Category: University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

2025 Year in Review

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Meeting the Maestro last February

It’s always amazing to look back at the wealth of Cincinnati’s arts that we enjoy every year. There were important new arts leaders and new and improved venues. In comings and goings, the new dean of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Peter Jutras, was busy hiring what seems like a record number of new faculty members. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, too, has hired many new musicians that we are all still getting to know. And early this month, the Contemporary Arts Center’s Christina Vassallo announced she will soon be departing from her role as director. She will become executive director of the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage in Philadelphia.

Assistant principal cellist Norman Johns performed with the CSO for 50 years.

Among those who left us in 2025 was cellist Norman Johns, an inspiring musician, a trailblazer and a role model. He shared his gifts as a teacher, chamber music coach and mentor to legions of students in Cincinnati for most of the 50 years that he performed in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Here is a small tribute to this musical giant.

Sadly, the Cincinnati Symphony also lost its much-admired principal trombonist Cristian Ganicenco. He was 58, and passed away on the eve of Cristian Măcelaru’s first concert as CSO music director. The two shared their homeland of Romania. Here is one of many tributes.

Below are some of my favorite performances, art exhibitions, newsmakers and more!

Welcoming new leaders

New maestro at the CSO –– In February, audiences had a taste of a new vision at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in a powerful performance of the familiar Symphony No. 9, “From the New World” under the baton of then-music director-designate Cristian Măcelaru. This season, 2025-26, audiences are getting to know the Romanian-American maestro in his first season as the CSO’s 14th music director.

New leadership at Cincinnati Ballet — For his first season since being named artistic director, Cincinnati Ballet’s Cervilio Miguel Amador curated selections that include four world premieres, the regional premiere of “The Great Gatsby,” the return of “Swan Lake” (coming up in February) and “Director’s Vision: Liberty in Motion,” celebrating the evolution of American choreography in honor of America’s 250th birthday. We can’t wait to see his vision moving forward.

Alyssa Wang. Robert Torres Photography

A woman on the podium — This year, Cincinnati Ballet welcomed Alyssa Wang as its new music director, succeeding Carmon DeLeone, a local legend who retired after more than 50 years. I enjoyed watching her conduct “The Nutcracker” last week, and look forward to seeing more of her work.

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Notre-Dame Cathedral’s Vincent Dubois impresses on Museum Center’s E.M. Skinner Organ

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Vincent Dubois, titular organist of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris

Hundreds of aficionados of organ music — as well as admirers of the stunning Art Deco Rotunda in Cincinnati Museum Center — braved a dark and stormy night on Oct. 29 to attend the opening concert of the Music in the Museum series. The excellent organist Vincent Dubois, now titular organist of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, performed a substantial program on the great E.M. Skinner concert organ built in 1929, the year Union Terminal began construction.

The organ is designed in the American Symphonic Organ tradition, able to produce every tone of a symphonic orchestra, and then some. Cincinnati’s E.M. Skinner organ is one of the treasures of the United States.

At one moment, Dubois paused to thank those who have supported the organ, saying, “It’s rare to find this quality of voicing… I enjoyed discovering so many colors and textures. It’s infinite in that instrument.”

Besides his Paris post, Dubois is newly appointed Professor of organ interpretation and improvisation at the Hochschule für Musik (University of Music) in Saarbrücken, Germany. His wide-ranging selections included many by French composers, some rarely heard, which were a treat to hear.

Dubois opened with J.S. Bach’s Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 582. His sound was instantly enthralling, from the deep tones of the repeating bass line (or ground bass) to the wonderful embellishments that unfolded above it. The music in the highest register had a spiritual quality, and you could see that the organist felt every note. The concluding fugue was majestic, and he held its final note at length, allowing the sound to continue ringing in the resonant acoustic of the Rotunda.

Dubois with Kelly Hale conducting behind the organ, and page turner Bert Nelson.

Dubois called upon two collaborators for the next three works: Russell Burge, CCM Professor of Percussion, and Kelly Hale, Professor Emeritus of Opera and Coaching, who conducted the spacially separated duo.

Percussionist Russell Burge was situated against the Rotunda wall, the clearest acoustical spot for the collaboration.

Jean-Philippe Rameau was represented by the dance, “Les sauvages” from Rameau’s 1735 opera-ballet, “Les Indes galantes,” accompanied by marvelous drumming by Burge. The work was inspired by a visit to France by Indigenous American chiefs in 1725.

Dubois then fast-forwarded to 20th-century France with three movements from Francis Poulenc‘s “Suite française,” originally an orchestral suite from his incidental music to a play, “La Reine Margot.” Typical of Poulenc, there were dissonances and witty dialogues between organ and snare drum. The colors of the organ ranged from warm to reedy.

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Musica Sacra celebrates 60 with a world premiere

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A previous concert by Musica Sacra at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption/ photo provided

The choral ensemble Musica Sacra has commissioned a new work in honor of its 60th anniversary. Directed by Dr. L. Brett Scott, Musica Sacra will perform the world premiere of “Receiving” by award-winning composer Jessica French, 3 p.m. October, 26, 2025 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, KY. The program also includes Haydn’s “Harmoniemesse.”

Musica Sacra is second only to the Cincincinnati May Festival as the oldest continually operating community choral group in Cincinnati. It was founded in 1965 by Helmut Roehrig, whose vision was to create an ensemble for performing sacred choral literature in the spaces for which they were intended, accompanied by an orchestra, and at no charge to the public. He led the group for 50 years.

The Seattle-based composer will attend the performance. During the week, she’ll work with students at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, where Scott is Professor of Ensembles and Conducting. French’s work has been commissioned by BBC Singers, the St. Olaf Cantorei and Orchestra; the St. Thomas Choir of Men and Boys (NYC), and the Choir of Trinity Church Wall Street (NYC) among others.Read More »

CCM-based Poiesis String Quartet wins Banff Competition

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Photo by Eden Davis

One of the world’s finest young string quartets is right here in Cincinnati. On Aug. 31, the Poiesis String Quartet, graduate string quartet-in-residence at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, won the Grand Prize in the prestigious 15th Banff International String Quartet Competition. The prize includes $500,000 CAD in cash, prizes, and career development opportunities, including touring and recording and three-year custom artistic and career development program.

The quartet is currently being mentored at CCM by the Ariel Quartet. Its members are: Sarah Ying Ma on violin, Max Ball on violin, Jasper de Boor on viola, and Drew Dansby on cello.  They are graduates of Oberlin College & Conservatory.

Nine international string quartets competed this year, in what is described as “one of the most competitive in the competition’s four-decade history.” The competition reports that competitors travelled to Banff from their home bases in Asia, Europe, and North America, with players hailing from 14 different countries.

The name Poiesis derives from ancient Greek and means “to make.” The ensemble focuses on expanding the quartet repertoire with new works by emerging composers.

Competition jury members include Marie Chilemme, Jonathan Crow, Eugene Drucker, Honggang Li, Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, Eckart Runge, and David Ying.

The quartet will present their fall recital at 6:45 p.m. Oct. 2 in Werner Recital Hall. Free.

 

 

Music in the Museum series

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Vincent Dubois comes to Cincinnati Museum Center in October

Many of us were riveted when the great organ of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, was rescued after the fire, refurbished and rededicated at the reopening. Cincinnati Museum Center’s Music in the Museum series will open its season on Oct. 29 with Vincent Dubois, titular organist at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, where he serves alongside Olivier Latry and Philippe Lefebvre.  He is also Professor of organ interpretation and improvisation at the Hochschule für Musik (University of Music), Saarbrücken, Germany.

He has performed in major concert venues throughout Europe, North America, Asia and the Pacific. Dubois’ program will include: Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582, J. S. Bach; Choral No. 1 in E major, Franck; Prelude in C sharp minor Op.3, Rachmaninoff; Menuet and Rigaudon from Le Tombeau de Couperin, Ravel; Sonata on the 94th Psalm in C minor, J. Reubke; and Carillon de Westminster, Op. 54, No. 6, Vierne.

He’ll also collaborate with University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music Professor of Percussion, Russell Burge in Boléro sur un thème de Charles Raquet, P. Cochereau; Fanfare for the Common Man, A. Copland; and Les sauvages from Les Indes galantes by Rameau.

The 1929 Grand E.M. Skinner Concert Organ is the centerpiece for Music in the Museum, a concert series hosted three times a year at Cincinnati Museum Center.

The rest of the series looks great, too:

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Presenting Johannes Skoog, Organist. Johannes Skoog is winner of the First Prize and the Bach Prize at the 2024 Canadian International Organ Competition and he is one of Sweden’s brightest young organists. He will collaborate with the combined Choirs of Christ Church Cathedral, Stephan Casurella, Director and St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Carlton Monroe, Director.

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Presenting Isabelle Demers, Organist. Isabelle Demers is Associate Professor of Organ at McGill University. Her programs includes arias and other numbers in collaboration with University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music Professor of Voice, Tenor, Daniel Weeks. You don’t want to miss “Nessun dorma”!

The concerts are at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: visit cincymuseum.org/music-in-the-museum. For questions, call (513) 287-7036

CCM fills more positions: Violinist Kenneth Renshaw and Tyler Ehrlich, wind studies

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Kenneth Renshaw, photo by Yang Bao

UC College-Conservatory of Music Dean Pete Jutras has been busy announcing new faculty members to fill many vacancies that have occurred this year at CCM. He’s just announced the appointment of Kenneth Renshaw as CCM’s new Assistant Professor of Violin.

In addition, the dean has announced Tyler Ehrlich, DMA, as CCM’s new assistant professor and Assistant Director of Wind Studies.

Both faculty appointments officially begin on Aug. 15, 2025.Read More »

New musical hires at Cincinnati Ballet and CCM

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Alyssa Wang. Photo by Robert Torres Photography

Cincinnati Ballet announced a new music director via social media today. Alyssa Wang will succeed music director emeritus Carmon DeLeone, who served more than 50 years and still conducts the ballet on occasion. She is a “triple threat” — a conductor, composer and violinist. Alyssa is the recipient of the 2024 New Music USA Creator Fund, the 2023 Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award, and the 2022 St. Botolph Emerging Artist Award.

An accomplished violinist, she is the newest member musician of the Boston Chamber Music Society, and has been featured in numerous contemporary recording projects, such as Carlos Simon’s Grammy-nominated album, Requiem for the Enslaved (Decca).

As a composer, she premiered her own violin concerto, Swept Away, with the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh, who commissioned the work, in February 2023. Her latest composition project is a string octet for Boston Chamber Music Society that will premiere in May 2026.

Alyssa earned her bachelor’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University under the tutelage of Andrés Cárdenes, and a master’s degree at the New England Conservatory where she studied with Malcolm Lowe.  Read more here.

Jose Maria Condemi

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music welcomed two new faculty members to succeed two of the eight who are retiring by the end of this semester.

UC College-Conservatory of Music Dean Pete Jutras has just announced the appointment of Jose Maria Condemi, who earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in direction at CCM, as CCM’s new Associate Professor of Opera. His faculty appointment officially begins on Aug. 15.

“Jose Maria Condemi brings inspiring creative vision to CCM, along with a long and distinguished record of directing at the worlds’ major opera houses. He is no stranger to Cincinnati, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the CCM Opera Department,” said Jutras, in a statement. “I am grateful to our search committee chair Amy Johnson and committee members Thomas Hase, Kirill Kuzmin and Kenneth Shaw for their efforts with this successful search.”

Condemi has been a director and producer of opera and theater of exceptional artistic quality for over two decades, both in the United States and internationally. Upcoming directing engagements include Rigoletto for San Francisco Opera, Tosca for Cincinnati Opera and Alcina for the Trentino Music Festival.

In Cincinnati, you may also recall his work in Ainadamar, Don Giovanni, La Traviata, Tosca and Lucia di Lammermoor for Cincinnati Opera.

He has a long relationship with San Francisco Opera, where he has directed several mainstage productions and two world premieres, and he’s directed at other major opera houses across the country and internationally. Please click here to read more about him.

Brian Hong

In addition, violist Brian Hong is CCM’s new Assistant Professor of Viola. His appointment begins on Aug. 15.

“Brian Hong’s extensive performance experience, chamber music career, and innovative work in the non-profit and community arts sectors will bring great value to CCM’s esteemed String area,” said Dean Jutras. “I am grateful to our search committee chair Rachel Calin and committee members Aik Khai Pung and Catharine Lees for their efforts with this successful search.”

As the violist of the Grammy-nominated Aizuri Quartet from 2023-2025, he premiered major new works on nationally renowned chamber music series and conducted residencies at universities across the United States. He has performed as soloist with many orchestras and has participated in festivals such as Marlboro and the Perlman Music Program. Prior to his CCM appointment, Hong served on the viola and chamber music faculties at Bard College Conservatory of Music.

Hong is a graduate of Juilliard’s Artist Diploma program. He also holds a master’s degree from the Juilliard School, where he was awarded a prestigious Kovner Fellowship. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. He’s also a successful music administrator. He is the program manager for the Vital Sounds Initiative of Project: Music Heals Us, a nonprofit dedicated to providing musical education, access and healing to marginalized populations. He is also a co-artistic director of NEXUS Chamber Music Chicago in Illinois, an artist-driven collective of musicians. Read more about him here.

What a weekend and — CCM faculty departures

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As usual, the spring season is packed with concerts, events and exhibitions. Last weekend, Jaap van Zweden made his first visit to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and wowed attendees with his interpretation of Mahler’s Sixth. Here’s my review of that concert on April 25.

On Sunday, I visited the new home of Cincinnati Public Radio. It was inspiring to see its halls, airy offices, performance spaces and grounds packed with people and many families enjoying food trucks and instrument petting zoos. Outside, Cincinnati Public Radio President, GM and CEO Rich Eiswerth was directing traffic. Inside, I heard Matthew Swanson lead members of the May Festival Chorus in “Everything’s Coming up Roses,” and indeed, it was.

Also last weekend, I heard a farewell concert on April 26 in Corbett Auditorium at CCM in honor of two CCM faculty members, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music Theory and Composition Miguel Roig-Francoli and Professor of Voice and Dieterle Chair of Music Karen Lykes, both retiring after careers of some 30 years each.

The opening work was Red River Variations, consisting of a theme penned by Roig-Francoli, followed by eight variations written by his colleagues and current and former students, in his honor. I marveled at the inventive and varied contributions, performed by the CCM Concert Orchestra conducted by its music director Aik Khai Pung.  It was fun to see the fine work by this orchestra, which featured in the concertmaster chair Roig-Francoli’s son, Rafael.

And how inspiring it was to hear opera soprano Joélle Harvey return to perform Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915, in honor of Karen Lykes. Harvey’s reputation has soared since graduating from CCM, with performances on the world’s most important stages, from the Met to Teatro La Fenice. I enjoyed her beauty of phrasing and expressive power. It was a sublime tribute to her teacher.

The evening ended with the orchestra’s performance of Roig-Francoli’s own Sinfonia, “De profundis,” in its North American premiere. Its four well-crafted movements ranged from highly dramatic to light and gleaming with color.

Earlier this year, I enjoyed another farewell performance. Professor of Opera Robin Guarino directed her final production at CCM, Benjamin Britten’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” before retiring at the end of this semester. Here’s the review of that enchanting performance.

In fact, eight CCM faculty members, plus one staff member, will be retiring this academic year. I’m assured that searches are currently taking place for their successors.

Here’s the list, with thanks to these superb artist-teachers, and all that they have given to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, their students and the arts community.Read More »

Louisville Orchestra’s new Principal Harpist to perform at NKU

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Grace Roepke, the newly-appointed Principal Harpist of the Louisville Orchestra, is coming to Greaves Concert Hall at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) to perform a solo recital on Wednesday, April 2 at 7:00 p.m.

Her program will include standard solo classical harp material, including J.S. Bach, Jean Cras, Marcel Grandjany, as well as contemporary Canadian composer Caroline Lizotte and more. The concert is free and open to the public.

Roepke’s playing has been described as “Impeccable fingering and footwork” by Classical Voice of North Carolina, the statewide arts journal.

Equally at home as an orchestral harpist or a soloist, Roepke has received top prizes in the Dutch World Harp Competition, The American Harp Society National Competition and the Lyon & Healy Awards.

As a soloist, she has appeared with the Minnesota Orchestra and The Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, among others. She has appeared as a Guest Principal Harpist with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Cleveland Orchestra.

Roepke also champions contemporary music. She has premiered a number of contemporary works with renowned artists, such as Yo Yo Ma and Anne Sophie Mutter. Roepke has served on the faculty of the Brevard Music Center, and has given master classes at the Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Suzuki of the Americas Conference.

Her concert is co-sponsored by Northern Kentucky University School of the Arts (SOTA), the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Harp Society,  the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), and the School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA).

The recital will take place at Greaves Concert Hall, Northern Kentucky University (NKU), 141 Fine Arts Building, 1 Louie B Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY 41076.

Admission is free, and no advance reservations are required. For more information, please visit https://www.nku.edu/academics/artsci/about/SchoolOfTheArts/news-events/music.html.

For parking options and a good campus map, please visit https://nku.edu/sotaparking

Questions can be addressed to boxoffice@nku.edu, or by calling the box office between 12-4 p.m. Monday through Friday at 859-572-5464.

CCM piano professor continues ‘WTC Project’

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Dror Biran

Dror Biran, professor of piano at CCM, will be performing all 12 Preludes and Fugues from Book II of J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier (known to pianists as WTC).

His faculty recital is 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11 in Werner Recital Hall at CCM, and it’s free.

“The WTC Project has been in the works for two years now, which resulted in recording the first book,” he told me.

The Israeli-American is a superb artist who has performed widely and won several competitions, including the Cleveland International Piano Competition (1997), where he also received a special prize for the best performance of works by Chopin. He earned a doctorate at the Cleveland Institute of Music and taught at the University of Louisville, Youngstown State University and Case Western Reserve University before joining the CCM faculty.

Performing the entire WTC Book Two is feat of concentration and intelligence, not to mention musicality. It’s bound to be memorable.