Alumni & Support

Your investment in CCM is an investment in our students and in securing the future of the performing and digital arts. We count on your support to further CCM’s mission and support the unique educational experiences that have earned CCM its reputation for excellence.

Whether you invest in CCM through direct donations, attending performances, sharing your time and talents or a combination of the three, thank you. Your investment in CCM is an investment in our students, faculty and in the what comes NEXT in the arts.

Alumni

CCM's dynamic and influential alumni network includes over 13,600 artists, teachers, entrepreneurs, researchers, leaders and professionals around the world. The support of our generous alumni financially, or through the donation of your time and talent provides an exceptional experience for our current students and fosters a culture of excellence at the college. 

Are you ready to engage with CCM? Find your niche as an engaged and active alumna or alumnus by coming to social events, returning to campus for a performance or master class, volunteering, networking or giving back to the college. Continue your relationship with us beyond graduation.

Learn more about upcoming ways to get involved. 


Alumni News

1

CCM alumna wins second prize at Felix Mendelssohn International...

March 11, 2024

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) alumna Chaowen Ting (MM Orchestral Conducting, ‘11) recently won second prize at the Felix Mendelssohn Conducting Competition. Held annually Karlovy Vary, in the Czech Republic, the Mendelssohn Competition draws talent from all over the world, and past awardees hold posts at major symphonies and operas in Europe, America and Asia.

2

New York Times spotlights East Coast premiere of 'Blind...

February 23, 2024

The New York Times recently featured the East Coast premiere of "Blind Injustice," an opera based on true exonerations achieved by the Ohio Innocence Project. The production opened on Feb. 16 , 2024, at Peak Performances at Montclair State University. Premiered in 2019 at Cincinnati Opera, the opera was first workshopped through Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW), a collaboration between Cincinnati Opera and UC College-Conservatory of Music.

3

UC Alumni Association names top alumni award winners to be...

February 16, 2024

Each year, the UC Alumni Association (UCAA) honors a select few of its more than 340,000 alumni based on their career accomplishments and contributions to the university and community, recognizing them during Alumni Week festivities each spring.

4

New CCM apparel available for purchase online

February 14, 2024

Show your school spirit this spring with official CCM apparel! New UC College-Conservatory of Music apparel is available for purchase online. CCM's Spring 2024 t-shirt and hoodie designs can be ordered online now through March 18, 2024.

6

CCM Bassoon and Flute alums win orchestra positions at Minnesota...

February 12, 2024

UC College-Conservatory of Music celebrates the amazing successes of recent alumni, Jessica Findley Yang (MM Bassoon, ’16) and Hannah Peterson (BM Flute, ‘12), who both won principal positions with the Minnesota Opera Orchestra in the group’s most recent auditions. This GRAMMY-nominated, Pulitzer-Prize winning group is based in Minneapolis, and boasts an impressive playbill each season.

7

CCM Voice student receives Encouragement Award at prestigious...

February 9, 2024

UC College-Conservatory of Music undergraduate Voice student Sam Dhobhany recently won the Ana Maria Martinez Encouragement Award in Houston Grand Opera’s 2024 Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. Dhobhany, a bass-baritone in the studio of Professor Ken Shaw, competed in Houston on February 2 during the “Concert of Arias,” the competition’s live-broadcasted final round.

8

CCM Voice alum named one of Yamaha’s “40 Under 40”

February 9, 2024

Yamaha honors the work of music educators with the "40 Under 40" list, highlighting young teachers and pedagogues who bring innovation to their classrooms. UC College-Conservatory of Music alumna Paulina Villarreal (DMA Voice ’18, MM Voice ‘15) made the 2024 list for her work as an Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Memphis. Her efforts to diversify the curriculum's repertoire brought important awareness to lesser-known composers from underrepresented backgrounds.

9

CCM alum Joélle Harvey featured in upcoming CSO performances

February 1, 2024

CCM alumna Joélle Harvey (BM Voice ‘07, MM Voice ‘09) will join the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the May Festival Chorus for three performances of Johannes Brahms' large-scale Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) at Cincinnati Music Hall later this month. Presented as part of Louis Langrée's final season as music director of the CSO, this large-scale work was written for orchestra and chorus with soprano and baritone soloists, and the CSO's Feb. 9-11 performances will feature Harvey as the soprano soloist, along with baritone soloist Will Liverman in his debut with the CSO.

10

CCM alumna achieves historic first in renowned military band

January 30, 2024

The UC College-Conservatory of Music has numerous alums employed by military bands all across the nation. However, one such luminary recently made history, achieving an unprecedented honor: Adrienne Doctor (BM Music Ed, ’11; MM Trumpet, ’15), the first female drum major to lead a band at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.

11

CCM student wins first place in American Prize

January 30, 2024

The UC College-Conservatory of Music is thrilled to congratulate DMA composition students Kevin Li, who was recently named the winner of the 2023 American Prize in Composition university division, and Wenbin Lyu, who was awarded 3rd place in the same competition.

12

Student-led short film premieres at Slamdance Film Festival

January 19, 2024

Hollywood may be synonymous with the film industry and big-budget blockbusters, but you can find talented filmmakers in every corner of the country. For Clark Comstock and Claire Foley, what began as a class project turned into a major opportunity — their short film "Kayla Baby" will premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival on January 22 and 24 in Park City, Utah.

14

In the News: CCM performs at New York's Carnegie Hall

January 16, 2024

UC College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) students and Broadway alumni took the stage at Carnegie Hall to present a one-night-only performance and fundraiser to help support the next generation of performing and media artists. The January 14 event honored CCM alumnus Stephen Flaherty while also raising money for CCM scholarships and educational initiatives.

16

A musical journey to Carnegie Hall

Event: January 14, 2024 7:00 PM

The CCM community is buzzing with excitement as preparations kick into high gear for what has become the most anticipated performance of the year. The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Honors Alumnus Stephen Flaherty features an all-star lineup of UC alumni alongside 100 current CCM students from musical theater, dance and orchestral studies.

18

VOTE: BroadwayWorld Awards highlight CCM excellence

December 5, 2023

Each year, the BroadwayWorld Awards honor excellence in the city’s performing arts scene. This year, the faculty and students of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) are nominated 20 times in 11 categories—including Best Musical, Best Opera, Best Choreography, Best Sound Design, and more!

19

CCM Brass Choir presents Betty Glover tribute concert on Nov. 12

November 6, 2023

CCM celebrates the legacy of trailblazing trombonist Betty Glover in a tribute concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12, at St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, Kentucky. Featuring the CCM Brass Choir, the performance features student and faculty artists, guest artists from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, alumni and more.

20

CCM presents Stephen Flaherty tribute at New York's Carnegie Hall

Event: January 14, 2024 7:00 PM

Recently dubbed by Playbill Magazine as one of Broadway’s “Big 10,” the UC College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) unites Broadway stars and current students in a one-night-only performance to honor Tony Award-winning composer Stephen Flaherty at Carnegie Hall in New York on Jan. 14, 2024.

22

Playbill: CCM ranks in top 10 most represented colleges on...

September 25, 2023

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music has once again been named as one of Playbill’s “Big 10.” Ranked as one of the top star-producing institutions in the nation, CCM was represented by at least 24 alumni performing on Broadway stages during the ’22-23 season.

23

UC Foundation president set to retire

September 18, 2023

Peter Landgren, President of the University of Cincinnati Foundation and Vice President of University Advancement, has announced his retirement. Landgren, a proud alumnus of the UC College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), has held his position since October 2017.

24

CCM Trumpet alum tours USA with 'The Book of Mormon'

August 29, 2023

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music congratulates alum Sean McKay (MM Trumpet, ‘20) on his recent appointment to "The Book of Mormon" National Tour pit orchestra. Returning after a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus, this nine-time Tony Award winning musical adds numerous new stops for its 2023-24 season.

25

CCM hosts guest lecture on large-scale tonality in rock music

Event: September 1, 2023 1:30 PM

Each semester, CCM's Thinking About Music Lecture Series welcomes distinguished experts for musical discussions and lectures that are open to the general public and free to attend. The series continues at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 1, with a presentation by CCM alum Brett Clement (PhD Music Theory, 2009), an Associate Professor of Music Theory at Ball State University. The title of Clement's talk is "Analyzing Large-Scale Tonality in Rock Music: Steady-Scale and Steady-Tonic Systems." The lecture will be presented in the Baur Room of CCM's Corbett Center for the Performing Arts.

26

CCM Media Production faculty, alumna win Emmy Awards for sports...

August 18, 2023

A faculty member and an alumna of UC College-Conservatory of Music's Media Production program won National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmys during the 2023 award cycle. Professor Joe Brackman won an Ohio Valley Emmy Award in the Director category and alumna Paula Gibson Pujol (BFA '19) won a Northwest Regional Emmy in the Sports Program, Post-Produced or Edited category.

27

CCM names Nick Photinos as new Eminent Scholar in Chamber Music

July 25, 2023

UC College-Conservatory of Music Interim Dean Jonathan Kregor has announced the addition of Nick Photinos to the college’s roster of distinguished performing and media arts faculty members. A four-time Grammy Award-winning cellist, Photinos begins his new role as CCM’s Professor of Chamber Music and Eminent Scholar on Aug. 15, 2023.

28

CCM students and alums recently win positions in orchestras,...

July 18, 2023

Auditioning for a professional ensemble can be a stressful experience. It often involves mastering or memorizing difficult repertoire, travel and multiple rounds of auditions and interviews — plus countless hours spent in practice rooms to rehearse. We celebrate the CCM stars who recently won positions with professional ensembles throughout the country! These students and recent graduates show a glimpse into the college's expanding network of professionals working and thriving in the performing arts landscape.

31

Making music and paying it forward

May 31, 2023

Newly minted University of Cincinnati alum Hayden Glasgow says the path to becoming a working artist can be challenging. Fortunately for Glasgow, CCM ’23, the generosity of others is allowing him to pursue a music career.

33

Arts Admin alumna wins Governor's Award for Arts Community...

May 9, 2023

UC College-Conservatory of Music alumna Christina Littlejohn (MA Arts Administration, '99) won the 2023 Governor's Arts Award for Arts Community Development. The awards program recognizes individuals, organizations and businesses for their outstanding contributions to the arts in Arkansas.

34

Ian Axness named Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre and...

May 2, 2023

UC College-Conservatory of Music Interim Dean Jonathan Kregor has announced the addition of Ian Axness to the college’s roster of distinguished performing and media arts faculty members. A versatile conductor, collaborative pianist and teaching artist, Axness first joined CCM’s faculty as an adjunct and guest resident music director in 2022. His new appointment as Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre and Resident Music Director will begin on Aug. 15, 2023.

35

CCM shares 2023 alumni and distinguished service awards

April 24, 2023

UC's College-Conservatory of Music is proud to present alumni and distinguished service awards to outstanding members of our community at the end of each academic year. The 2023 awards are presented to five accomplished alumni and one dedicated patron in a private virtual event as well as during the CCM's Graduation Convocation Ceremony on Friday, April 28.

36

CCM alumna Teresa Perrotta wins Met Opera Laffont Competition

April 24, 2023

CCM proudly celebrates Teresa Perrotta (MM Vocal Performance, ’19 and AD Opera Performance, ’21) and Chuanyuan Liu (AD Opera Performance, ’23), who have advanced through the district and regional levels of the prestigious Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition to reach the semifinal round, held on the Met stage in New York April 17.

37

CCM Philharmonia presents 'Mahler and the Eternal' on April 22

April 17, 2023

Join the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Philharmonia as they celebrate the close of another fantastic season with Mahler and the Eternal at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 22. Tickets are on sale now through the CCM Box Office.

38

Alumna Anita Graef named Taft Museum Duncanson...

April 11, 2023

Cincinnati’s Taft Museum has named Anita Graef (MM Cello ’19) the 2023 Duncanson Artist-in-Residence. The residency is designed to center the work of black artists from a variety of disciplines, and includes performances and educational events around the Cincinnati area. Graef, who was a CSO/CCM Diversity Fellow, will perform April 16, 21 and 29 as part of her Duncanson Residency.

41

CCM alumna Dylan Mulvaney returns to stage in Rainbow Room debut

March 27, 2023

University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Alumna Dylan Mulvaney (BFA Musical Theater, 2019) triumphantly returned to the stage on Monday, March 13 in her Rainbow Room debut. Starring in her original, one-night-only show Dylan Mulvaney’s Day 365 Live!, Mulvaney presented an 80-minure cabaret-style variety show celebration that has been lauded by industry giants such as PLAYBILL and Variety.

42

CCM alums lead new Off-Broadway musical 'Walking with Bubbles'

March 24, 2023

Walking with Bubbles, a one-woman musical opening March 31 at the AMT Theater in New York, is the culmination of years of work by talented artists. There’s something special about this production, though: it’s written, directed, designed by and starring UC College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) alumni and faculty!

43

Arts Admin alumna Kathy Wade wins Governor’s Award for the Arts...

February 10, 2023

The Ohio Arts Council selected UC College-Conservatory of Music alumna Kathy Wade (MM Arts Administration, '81) to receive a Governor’s Award for the Arts in Ohio. In recognition of their impactful and visionary leadership in Ohio’s creative sector and their sustained dedication to promoting artistic excellence, awardees will be honored during a ceremony on May 17, 2023. Each of the winners will receive an original work of art by painter Brian Robinson of Dover.

47

"30 Years of Stephen" brings Broadway to CCM on Sept. 23

Event: September 23, 2022 8:00 PM

UC’s College-Conservatory of Music is thrilled to present a spectacular evening of music and stories, featuring our incredible students and a sampling of CCM's most notable alumni. Join us for a front-row seat to the world premiere of 30 Years of Stephen: The Music of Stephen Flaherty on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 in Corbett Auditorium.

48

CCM and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra report Diversity...

August 2, 2022

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and the UC College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) are proud to announce recent successes of their CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship program. Established in 2015 and launched with a grant from The Mellon Foundation, the nationally-recognized program amplifies and supports extraordinary young string players from populations historically underrepresented in American orchestras through a specialized, two-year graduate degree-level education, professional development and mainstage performance opportunities with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Four CSO/CCM Diversity Fellows have obtained full-time positions with major American orchestras for the 2022-23 season; additional Diversity Fellows successes include careers in music education, social change and orchestral administration.

49

In Memoriam: CCM Assistant Dean Emeritus Paul Hillner

July 22, 2022

The University of Cincinnati is saddened to share news of the passing of CCM Assistant Dean Emeritus Paul Hillner. A pillar of the CCM community for more than 40 years, Hillner passed away on July 20, 2022, at the age of 70.

50

Playbill: CCM Musical Theatre alum wins Ashley Longshore...

June 28, 2022

UC College-Conservatory of Music Musical Theatre alumnus Blaine Alden Krauss is the inaugural recipient of YoungArts' The Ashley Longshore Excellence in the Arts Award. In honor of musical theatre artist Patrick B. Hale, the award aims to support to artists at all stages of their careers. Winners receive an unrestricted $25,000 award and mentorship opportunities.

51

CCM alum Avishay Shalom wins first prize at the Nikisch...

June 16, 2022

Conductor, arranger and CCM alumnus Avishay Shalom (MM Orchestral Conducting, ‘16) received first prize at the second edition of the Arthur Nikisch International Conducting Competition, which was held from June 6-11, 2022, in Bulgaria.

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