In 1920 Lyford founded the Summer Zoo Opera at the Cincinnati Zoological Gardens, a summer performance series that eventually evolved into what is now known as Cincinnati Opera.[11][12] Cincinnati Ballet's debut performances took place at Wilson Auditorium on the University of Cincinnati campus in 1964 and 1965.[13] In 1966, the directorship of the ballet company passed on to David McLain, who at the time also headed CCM's Dance Division. Cincinnati Ballet's early connection to CCM gave the new company studio space for classes and rehearsals, access to talented students, and performance space in Wilson Auditorium.[14][15][16][17]

Present day

[edit]

CCM has an enrollment of 1,353 as of the Fall 2023 academic term: 833 undergraduate students and 520 graduate students.[18][19][20][21] According to data provided by the college, students come to CCM from 41 different US states and 41 different countries,[22] with international students representing nearly one quarter of the student body.[23]

The college's personnel includes 116 full-time faculty members, 151 part-time faculty members and 53 staff members.[24]

CCM is the largest single source of performing arts presentations in Ohio, with nearly one thousand performances each academic year.[25] Many of these performances are free to University of Cincinnati students and CCM now offers both a music minor and a media production minor.[26] CCM also offers a wide variety of arts elective courses that are open to all University of Cincinnati students.[27]

Academics

[edit]

Music

[edit]

Doctor of Musical Arts degrees are offered in all performance, conducting, and academic areas (except classical guitar and jazz studies) including Ph.D. programs in musicology, music history and music theory. Advanced degrees called Artist Diplomas are available in most performance areas as well. Master of Music degrees are available in all those programs, including classical guitar and jazz studies, as well as collaborative piano and music education. All undergraduate music programs are performance-based and attain a Bachelor of Music degree. A music BA is offered, as well as a minor.[28][29]

Musical Theater

[edit]

Founded in 1969, the musical theater program at CCM is the oldest bachelor's degree program of its class in the United States.[30] It is consistently ranked as one of the nation's top musical theater programs and is presumed to be the most selective undergraduate program at the University of Cincinnati.[31] Playbill consistently reports CCM as one of the top 10 most represented colleges on Broadway.[32] When the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the musical theater program's annual senior showcase in New York City, CCM became the first program in the nation to produce a "virtual senior showcase" for casting agents and industry professionals.[33] More recently, Playbill included CCM in its list of "schools of the stars," which included the eight colleges and universities with the most Tony Award nominees in 2024.[34]

Opera

[edit]

CCM Opera and vocal studies ranked second in the United States in 2017[35] and 2020,[36] and Backstage Magazine included CCM on its 2024 list of "12 College Vocal Programs You Should Know."[37] Students and alumni represented in the nation's top young artist programs, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera and Opera Theater Saint Louis.[38][39][40] Each March, CCM holds its Opera Scholarship Competition, a vocal competition eligible to students in CCM's graduate opera program, featuring five prizes including full-tuition scholarships plus $10,000 to $15,000 in cash prizes.[41]

Acting for Stage and Screen

[edit]

CCM offers a BFA in acting designed to train students for the dramatic theater as well as for work in film and television.[42] While the majority of programs related to the school's theater departments are undergraduate, a number of Master of Fine Arts degree tracks are offered in theater design and production.[43] In 2015, The Hollywood Reporter named CCM number 12 on its list of the top 25 undergraduate drama schools in the world.[44]

Theater Design and Production (TDP)

[edit]

CCM TDP is one of two schools in the country to offer an MFA program in Makeup and Wig Design,[45] and one of very few to offer an MFA in Stage Properties.[46] Featuring an 8,500 square foot scene shop, 3,000 square foot costume shop, and wig, make-up and prosthetics studios it is one of the best schools for hands-on training and learning.[47][48][49] CCM TDP offers 13 different degrees all with hands-on training for each discipline.[50] Alumni have gone on to work with Feld Entertainment, Hamilton, Cirque Du Soleil, and many other notable companies.[51][52][53][54]

Dance

[edit]

Dance study at CCM emphasizes ballet. The department offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance.[55][56][57]

Arts Administration

[edit]

CCM offers both an MA in Arts Administration and a dual MBA/MA in Arts Administration in conjunction with the University of Cincinnati's Carl H. Lindner College of Business.[58][59] The program is focused on preparing students to lead and manage arts organizations.

Media Production

[edit]

The largest and fastest growing program at CCM is media production (formerly known as "electronic media").[60] The program offers a general Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in media production, as well as an academic minor.[61] The program uses a track-based curriculum with tracks in Film and Television Production, Broadcast Media Production and Multimedia Production with focus areas in web-site design, audio production and sports media. The curriculum in each track shares a common first year experience for all students. It requires two semesters of internships, a year-long capstone, and 18 credits in a minor or certificate program in addition to general education foundation from classes across campus. Media Production student organizations include a student radio station and student-run campus television station. Media Production alumni are heavily involved in the college's "CCM Onstage Online" performance broadcast series and "School, Stage and Screen" podcast series.[62]

Campus

[edit]
Converted from a dormitory in 1996, Memorial Hall now houses many of CCM's practice rooms and teaching studios.

CCM Village

[edit]

Completed in 1999, CCM Village was built at an overall cost of $93.2 million. Under the supervision of Henry Cobb, of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, renovated structures were merged with new buildings, creating four overall centers: Mary Emery Hall, the Corbett Center for the Performing Arts, Memorial Hall, and the Dieterle Vocal Arts Center.[63][64][65][66][67][68][69] Among other things, the CCM Village includes the Dale Warland Singers Archive, which includes more than 110 choral works and arrangements, first edition copies of all 270 works commissioned by the Dale Warland Singers and a media library that has more than 300 audio and video recordings of the ensemble's performances.[70]

The college's resources also include the Albino Gorno Memorial Library, also known as the "CCM Library," which is located in UC's Carl Blegen Library. The library is adjacent to the CCM Village. Its music library houses more than 150,000 volumes, including books, music scores, periodicals, microforms and recordings that support the full range of programs offered at CCM. The Albino Gorno Memorial Music Library also contains group study spaces, high fidelity media players and a computer lab.[71]

Media Production facilities

[edit]

CCM's on-campus media production facilities include a television studio, audio recording studio, 4K Avid Editing lab, Bearcast radio station, multiple audio/video/multimedia workstation labs, digital cinema cameras, lighting, grip and field audio production equipment. These labs, studios and field equipment are scheduled, maintained and available for checkout by media production majors. The labs and studios include:[72]

  • the multi-camera Bartlett Television Studio, control room and master control area
  • The Ralph J. Corbett Audio Production Center
  • The Jack and Joan Strader Radio Center
  • The Avid Media Composer/Adobe Creative Suite 4K Postproduction Lab
  • The Judith and Jim Van Cleave Multimedia Laboratory

Nippert Rehearsal Studio

[edit]

The Nippert Rehearsal Studio, named for Louise Dieterle Nippert, was originally the site of the University of Cincinnati gymnasium and main basketball court from 1911 until 1951. Its windows overlook Nippert Stadium. Since 1951, the space has primarily acted as the main rehearsal hall for all of CCM's mainstage productions.[73][74][75]

A photograph of CCM's Corbett Auditorium with audiences watching projections displaying on the stage.
Originally opened in 1967 and most-recently renovated in 2018, the 663-seat Corbett Auditorium is fully equipped with complete stage and lighting facilities for the presentation of choral, orchestral and wind concerts, ballet, opera, musical theatre and recitals. Photo/TM Photography

Performance Halls

[edit]

CCM's performance halls include the 663-seat Corbett Auditorium,[76] the 378-seat modified thrust Patricia Corbett Theater,[77] the 250-seat Robert J. Werner Recital Hall,[78] the 140-seat Watson Recital Hall,[79] and the flexible black box Cohen Family Studio Theater.[80] The performance spaces are utilized by the college's large number of performing ensembles, which include:

  • two concert orchestras
  • four wind ensembles
  • two choruses
  • several big bands and jazz combos
  • a variety of chamber music ensembles and speciality ensembles

Corbett Auditorium, Patricia Corbett Theater and the Cohen Family Studio Theater are also utilized by CCM's Division of Theatre Arts, Production and Arts Administration (TAPAA), which produces approximately 16 musicals, opera, plays and dance productions annually.[81] In 2017, CCM's five main performance halls participated in a ~$15M renovation.[82]

Ranking

[edit]

Multiple departments at CCM have ranked nationally among university programs for a graduate music degree, including its opera/voice program, its conducting program, French horn, music composition and drama programs.[83] CCM currently holds the number 7 spot on Playbill's 2024-25 list of "10 Most Represented Colleges on Broadway," above the Juilliard School and the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.[6][84] In 2024, CCM was also designated one of the top "schools of the stars" by Playbill based on the number of alumni performers and designers nominated for the 77th annual Tony Awards.[85] Backstage included CCM in its 2024 lists of "Best Colleges for Singing" and "Top College Musical Theatre Programs in the US."[86][87] College Factual placed CCM in the top five of its 2023 list of "Top 25 Most Popular Colleges for Music," citing the college's large enrollment and its 88% freshman retention rate.[88] College Factual also recently ranked CCM's music programs "in the top 10% of the country," and placed CCM at #1 in its list of "Best Schools for Music in Ohio." College Gazette included CCM in its 2021 list of "The 10 Best Performing Arts Colleges in the US," highlighting its Musical Theatre, Jazz and Media Production programs specifically.[89] Inside Music Schools ranked CCM at #2 in its list of "Top Classical/Opera Voice Programs," and at #5 in its list of "Top Schools to Study Musical Theatre."[90][91] CCM has also previously appeared on the Hollywood Reporter's list of Top 25 Undergraduate Drama Schools.[92]

In 2011, CCM was recognized as Ohio's first and only Center of Excellence in Music and Theatre Arts by the Ohio Board of Regents.[93] In 2019, CCM's Jazz Studies program was named the inaugural college affiliate of Jazz at Lincoln Center, which allowed nearly two dozen students and faculty members to accompany Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on an international residency in São Paulo, Brazil, from June 22–30, 2019.[94]

Accreditation

[edit]

The college is an accredited institution of the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST), and a member of the University/ Resident Theatre Association (U/RTA).[95][96][97] The "Film & TV" and "Multimedia" tracks of CCM's BFA program in Media Production are also accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).[98] In addition, the University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.[99][100]

Notable projects

[edit]

Opera Fusion: New Works

[edit]

Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW) is a long-running partnership between CCM and Cincinnati Opera.[101][102] Created in 2011, OF:NW offers composers or composer/librettist teams the opportunity to workshop an opera during a 10-day residency in Cincinnati.[103] Residencies utilize the personnel, facilities, and artistic talent of both CCM and Cincinnati Opera. The workshops are cast with a combination of both CCM students and professional artists, and each workshop concludes with a free public presentation of excerpts followed by an audience question and answer session.

OF:NW's current co-artistic directors are Robin Guarino from CCM and Evans Mirageas from Cincinnati Opera.[104] From the program's inception in 2011 through 2018, Guarino was co-artistic director alongside Cincinnati Opera's Marcus Küchle. OF:NW has fostered the development of 12 new American operas to date, including The Hours, Awakenings, Castor and Patience, Hadrian, Intimate Apparel, Some Light Emerges, Fellow Travelers, Morning Star, Champion and Doubt.[105][106][107][108][109]

Sports Media Broadcasts with ESPN

[edit]

In 2020, CCM's Division of Media Production launched a partnership with the University of Cincinnati's Athletics programs and ESPN, which gives students the opportunity to produce live, multi-camera sports broadcasts for ESPN's various networks and streaming platforms.[110][111] The Sports Media Production program is run by Emmy Award-winning faculty member Joe Brackman.[112] Cincinnati CityBeat named the partnership with ESPN "Best Student Program with Actual National Exposure" as part of its 2023 "Best of Cincinnati" awards.[113][114]

Blind Injustice

[edit]

The Ohio Innocence Project at the University of Cincinnati College of Law collaborated with Cincinnati Opera, the Young Professionals Choral Collective (YPCC) and CCM to workshop and produce the opera Blind Injustice, which premiered at Cincinnati Opera in 2019.[115][116] The production was directed by CCM faculty member Robin Guarino.[117][118] The opera was described as a "powerful piece of music theater" by the Wall Street Journal and "a powerful and moving work, as evident from the audience's enthusiastic response" by Opera News.[119]

Noted faculty

[edit]
  • The Ariel String Quartet (faculty 2012–present) has served as CCM's official string quartet-in-residence since 2012. Formed in Israel in 1998, the Quartet includes violinists Gershon Gerchikov and Alexandra Kazovsky, violist Jan Grüning and cellist Amit Even-Tov.[120][121][122][123][124]
  • Clara Baur was a German-born music teacher who founded the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, which eventually merged with the College of Music of Cincinnati and the University of Cincinnati to form what is now known as the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. The "Baur Room" in CCM's Corbett Center for the Performing Arts is named after Clara and her niece Bertha.[125][126][127][128]
  • John Cage was an American composer and music theorist who served as composer-in-residence at CCM from 1967 to 1968.[129][130][131] A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde.
  • Dorothy Delay was an American violin instructor who taught at CCM for nearly 30 years. Her former students include many noted violinists of the late 20th century. She also taught many significant orchestral musicians and pedagogues.[132]
  • Robin Guarino (faculty 2008–2025) is a theatre, opera and film director based in New York City and Cincinnati.[133] Guarino has directed over 90 original productions and her work has been presented by opera companies, festivals, theaters and symphonies including the BAM Next Wave Festival, Canadian Opera Company, The Cincinnati Opera Avery Fisher and Alice Tully Hall, Seattle Opera, San Francisco Opera, HGOco, the Canadian Opera Company, The Glimmerglass Festival, The Bard Summer Festival, The Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Virginia Opera among others. She has served as co-artistic director of CCM's Opera Fusion: New Works initiative with Cincinnati Opera since its inception.[134]
  • Mara Helmuth is a composer with special interests in electroacoustic and computer music and research. Her compositions have received numerous performances in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia. She has been on the board of directors of the International Computer Music Association and Society of Electroacoustic Music in the United States, and served as ICMA President. She serves as director of CCM's Center for Computer Music.[135][136]
  • Douglas Knehans (faculty 2008–present) is an American/Australian composer. He is the Norman Dinerstein Professor of Composition Scholar at CCM, where he also served as dean from 2008 to 2010. Knehans is also the director of Ablaze Records, a company which records and produces music by living composers.[137][138][139][140]
  • The LaSalle Quartet was a string quartet active from 1946 to 1987, which served as CCM's string quartet-in-residence from 1953 to 1987. After making its European debut in 1954, the LaSalle Quartet won international recognition for its masterful interpretations of the major works in the chamber music repertory. The Quartet became particularly well regarded as the leading interpreters of "The Second Viennese School," performing complete cycles of the quartets of Schoenberg, Berg and Webern throughout the United States and Europe. Cellist Lee Fiser continued to teach at CCM until his retirement in 2017.[141]
  • Elliot Madore (faculty 2021–present) is a Grammy Award-winning Canadian lyric baritone. Madore has performed throughout Europe, Canada and the US. He was appointed an associate professor of Voice at CCM in August 2021.[142][143]
  • Kevin McCollum is a Broadway producer who served a three-year term as Distinguished Visiting professor at CCM beginning in 2015.[144][145][146] A distinguished alumnus of the University of Cincinnati, McCollum (BFA Musical Theatre, 1984; HonDoc, 2005) is the Tony Award-winning producer of Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights, Motown the Musical and many other acclaimed Broadway, Off-Broadway and touring productions.[147]
  • Nick Photinos (faculty 2023–present) is a four-time Grammy Award-winning cellist and co-founder of Eighth Blackbird who serves as Professor of Chamber Music and Eminent Scholar at CCM.[148][149] He has received Musical America's Ensemble of the Year Award, the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, the inaugural Chamber Music America Visionary Award, the Naumburg Award and the Concert Artists Guild Grand Prize.
  • Awadagin Pratt (faculty 2004–2023) is an American concert pianist who retired from CCM in June 2023. In 1992 he won the Naumburg International Piano Competition and two years later was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant. In November 2009, Pratt was one of four artists selected to perform at a classical music event at the White House that included student workshops hosted by the First Lady, Michelle Obama, and performing in concert for guests including President Obama. He has performed two other times at the White House, both at the invitation of President and Mrs. Clinton.[150][151]
  • Miguel Roig-Francolí (faculty 2000–2025) is a music theorist, composer, musicologist and pedagogue who serves as CCM's Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music Theory and Composition. At CCM, he regularly teaches history of theory, sixteenth-century counterpoint, post-tonal theory, music theory pedagogy, and a seminar on the analysis of early music. He is the author of Harmony in Context (McGraw-Hill, 2nd edn., 2011) and Understanding Post-Tonal Music (McGraw-Hill, 2007; Chinese translation, Beijing: People's Music Publishing House, 2012; Routledge, 2nd edn, 2021).[152][153][154][155][156]
  • Kurt Sassmannshaus (faculty 1983–present) is a violinist, teacher, and conductor. He is CCM's distinguished Dorothy Richard Starling Chair for Classical Violin, a position previously held by the late Dorothy Delay. Sassmannshaus has taught around the world, including master classes in Europe, the United States, Japan, China, and Australia, and has worked in close association with Dorothy DeLay both in Cincinnati and at the Aspen Music Festival and School.[157]
  • Stuart Skelton (faculty 2021–2024) is a tenor and a graduate of CCM (MM Voice, '95). Skelton joined the college's Voice Performance faculty in August 2021 and was named CCM's J. Ralph Corbett Distinguished Chair in Opera in December 2021.[158][159]
  • Italo Tajo was an Italian operatic bass who began teaching at CCM in 1966.[160][161] He maintained a significant performance career before and during his 19 years as a faculty member at the college. After Tajo's death in 1993, his wife Indela Tajo donated a scholarship to CCM in Italo's name.[162] The Italo Tajo Archive Room in CCM's Dieterle Vocal Arts Center is named after the former faculty member, and is filled with historical items from his career.[163]
  • James Tocco (faculty 1991–2021) served for 30 years as Professor of Piano and Eminent Scholar of Chamber Music at CCM. Tocco has a worldwide career as a soloist with orchestra, recitalist, chamber music performer and pedagogue. His repertoire of over 50 works with orchestra includes virtually the entire standard piano concerto repertoire, as well as more rarely performed works such as the Symphonie Concertante of Szymanowski, the Kammerkonzert of Alban Berg and The Age of Anxiety of Leonard Bernstein. Hailed in solo recitals for his interpretations of Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt, as well as composers of the 20th century, Tocco is one of the few pianists in the world to regularly program the keyboard works of Handel.[164]
  • James Truitte (1923–1995) was a dancer who trained with Lester Horton and Alvin Ailey and became known as an authority on Horton's technique and choreography. He started teaching master classes at the conservatory in 1970, being appointed named associate professor in 1973, and in 1993, professor emeritus.[165][166][167][168]

Noted alumni

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is a nationally ranked public institution dedicated to professional training in the performing and media arts, operating as one of the 's colleges since its formal integration on August 1, 1962. CCM's origins date to , when German immigrant Clara Baur founded the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, which later merged with the College of Music in 1955 before affiliating with the university. Offering nearly 120 majors and programs across divisions such as music, theatre arts, and dance, CCM emphasizes conservatory-style instruction within a comprehensive university framework, producing up to eight major productions annually in facilities like Corbett Auditorium. CCM has achieved prominence for its alumni representation on Broadway, ranking among the top 10 colleges with performers there in recent seasons, including 38 alumni in 2025 productions. Its graduates and faculty have earned recognitions such as Tony Award nominations and Ohio Valley , underscoring the program's output of professional artists. The institution's CCM Village complex supports intensive training, contributing to its reputation as a leading U.S. conservatory. However, CCM has faced significant controversies, including allegations of by faculty such as a former professor accused of harassing students over two decades, and lawsuits claiming inadequate protection for female students from a male dancer's inappropriate touching.

History

Founding and Early Institutions

The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music was established in 1867 by Clara Baur, a German immigrant and piano and voice teacher who had arrived in the in 1849. Baur, born in 1835, began operations in a single-room studio in 's Walnut Hills neighborhood, initially offering lessons to young women as part of a focused on music education. By the , the institution had developed an international reputation for rigorous training in , voice, and orchestral instruments, attracting students from across the and ; enrollment expanded significantly, reaching approximately 1,000 students by the early after relocating to the Shillito Mansion in 1902. In 1878, the College of Music of Cincinnati was founded by local philanthropist Reuben R. Springer and civic leader George Ward Nichols, who assembled a group of cultural patrons to support professional music training amid Cincinnati's growing arts scene. Funded primarily by Springer, the college appointed renowned conductor Theodore Thomas as its first director and initially operated out of Music Hall before constructing dedicated facilities; it relocated to the Odeon Building in 1884 and broadened its offerings to include preparatory programs, church music, and advanced degrees in performance and composition. These two independent institutions represented the primary early pillars of formal music education in Cincinnati, emphasizing practical performance skills and European pedagogical traditions prior to their eventual consolidation.

Mergers and Integration

The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, founded in 1867 by Clara Baur, and the College of Music of Cincinnati, established in 1878, had engaged in merger discussions intermittently for over two decades amid financial pressures and post-World War II enrollment declines. These talks culminated in a formal merger on August 1, 1955, creating the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), which combined the conservatory's performance-oriented training with the college's academic focus to form a comprehensive institution headquartered initially in 's Mount Auburn neighborhood. The merger preserved the strengths of both entities, including renowned faculty and facilities, while addressing resource constraints that threatened independent operation. Despite the 1955 consolidation, ongoing financial challenges persisted, as the combined entity struggled with operational costs and lacked the broader institutional support needed for sustained growth. In response, CCM affiliated with the on August 1, 1962, becoming its fourteenth college and integrating into the municipal university's structure. This integration provided access to UC's administrative, financial, and infrastructural resources, enabling program expansion and relocation to the university's campus. The post-1962 integration facilitated significant developments, including the construction of a $5 million performance and academic complex that opened in 1967, marking CCM's full transition to the UC campus and enhancing its facilities for music, theater, and related disciplines. This affiliation shifted CCM from private independence to oversight, aligning its operations with UC's governance while maintaining specialized conservatory traditions. By leveraging university and enrollment pipelines, the integration bolstered CCM's national , though it required adapting to larger institutional priorities.

Post-1960s Development and Expansion

![An aerial shot of the "CCM Village" on the campus of the University of Cincinnati in 2017. Photo/Jay Yocis](./assets/CCM-Village-Night-2017-RGB123248123248 In 1962, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, formed by the 1955 merger of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and the College of Music of Cincinnati, integrated with the as its fourteenth college under the leadership of Dean Jack Watson. This affiliation provided CCM with access to university resources while maintaining its focus on . By 1967, CCM relocated to the UC campus, inaugurating a $5 million state-of-the-art complex that included Corbett Auditorium, marked by a performance of Prince Igor. This move facilitated expanded operations, with composer John Cage appointed as artist-in-residence that year. In 1968, CCM became the training school for the Cincinnati Ballet Company, enhancing its role in professional artist development. Programmatic growth followed, including the introduction of the first Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theatre in 1969, which gained prominence when graduate Pamela Myers received a Tony nomination. Further infrastructure development occurred in 1972 with the opening of the Patricia Corbett Pavilion, dedicated to and productions and funded by philanthropists Ralph and Patricia Corbett. The curriculum diversified in 1976 with the addition of a and studio music major under faculty member Frank Brown. In 1983, the University of Cincinnati's dramatic program merged into CCM, broadening its theatrical offerings. Interdisciplinary initiatives emerged in 1990, such as the joint MA/MBA in with UC's business college. Significant facility expansions defined the 1990s, including the 1995 opening of the Dieterle Vocal Arts Center for choral, voice, and opera studies. The capstone was the 1999 completion of the $93.2 million CCM Village, a seven-year renovation project that transformed existing structures like Memorial Hall into modern rehearsal spaces, studios, and performance venues, substantially enhancing teaching and production capabilities. Subsequent enhancements included designation as an All-Steinway School in 2009 and $15 million improvements to performance spaces beginning in 2017.

Governance and Administration

Leadership Structure

The College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) at the is headed by a dean, who serves as the chief academic and administrative officer responsible for strategic direction, faculty oversight, and program development. Peter J. Jutras, PhD, has held this position since August 1, 2024, following his appointment announced on April 11, 2024; he succeeded Jonathan Kregor, who served as interim dean from July 1, 2022. The dean is supported by an associate to the dean, currently Larry Daniels, who assists with executive operations. Supporting the dean are specialized associate and assistant deans focused on key functional areas. Stephanie P. Schlagel serves as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of Graduate Studies, overseeing curriculum, graduate programs, and faculty matters while holding a faculty appointment as of . Jessie L. Grant, PhD, was appointed Assistant Dean of Student Services in June 2025, managing enrollment, advising, and support services for undergraduates and graduates. Maggie Perrino joined as Assistant Dean for CCM Preparatory and in June 2025, directing outreach, pre-college programs, and community partnerships with her background in and production. Additional administrative roles include John Martin as Assistant Dean of Admissions, handling and application processes. Beneath the dean's office, CCM operates through a divisional structure with seven primary divisions, each led by a division head who coordinates academic units, faculty, and curricula within their domain. These include: Department chairs and directors report to division heads, facilitating specialized oversight of disciplines such as , collaborative piano, and orchestral studies, ensuring alignment with CCM's performing and media arts mission. This layered integrates administrative leadership with , as division heads often hold professorial ranks and contribute to both scholarship and performance.

Enrollment, Faculty, and Resources

As of fall 2024, the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) enrolls a total of 1,319 students, including 815 undergraduates and 504 graduates, with international students comprising approximately 23% of the student body. For the 2024-25 admissions cycle, CCM received 3,639 applications, reflecting competitive entry; admitted undergraduates maintain an average GPA of 3.2 out of 4.0, while graduates average 3.8. CCM employs 116 full-time faculty members and 151 part-time faculty, supplemented by 50 faculty in its pre-collegiate CCM Preparatory and Department and 53 administrative staff. Faculty qualifications emphasize professional achievement, with many holding Grammy, Emmy, or and maintaining active careers as performers, composers, and designers across , musical theater, orchestral music, and media production. Key resources include the CCM Library, which maintains a collection exceeding 150,000 volumes specialized in performing and media arts, supporting research in , theater , and . The college facilitates approximately 1,000 events annually, providing students access to production resources and professional-grade facilities integrated with academic programming. Tuition for 2024-25, including fees, ranges from $15,476 for Ohio-resident undergraduates to $31,060 for non-residents, with graduate rates from $17,757 in-state to $29,499 out-of-state, funded through university appropriations, tuition revenue, and targeted endowments for scholarships and programs.

Academic Programs

Departments and Degree Offerings

The College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) at the organizes its academic programs into eight divisions, which encompass over 20 departments and programs offering nearly 120 majors focused on performing and media . These divisions include Composition, and ; Ensembles and ; ; Keyboard Studies; Media Production; Music Education; ; and Arts, Production and . The Ensembles and Division oversees sub-areas such as choral studies, commercial music production, studies, orchestral studies, and wind studies, while includes strings, voice, and woodwinds/brass/percussion departments. Arts, Production and subdivides into , , , , , and theatre design and production. Undergraduate degree offerings emphasize professional training in music and . The Bachelor of Music (BM) is available in music performance, music education, and commercial music production, preparing students for performance careers, teaching, or industry roles. The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) covers , theatre design and production, , , and media production, with curricula integrating practical production experience. The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in music, housed in , combines liberal arts breadth with music studies for versatile career paths. Graduate programs build on foundational skills with advanced specialization. Master's degrees include the (MM) in music performance, , composition, , and ; (MME); (MFA) in theatre design and production; and a combined / (MA/MBA) in . Doctoral options comprise the Artist Diploma (AD) in music performance and opera; Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in music performance and composition; and (PhD) in and . A in supports teaching-focused careers, while minors in music and media production supplement majors across divisions. These offerings span divisions, with performance-based degrees concentrated in Keyboard Studies, , and Ensembles and Conducting, while media and theatre programs align with Media Production and Arts divisions.

Curriculum and Pedagogical Approach

The curriculum at the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) spans over 120 majors across more than 20 departments, offering undergraduate degrees such as the (BM) in areas like performance, education, and commercial music production; the (BFA) in , theatre design and production, , , and media production; and the (BA) in music. Graduate programs include the (MM) in performance, education, composition, , and ; the Master of Music Education (MME); the (MFA); the Artist Diploma (AD) in performance and ; the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA); and the (PhD) in and , alongside a in music and minors in music and media production. Core musicianship studies form the foundation across programs, incorporating applied private lessons, large and chamber ensembles, , , and music history and literature to develop technical proficiency and analytical skills. CCM's pedagogical approach emphasizes conservatory-style professional training within the framework of a comprehensive , blending intensive performance practice with academic rigor and interdisciplinary resources. Instruction prioritizes , where students engage in hands-on production, capstone projects, and internships—particularly in media and commercial music programs that integrate , composition, arranging, and techniques. Faculty, drawn from professional ranks, provide individualized mentorship focused on real-world preparation, as evidenced in specialized divisions like , which combines conservatory-level music training with tailored pedagogical methods such as Orff-Schulwerk, choral conducting, and specializations, yielding a 100% job placement rate for graduates. This performance-based model extends to all undergraduate music degrees, fostering direct application of theoretical knowledge through ensemble work and recitals to cultivate versatile artists equipped for professional demands.

Admissions and Student Outcomes

Admissions to the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) are highly selective and primarily performance-based, requiring submission of pre-screening materials via the Acceptd platform following an initial university application. Undergraduate applicants use the Common Application or Transfer Application, while graduate applicants submit through the Graduate School application; both must include program-specific pre-screenings such as recordings, resumes, and academic transcripts, due by December 3 for fall entry, with applications opening August 1 annually. Faculty review pre-screenings to invite candidates to live auditions or interviews, typically notified in , emphasizing technical proficiency, artistic potential, and fit for conservatory training. For the 2024-25 cycle, CCM received 3,639 applications (2,243 undergraduate, 1,396 graduate), admitting students with average GPAs of 3.2 for undergraduates and 3.8 for graduates; overall acceptance rates hover around 20-30%, varying by program and instrument due to audition outcomes. The process prioritizes demonstrated talent over scores, which are optional, reflecting CCM's focus on professional preparation in performing and media arts. CCM graduates exhibit strong professional placement, particularly in music (100% rate) and (100% employment for MA/MBA holders), often securing roles as school teachers, community directors, or institutional staff immediately post-graduation. Alumni achieve notable success in commercial theater, with CCM ranking seventh among colleges for Broadway representation in the 2024-25 season, featuring at least 40 performers across productions. In opera and orchestral fields, graduates perform with major companies including the , , and leading symphonies, underscoring the program's efficacy in launching careers through rigorous training and industry connections. University-wide post-graduation for 2019-20 undergraduates at CCM indicate 73% and 14% pursuing further study among those with known outcomes (96% knowledge rate).

Facilities and Infrastructure

CCM Village and Performance Spaces

![An aerial shot of the "CCM Village" on the campus of the University of Cincinnati in 2017. Photo/Jay Yocis](./assets/CCM-Village-Night-2017-RGB123248123248 The CCM Village is a state-of-the-art complex comprising four buildings dedicated to performing and media arts at the 's College-Conservatory of Music, completed in 1999 as part of a $93.2 million expansion project that integrated performance, production, and educational facilities. This development enhanced synergy between musical, theatrical, and media programs by centralizing resources in a professional-grade environment unmatched in scope among U.S. conservatories. Subsequent upgrades, including a $15 million overhaul in 2017-2018, equipped venues with advanced , , and digital systems to support contemporary productions. The centerpiece, the Corbett Center for the Performing Arts, houses multiple venues funded by patrons Patricia and J. Ralph Corbett. Corbett Auditorium, a 663-seat theater opened in 1967 and renovated in 2018, features a Harrison and Harrison organ with 60 ranks and full-stage facilities for orchestral concerts, operas, and . Adjacent, the Patricia Corbett Theater is a 378-seat modified , also opened in 1971 and updated in 2018, accommodating , recitals, operas, and musicals with a Casavant Tracker organ. The Family Studio Theater, a flexible 120-seat black-box space introduced in 1999, enables experimental workshops and student-led lab productions. Additional recital halls within the Village include the Robert J. Werner Recital Hall in Mary Emery Hall, seating 250 and enhanced during the 1999 project for chamber music and solo performances. The Watson Recital Hall, with 140 seats and a Balcolm and organ of 44 ranks, serves both performances and smart classroom functions following its renovation. These spaces, supported by production wings like an 8,500-square-foot scene shop and 3,000-square-foot costume shop, provide CCM students hands-on access to industry-standard infrastructure for rehearsals and public events. ![A photograph of CCM's Corbett Auditorium with audiences watching projections displaying on the stage.](./assets/Corbett_Auditorium_w_Audience_2_creditTMPhotographycredit_TM_Photography Memorial Hall, converted from a in the 1990s and integrated into the Village, contributes practice rooms and the Watson Hall for smaller-scale events, underscoring the complex's evolution from historic structures to a unified hub. Overall, the CCM Village's design prioritizes , with venues hosting over 500 public performances annually, fostering direct preparation for professional careers in the arts.

Production and Media Facilities

The College-Conservatory of Music maintains advanced production and media facilities centered in Mary Emery Hall, supporting hands-on training in audio engineering, television production, , and virtual production technologies. These resources enable students to collaborate with performers across CCM's programs, producing content for web streaming, athletic events, and experimental projects. Television production occurs in the Walter and Marilyn Bartlett Television Production Center, a full multi-camera studio with Grass Valley LDX 80 HD cameras, a GV Director switcher, and a 55-inch multi-view monitor. The associated , upgraded in October 2024, incorporates a Ross Router for signal management and a Calrec Brio audio console, facilitating professional-grade broadcasts such as multicamera coverage of athletic events at using a Ross Carbonite Switcher and eight Grass Valley cameras. The Lawrence A. Leser complements this with a Comprompter ENR system for news-style scripting and delivery. Audio facilities are anchored by the J. Ralph Corbett Audio Production Center, designed to emulate historic large-scale studios like , with multi-room setups supporting , Logic, and software alongside Neve and API outboard processing gear and an 8-foot Steinway concert grand piano. This center allows students to record and mix performances by CCM musicians, emphasizing and skills. Radio and streaming operations run through the Jack and Joan Strader Bearcast Radio Center, which operates a 24/7 web-based station accessible via bearcastradio.com, equipped with 4K digital cinema cameras and production tools for live and archived content. It also supports teleconferencing and integration with Campus Cable Channel 51.1. The Virtual Production (XR) Studio, introduced to CCM's infrastructure, features a 16-by-10-foot LED wall composed of 60 Planar VPI VX2.5B tiles for high-resolution virtual environments, paired with a positional camera tracking system and integration for real-time 3D rendering. This facility, used in the inaugural Virtual Production Studio Class offered in spring 2025, enables interdisciplinary projects blending physical performance with digital scenery, as demonstrated in student films like "." Supporting , the Judy and Jim Van Cleave Multimedia Laboratory provides workstations for editing and multimedia development. A shared equipment pool, managed from the Media Production Office in Mary Emery Hall room 3200, includes cinema cameras such as Komodo, FX-6, and Blackmagic 6K Pro models; spherical zoom, cinema prime, and anamorphic prime lenses; , RODE, and microphones with 10-foot boom poles; and lighting/grip gear from , IKAN, and Matthews, plus dollies and gimbals for field and studio use. These assets are available for checkout during , fostering practical application in coursework and collaborations.

Rankings and Reputation

Departmental and Program Rankings

The College-Conservatory of Music's departmental and program rankings are not subject to comprehensive, standardized assessments like those from U.S. News & World Report for other fields, due to the subjective nature of performing arts evaluation, which emphasizes audition outcomes, professional placements, and peer reputation over quantifiable metrics such as graduation rates or research output. Instead, recognition derives from industry publications, alumni success indicators, and selective lists focused on vocational preparation. In 2021, College Gazette ranked CCM second among the top 10 performing arts colleges in the United States, citing its comprehensive training across music, theatre, and dance. CCM's musical theatre program, the oldest granting program of its kind in the U.S., is frequently highlighted for professional pipeline strength. Backstage Magazine listed it among the 13 best musical theater college programs in 2024, praising its focus on developing "triple threats" through rigorous conservatory-style training. Playbill's 2024-2025 ranking of colleges most represented on Broadway placed CCM seventh nationally, with at least 40 alumni active on stages during the season, exceeding The and reflecting sustained output from musical theatre, , and tracks. In opera and vocal studies, CCM earned designation as a top college vocal program from Backstage Magazine in , based on faculty expertise and production quality. The program's contributions to major opera houses further bolster its standing, though formal numerical rankings remain elusive. For design and production, CCM's offerings benefit from the college's co-op integration with regional organizations, contributing to high placement rates, but specific departmental metrics are similarly derived from practical outcomes rather than aggregated scores. Overall music programs rank within the top 50 U.S. institutions per aggregated evaluations using 59 metrics including faculty credentials and facilities, positioning CCM third in .

Professional Placement and Alumni Success Metrics

Graduates of CCM's in Music Education program achieve a 100% rate upon completion, with placements typically in roles such as school music teachers, administrators, church musicians, instructors, or advanced studies. The 's joint MA/MBA program in similarly reports 100% of graduates securing in management fields. In performance disciplines, CCM alumni demonstrate robust professional integration, particularly in theater and musical theater. The program ranked seventh among colleges for Broadway representation in the 2024-2025 season, with at least 40 alumni actively performing on Broadway stages during that period, surpassing institutions such as Juilliard. This follows 21 alumni appearances in the 2021-2022 season, underscoring consistent pipeline success into commercial theater. Opera and voice alumni secure competitive positions through high-profile auditions and competitions, including multiple participants in the 2024 , a premier international singing contest. Orchestral placements include alumni in principal roles with major ensembles, supported by CCM's audition preparation focus, though aggregate employment rates across all programs are not publicly detailed beyond field-specific claims from university reports. CCM's network exceeds 14,500 professionals worldwide, facilitating ongoing career advancement in industries.

Notable Initiatives

Opera Fusion and New Works Development

Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW) is a collaborative initiative established in 2011 between the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and Opera, designed to cultivate contemporary American operas through intensive residencies and workshops. The program provides composers and librettists with 10-day immersive sessions, leveraging CCM's resources such as student performers, faculty expertise, and production facilities to refine scores, librettos, and staging elements. Co-directed by CCM opera professor Robin Guarino and Opera's Evans Mirageas, OF:NW emphasizes practical development over theoretical discourse, enabling participants to test material in front of live audiences and receive targeted feedback. By 2025, the partnership had supported the creation of at least nine new operas, with residencies focusing on innovative fusions of traditional operatic forms with modern narratives, often incorporating diverse cultural themes or historical figures. Notable workshops include (2023), composed by with libretto by Royce Vavrek, in collaboration with the ; Hildegard (2024) by Sarah Kirkland Snider; The Highlands (2024); and Lalovavi (2024–2025) by with librettist Tifara Brown, which explored themes of Appalachian communities. Public previews, such as the February 1, 2025, presentation of Lalovavi at , offer free access to staged excerpts, fostering community engagement and further iteration. Additional projects like and Sleepers Awake have featured similar public readings in fall 2025, highlighting civil rights and introspective themes. The program's extension through 2028, secured by an anonymous donation announced in February 2025, underscores its role in addressing the scarcity of new commissions amid declining traditional audiences. CCM students benefit directly, gaining hands-on experience in premiering untested works, which has contributed to professional placements in major opera houses. While successes include full productions of developed works at venues like the , the initiative prioritizes developmental rigor over guaranteed outcomes, aligning with CCM's emphasis on practical artistry over speculative trends.

Media Production Collaborations

The Media Production program at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) fosters collaborations across disciplines, integrating students from , , , and other areas to produce multimedia content. These efforts leverage CCM's creative ecosystem, where media production students work alongside performers and designers on projects that blend narrative storytelling with technical execution. A key initiative is the CCM Film Lab, a cross-disciplinary partnership with the program that pairs media production students and faculty with actors to develop short films and experimental works, emphasizing hands-on integrated with live elements. Collaborative projects from this lab and similar efforts, including those involving Theatre Design and Production, have earned multiple nominations and 10 Student Production Awards (often called "student Emmys") from the of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Valley Chapter in 2025, highlighting outputs like scripted shorts and production designs. The CCM Idea Lab extends these collaborations by uniting Media Production with , , , Voice, , and other units to explore innovative formats such as hybrid performances and digital narratives, supported by faculty development grants since at least 2021. Similarly, the XR Studio serves as a shared for (XR) projects, where media production students collaborate across CCM disciplines to create virtual production content, advancing techniques in immersive media as of 2025. Externally, the program partners with UC Athletics through specialized sports media production courses, introduced in 2021 and led by faculty with , providing students practical experience in live event coverage, broadcast graphics, and content creation for athletic events. Capstone projects further exemplify this, such as films featuring collaborations with CCM vocalists, including singers, to produce narrative-driven media that merges classical training with contemporary production methods. These initiatives prioritize professional relevance, with required internships at media organizations reinforcing collaborative skills, though internal CCM partnerships form the core of production workflows.

Community and Educational Outreach Projects

The College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) conducts and educational primarily through its Arts4All initiative, encompassing preparatory programs and activities that deliver instruction to residents of the Greater region across various age groups and skill levels. These efforts emphasize accessible in music, , and , often via partnerships with local entities to extend resources beyond campus boundaries. CCM Preparatory and Community Engagement administers classes tailored for young children, teens, adults, and pre-professionals, including specialized offerings such as the for and strings targeting children aged 4 and older. Youth-focused initiatives feature collaborations with Public Schools (CPS), notably the free CCM/CPS Summer Jazz Academy for audition preparation and the CCM Prep/CPS Strings Partnership at Hays-Porter Elementary School, which integrates strings instruction into elementary curricula. Additional programs like Lives United/Vidas Unidas provide lessons through community partnerships, while dance and theatre arts partnerships extend training opportunities to local students. For older adults, the CCM New Horizons Orchestra offers ensemble-based music-making for individuals over age 50, accommodating beginners and those returning after a hiatus, with instruction led by of BettyAnne to foster mental, social, and physical benefits. Need-based scholarships support participation in this program, which aligns with the broader International Association model. Community access to CCM talent occurs via the Talent for Hire referral service, which matches students and performers—such as string ensembles, jazz groups, or vocalists—with local events including weddings, parties, and corporate functions, thereby bridging academic training with public engagement. Summer immersion workshops for high school students further educational outreach by providing intensive training in , , and related fields under CCM faculty and preparatory instructors. Enrollment for preparatory programs occurs online, with contact facilitated through dedicated channels for broader participation.

Faculty

Prominent Current Faculty

Professor Joe Miller, Director of Choral Studies, led the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra's choral contributions to the biopic , earning a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media on February 2, 2025, alongside conductor . Miller, who joined CCM in 2013, directs the CCM Chorale and has shaped its reputation through performances with major orchestras and focus on diverse repertory from to contemporary works. Michael Fiday, Professor of Composition since 2002, received the Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2024, recognizing his innovative orchestral and chamber works commissioned by ensembles including the and eighth blackbird. Fiday's compositions, often blending acoustic and electronic elements, have been performed internationally and emphasize structural clarity derived from mathematical patterns, as evidenced by pieces like Zone (2005) for solo . Brett Scott, Professor of Ensembles and Conducting, won the University of Cincinnati's George Rieveschl Jr. Award for Creative and/or Scholarly Works in 2024 for his advancements in choral pedagogy and direction of the CCM Chorale, which has toured and recorded acclaimed discs under his leadership since 2007. Scott also serves as of Cincinnati's Musica Sacra chorus, expanding CCM's outreach through collaborations with professional ensembles. Joe Brackman, Professor of , co-produced 51st National Math Festival, securing an Ohio Valley Emmy Award for Arts/Entertainment in July 2025, highlighting CCM's integration of media production with educational . His work underscores the division's emphasis on technical innovation in and arts training.

Faculty Achievements and Research

Faculty at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) engage in spanning composition, , , and interdisciplinary applications such as and of American sound practices. Their work emphasizes original compositions, theoretical analyses, and scholarly publications, often supported by university grants and external fellowships that fund creative and analytical projects. In composition, Professor Mara Helmuth received a 2025 Guggenheim Fellowship for her contributions to electroacoustic and , including research on , wireless sensor networks, and software tools for and performance. Similarly, Distinguished Research Professor Miguel A. Roig-Francolí earned honorable mentions in the 2024 American Prize for orchestral works, including Sinfonia, "De Profundis", reflecting his focus on symphonic and band compositions performed by CCM ensembles and professional orchestras. Professor Douglas Knehans was awarded the 2025 Wachtmeister Prize by the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, recognizing his orchestral and innovations. Music theory faculty produce peer-recognized scholarship; Steven J. Cahn received the of Music Theory's 2023 Outstanding Publication Award for analyses exploring structural parallels in works by and other composers, informed by his expertise in atonal theory and Judaic musical contexts. In , Shelina Brown secured a 2024 University of Faculty Scholars Research Award for her book project Queen of Noise: Yoko Ono and the Politics of Sound, examining Ono's experimental audio practices within postwar cultural frameworks. Conducting and ensemble research highlights practical innovations; Professor L. Brett Scott, who directs the CCM , won the 2024 George Rieveschl Jr. Award for Creative and Scholarly Works, citing his contributions to choral repertoire development and pedagogical methods in ensemble training. These achievements, drawn from competitive national and institutional recognitions, underscore CCM faculty's emphasis on verifiable creative outputs and analytical rigor over unsubstantiated interpretive trends.

Alumni

Key Alumni in Performing Arts

Kathleen Battle (BM 1970, MM 1971), a lyric , achieved international acclaim through performances at the and with leading orchestras worldwide, earning recognition from Time magazine as the finest practitioner of her vocal category; she has secured five for classical recordings and an Emmy for her televised performance at the Vatican. In musical theater, Faith Prince (BFA Musical Theatre 1979) won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Miss Adelaide in the 1992 revival of , and has appeared in over a dozen Broadway productions including Annie (as Miss Hannigan, 2012), , and A Man of No Importance, accumulating Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle honors. Broadway veteran Marcia Lewis (BFA 1964) received Tony nominations for featured roles in (1997) and Grease (1994), alongside appearances in Annie, , and Funny Girl, contributing to CCM's strong pipeline to the Great White Way, where the program has ranked in Playbill's top 10 most-represented colleges for multiple seasons including 2021-22 and 2023-24. Countertenor David Daniels (MM 1990) performed principal roles at the in operas by Handel and others, establishing himself as a leading figure in repertoire with global engagements and recordings on major labels. Among instrumental performers, trumpeter (BM 1941) won a Grammy Award for his 1964 instrumental hit "" and recorded over 50 albums, collaborating with bandleaders like and appearing on 22 times in the and . Vocal ensemble innovator Ward Swingle (BM 1950, MM 1951) founded The Swingle Singers, which garnered five Grammy Awards for jazz vocal performances and expanded to classical interpretations, performing internationally for decades.

Alumni Contributions to Industry and Culture

Alumni of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) have profoundly influenced the performing arts, with over 14,500 graduates worldwide contributing as performers, composers, producers, and administrators across Broadway, opera, film scoring, and orchestral ensembles. CCM's musical theatre program, in particular, has positioned the institution among the top 10 most represented colleges on Broadway, with at least 40 alumni actively performing on New York stages during the 2024-25 season. This pipeline has sustained cultural output through Tony-nominated productions, Grammy-winning recordings, and innovative works that blend classical traditions with contemporary genres. In musical theatre and Broadway, alumni have driven commercial and artistic success. Stephen Flaherty (BFA '82), a Tony Award winner for Once on This Island (1991), co-composed landmark shows like Ragtime (1998) and the stage adaptation of Anastasia (2017) with lyricist Lynn Ahrens, earning multiple Tony nominations and shaping modern American musical theatre narratives. Producer Kevin McCollum (BFA Musical Theatre '84, HonDoc '05) spearheaded Tony-winning productions including Rent (1996) and Avenue Q (2004), amassing over 25 years of Broadway credits that emphasize innovative, non-traditional storytelling and have grossed hundreds of millions in box office revenue. Performers like Shoshana Bean (BFA Musical Theatre '99) have garnered two Tony nominations for featured roles in Hell's Kitchen (2024) and another production, alongside a Grammy for her work in Jersey (2024), contributing to revivals and originals that draw large audiences and critical acclaim. Composers and scorers from CCM have extended the institution's reach into film, television, and crossover genres, embedding rigorous training in broader cultural media. (BFA '69, HonDoc '04) scored over 100 films and TV series, including , earning a BMI Career Achievement Award in 2003 and multiple platinum records for soundtracks that fuse orchestral elements with . Similarly, George Duning (BFA '33) received five Academy Award nominations for compositions in films during the 1940s-1960s, influencing mid-20th-century cinematic scoring techniques. These efforts have preserved and evolved CCM's emphasis on versatile musicianship, impacting global entertainment industries valued at billions annually. In and , hold principal positions and pioneer integrations of diverse influences, enriching cultural repertoires. Ward Swingle (BFA '50, MFA '51) founded the Swingle Singers, winning five Grammys for vocal jazz innovations that bridged classical choral methods with and influenced ensembles worldwide until his death in 2015. Marie Speziale (BFA '64) broke barriers as the first female trumpeter in a major U.S. symphony orchestra, serving the Symphony from 1964 to 1996 and receiving a Pioneer Award in 2014 for advancing gender equity in orchestral culture. Recent figures like Le Gao (MM Cello '15, DMA '18) serve as principal cellist for international orchestras, while performers such as Melody Moore (MM Voice '05) earn distinguished recognition for roles that highlight CCM's vocal in sustaining live traditions. Administrators and ensemble leaders among alumni foster institutional growth and community engagement, amplifying CCM's cultural footprint. Kevin McCollum has advocated for theatre incubators, mentoring new talent through programs that yield sustainable productions. Groups like Eighth Blackbird, formed by CCM affiliates in 1996, secured two Grammys (2008, 2012) for contemporary , performing globally and releasing recordings that expand audiences for avant-garde works. These contributions underscore CCM's role in producing leaders who not only perform but also curate and innovate, ensuring the longevity of musical traditions amid evolving industry demands.

Controversies and Institutional Challenges

Sexual Harassment and Misconduct Allegations

In 2016, flute professor Bradley Garner faced an internal University of Cincinnati investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct spanning over two decades, including claims from multiple female students that he had sexual relationships with them while they were enrolled at the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). The probe, initiated in October 2016 following complaints from current and former students, uncovered reports of Garner providing alcohol to minors, engaging in inappropriate physical contact during lessons, and maintaining a pattern of predatory behavior described by Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters as that of "a pig" who preyed on vulnerable students. CCM's interim dean recommended Garner's termination in February 2017, but he retired in December 2016 before formal dismissal; no criminal charges were filed due to expired statutes of limitations, though Deters emphasized the allegations' severity warranted ethical condemnation. The Garner case prompted broader scrutiny of CCM's handling of faculty-student boundaries, with former colleagues reporting an "open secret" of his conduct ignored by administrators prioritizing his reputation as a renowned flutist. Subsequent affiliations severed ties with Garner, including Yamaha and institutions like Juilliard reviewing related complaints, highlighting systemic risks in conservatory environments where power imbalances enable unchecked predation. In 2022, two female undergraduate students at CCM filed a federal lawsuit against the , alleging failure to address by male dancer Lot Tan, including inappropriate touching and during classes and rehearsals. The plaintiffs claimed university officials dismissed their reports, allowing Tan—who had prior complaints—to continue participating, in violation of protections against sex-based discrimination. Tan, a CCM student, countersued UC for and , asserting the accusations were unfounded and that the institution mishandled the process; the litigation, ongoing as of court filings in 2022, underscores tensions in adjudicating peer-to-peer misconduct within performance departments.

Faculty-Student Relations Incidents

In 2016, the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) initiated an investigation into Bradley Garner following reports of declining enrollment in his studio and complaints from students about inappropriate conduct. The probe identified nine students who alleged Garner had touched them inappropriately or engaged in other misconduct during lessons or private interactions. Garner, who had taught at CCM for 24 years, denied the allegations but retired in December 2017 after CCM's interim dean recommended his termination; no formal dismissal occurred. Subsequent reporting in revealed broader accusations spanning two decades, including claims that Garner had sexual relations with multiple undergraduate and students, exploited power dynamics in private lessons, and made unwanted advances such as grabbing students' bodies during instruction. One accuser described Garner as holding "the keys to the future" of flute careers, pressuring students into compliance due to his influence in the field. Hamilton County Prosecutor reviewed seven to eight allegations from the prior decade, labeling Garner's behavior as predatory toward female students but declined criminal charges, citing evidentiary limitations and statutes of limitations. The Garner case prompted external repercussions, including Yamaha and severing ties with him as an artist and educator. CCM faculty and alumni reported a pre-existing awareness of rumors about Garner's conduct, with some students avoiding his studio despite his reputation, while others continued lessons amid fears of career repercussions. No additional faculty-student relations incidents of comparable scope have been publicly documented at CCM, though the episode highlighted vulnerabilities in conservatory environments where often involves intensive one-on-one instruction.

Responses and Reforms

In response to allegations against flute professor Bradley Garner, the initiated an internal investigation in 2017, which substantiated claims of unwanted sexual advances, verbal and physical of students, and sending explicit text messages, including images of genitalia, to current and former students over two decades. The probe, prompted by reports from students and faculty, led to Garner's administrative suspension and a recommendation for dismissal by CCM leadership in February 2017; Garner retired effective December 7, 2017, avoiding termination. Hamilton County reviewed the evidence in March 2018 but declined criminal charges, citing expired statutes of limitations on most incidents, though the described Garner's conduct as predatory. Regarding complaints of by a male in CCM's program, including repeated groping of female students during rehearsals and performances, UC conducted an investigation but was accused in a July 2022 federal lawsuit by two affected students of deliberate indifference and prioritizing the accused's career over victim . The alleged inadequate response to multiple reports, allowing the dancer to continue participating; as of March 31, 2025, a U.S. District Court denied UC's motion to dismiss, permitting the claims to proceed to discovery. No settlement or resolution has been publicly reported. In a separate 2022 incident involving CCM's band directors Christopher Nichter and Nicholas Angelis, an internal probe confirmed policy violations after student complaints of public humiliation and abusive conduct during rehearsals; the university imposed undisclosed disciplinary measures, though specifics remain internal. For a faculty member's discriminatory remarks toward a Muslim student in March 2018, UC placed the professor on leave and severed ties shortly thereafter. Institutionally, UC maintains a centralized office for handling reports, with policies updated effective September 12, 2025, to align with federal requirements prohibiting sex-based and mandating prompt investigations, supportive measures for complainants, and appeals processes. CCM encourages feedback via dedicated channels but has not publicly detailed program-specific reforms like mandatory training or oversight changes post-incidents; broader UC mechanisms include an anonymous hotline established prior to 2018 for ethics concerns. These responses reflect standard administrative and legal protocols rather than overhauls prompted explicitly by CCM cases.

References

  1. https://ccm.uc.edu/overview/history.html
  2. https://ccm.uc.edu/
  3. https://ccm.uc.edu/overview/performance-opportunities.html
  4. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/09/ccm-ranks-in-top-10-most-represented-colleges-on-broadway.html
  5. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/06/ccm-listed-in-tony-awards-schools-of-the-stars.html
  6. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/07/ccm-wins-two-ohio-valley-emmy-awards-in-arts-entertainment-and-sports.html
  7. https://ccm.uc.edu/overview.html
  8. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/02/06/students-accuse-university-cincinnati-professor-musician-flutist-sex-harassment-having-sex-students/1057552001/
  9. https://www.fox19.com/2022/07/05/lawsuit-claims-uc-protected-male-dancer-accused-inappropriate-touching/
  10. https://libraries.uc.edu/libraries/ccm/about.html
  11. https://libapps.libraries.uc.edu/liblog/2011/09/college-of-music-historical-collection/
  12. https://www.cecartslink.org/participant/university-of-cincinnati-college-conservatory-of-music-ccm/
  13. https://ccm.uc.edu/overview/facilities.html
  14. https://ccm.uc.edu/overview/directory.html
  15. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/04/peter-jutras-named-ccm-dean.html
  16. https://moversmakers.org/2024/04/11/year-later-uc-names-new-dean-of-ccm/
  17. https://researchdirectory.uc.edu/p/schlagsp
  18. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/06/ccm-welcomes-jessie-grant-as-assistant-dean-of-student-services.html
  19. https://ccm.uc.edu/overview/directory/division-and-department-heads.html
  20. https://ccm.uc.edu/overview/fast-facts.html
  21. https://ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study/academic-units/strings/faculty-staff.html
  22. https://ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study.html
  23. https://ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study/academic-units/music-education/undergraduate-program.html
  24. https://ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study/academic-units/commercial-music-production/bachelor-of-music.html
  25. https://ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study/academic-units/music-education.html
  26. https://ccm.uc.edu/admissions-and-aid/admissions.html
  27. https://ccm.uc.edu/admissions-and-aid/admissions/auditions.html
  28. https://insidemusicschools.com/blog/acceptance-rates-at-top-us-music-colleges/
  29. https://ccmpr.wordpress.com/tag/cincinnati-opera/
  30. https://www.uc.edu/campus-life/careereducation/about/publications/outcomes/2020.html
  31. https://ccm.uc.edu/overview/facilities/corbett-center.html
  32. https://ccm.uc.edu/onstage.html
  33. https://ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study/academic-units/media/facilities.html
  34. https://ccm.uc.edu/overview/facilities/mary-emery.html
  35. https://ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study/academic-units/media.html
  36. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/07/inside-ccms-xr-studio-where-media-production-students-experience-the-future-of-virtual-production.html
  37. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2021/03/college-gazette-lists-ccm-in-10-best-performing-arts-colleges-in-the-us.html
  38. https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/musical-theater-college-programs-know-3220/
  39. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/09/ccm-ranked-in-top-10-most-represented-colleges-on-broadway.html
  40. https://moversmakers.org/2025/09/12/playbill-ucs-ccm-again-among-top-broadway-pipelines/
  41. https://www.csmusic.net/organizations/details/b3JnYW5pemF0aW9ucyU1QmlkJTVEPTExMTYzLQ==
  42. https://music-colleges.com/university-of-cincinnati
  43. https://ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study/academic-units/music-education/undergraduate-program/bachelor-of-music.html
  44. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2022/09/playbill--ccm-in-top-10-most-represented-colleges-on-broadway.html
  45. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/09/ccm-opera-and-voice-alums-reunite-at-operalia.html
  46. https://ccm.uc.edu/alumni-giving-support.html
  47. http://ofnw.org/about
  48. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/02/opera-fusion--new-works-program-extended-by-three-years.html
  49. http://ofnw.org/projects
  50. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2023/10/cincinnati-opera-and-ccm-announce-details-of-next-opera-fusion-new-works-workshop.html
  51. https://ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study/academic-units/opera-voice.html
  52. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/09/cincinnati-opera-and-ccm-to-workshop-hildegard-through-opera-fusion--new-works-partnership.html
  53. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/02/cincinnati-opera-and-ccm-to-workshop-the-highlands-through-opera-fusion-new-works.html
  54. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/12/cincinnati-opera-and-ccm-host-free-public-preview-of-new-opera-lalovavi.html
  55. https://behindthecurtaincincy.com/2025/09/03/cincinnati-opera-and-ccms-opera-fusion-new-works-partnership-presents-public-previews-of-two-operas-in-progress-this-fall/
  56. https://www.cincinnatiopera.org/media-resources/2025/2/12/cincinnati-opera-receives-anonymous-gift-in-support-of-opera-fusion-new-works-extending-the-program-by-three-years
  57. https://ccm.uc.edu/programs/2023/March/fellow-travelers.html
  58. https://ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study/academic-units/media/programs-and-activities.html
  59. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/08/ccm-media-production-students-receive-20-nominations-from-natas-ohio-valley-chapter.html
  60. https://ccm.uc.edu/overview/videos/idea-lab.html
  61. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkNv-exvI80
  62. https://ccm.uc.edu/overview/videos/media-production-capstone-films.html
  63. https://ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study/academic-units/media/bachelor-of-fine-arts.html
  64. https://ccm.uc.edu/arts4all/prep.html
  65. https://ccm.uc.edu/arts4all/prep/music.html
  66. https://ccm.uc.edu/arts4all/prep/music/new-horizons-orchestra.html
  67. https://ccm.uc.edu/arts4all/community-programs/talent-for-hire.html
  68. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2021/01/ccm-prep-offers-summer-arts-workshops-for-high-school-students.html
  69. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/01/arts-for-all--spend-your-summer-studying-music-dance-and-theatre-at-ccm.html
  70. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/02/ccm-talent-featured-on-several-grammy-award-winning-albums.html
  71. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/03/ccm-professor-michael-fiday-receives-prestigious-award-in-music-composition.html
  72. https://researchdirectory.uc.edu/p/fidaymd
  73. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/04/ccm-professor-brett-scott-wins-george-rieveschl-jr-award.html
  74. https://researchdirectory.uc.edu/p/cornislb
  75. https://ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study/academic-units/composition-musicology-theory.html
  76. https://research.uc.edu/news/2024/03/26/2024-urc-faculty-scholars-research-awardees
  77. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/04/ccm-composition-professor-awarded-2025-guggenheim-fellowship.html
  78. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/12/the-american-prize-recognizes-ccm-composition-professor.html
  79. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/03/ccm-composition-professor-awarded-2025-wachtmeister-award.html
  80. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2023/11/ccm-professor-wins-outstanding-publication-award-from-society-of-music-theory.html
  81. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/04/ccm-professor-named-2024-uc-faculty-scholars-research-program-awardee.html
  82. https://www.uc.edu/about/provost/awards/facultyawards.html
  83. https://magazine.uc.edu/famousalumni/vocalists.html
  84. https://ccmpr.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/ccm-alumna-faith-prince-opens-memorial-halls-signature-event-series-on-nov-14/
  85. https://magazine.uc.edu/famousalumni/broadway.html
  86. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2023/09/playbill--ccm-ranks-in-top-10-most-represented-colleges-on-broadway.html
  87. https://magazine.uc.edu/famousalumni/musicians.html
  88. https://magazine.uc.edu/editors_picks/recent_features/mccollum.html
  89. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/05/four-ccm-alumni-nominated-in-2024-tony-awards.html
  90. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/09/cincinnati-to-beijing--ccm-alumni-shine-bright-in-the-world-of-music.html
  91. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/04/ccm-shares-2024-alumni-and-distinguished-service-awards.html
  92. https://www.wosu.org/wvxu-stories/2016-02-05/ccm-alum-broadway-producer-kevin-mccollum-returns-as-distinguished-visiting-professor
  93. https://www.fox19.com/story/37623090/prosecutor-to-discuss-sexual-misconduct-allegations-against-uc-flute-instructor/
  94. https://www.wlwt.com/article/live-prosecutor-gives-update-on-allegations-against-former-uc-flute-professor/19040914
  95. https://apnews.com/article/44d98f9a1c4746f884342f9c9aad64eb
  96. https://xaviernewswire.com/2018/02/21/uc-professors-misconduct-brought-to-light/
  97. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/02/07/flute-world-responds-sexual-harassment-claims-against-bradley-garner-uc-remains-silent/315061002/
  98. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/02/10/juilliard-reviewing-university-cincinnati-sexual-misconduct-flutist-bradley-garner/320937002/
  99. https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/i-team/nobody-believed-me-2-female-ballet-students-sue-uc-over-sexual-misconduct-allegations-against-male-dancer
  100. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-ohsd-1_22-cv-00376/pdf/USCOURTS-ohsd-1_22-cv-00376-2.pdf
  101. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/ohio/ohsdce/1:2022cv00376/270109/55/
  102. https://www.newsrecord.org/news/this-is-not-ccm-former-ccm-professor-says-students-seem-to-be-relieved-after-garner/article_8b7d2770-1574-11e8-a462-3fe3ef016e25.html
  103. https://symphony.org/further-accusations-of-sexual-misconduct-by-noted-flute-professor/
  104. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/02/06/student-accuser-university-cincinnati-flute-professor-held-keys-future/1067699001/
  105. https://www.wcpo.com/news/crime/prosecutor-to-discuss-university-of-cincinnati-flute-professor
  106. https://academic-sexual-misconduct-database.org/index.php/incident/7691
  107. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/crime/2022/07/20/university-of-cincinnati-lawsuit-2-ballet-students-sue-over-groping-investigation/7812252001/
  108. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/ohio/ohsdce/1:2022cv00376/270109/45/
  109. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uSQoiNE5cg
  110. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/03/08/university-cincinnati-cuts-ties-professor-accused-discriminatory-comments-against-muslim-student/408416002/
  111. https://www.uc.edu/about/ethics-compliance-community/reports-resolutions/sexual-misconduct.html
  112. https://ccm.uc.edu/resources/feedback.html
  113. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/legacy/enews/2012/04/uc-offers-anonymous-reporting-hotline.html
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.