Composition, Musicology and Theory

Composition professor reviews sheet music on a piano with her student

CCM’s Division of Composition, Musicology and Theory (CMT) offers student composers, musicologists and theorists opportunities to create original works, understand the social and historical contexts of music, and develop analytical procedures.

The division places great emphasis on merging the theoretical with the practical in biennial graduate student conferences, an in-house and student-run journal (Music Research Forum), in-house and student-run journal, and the Thinking About Music lecture series featuring distinguished speakers. It serves as a resource for all music students, enriching the creative and intellectual life of CCM and of the broader university community.

Coursework for the graduate degrees in musicology (MM, PhD) and music theory (MM, PhD) is wide-ranging and rigorous, offering students a unique opportunity to pursue an academic discipline in a performance-oriented school.

The BM, MM and DMA degrees in composition include one-on-one composition lessons and ample opportunities to work with CCM ensembles and community organizations for hearings and performances.

CCM is also home to the Center for Computer Music, which offers opportunities for research and composition using technology, and the Alexander Zemlinsky Prize for Composition, a competition for young composers from around the world.

Composition Faculty

Headshot of Michael D. Fiday

Michael D. Fiday

Professor of Composition

513-556-9499

Headshot of Mara M. Helmuth

Mara M. Helmuth

Professor of Composition

Headshot of Carl Jacobson

Carl Jacobson

Adjunct Instructor of Composition

513-556-6046

Headshot of Douglas Knehans

Douglas Knehans

Norman Dinerstein Professor of Composition Scholar


Music Theory Faculty

Headshot of David Carson Berry

David Carson Berry

Professor of Music Theory

513-556-9503

Headshot of Steven Joel Cahn

Steven Joel Cahn

Professor of Music Theory

(513) 556-7820

Headshot of C. Catherine Losada

C. Catherine Losada

Professor of Music Theory

513-556-9567

Headshot of Samuel Y. Ng

Samuel Y. Ng

Professor of Music Theory

Headshot of Sam Reenan

Sam Reenan

Assistant Professor of Music Theory

Headshot of Christopher Segall

Christopher Segall

Associate Professor of Music Theory


Musicology Faculty

Headshot of Shelina Louise Brown

Shelina Louise Brown

Assistant Professor of American Music

513-556-6046

Headshot of James Feist

James Feist

Adjunct Assistant Professor

513-556-6046

Headshot of Stefan P. Fiol

Stefan P. Fiol

Professor of Ethnomusicology

513-556-9529

Headshot of Alexandra Kori  Hill

Alexandra Kori Hill

Provostal Post-Doctoral Fellow in Musicology

513-556-6046

Headshot of Damian Hoskins

Damian Hoskins

Adjunct Instructor of Musicology

513-556-5803

Headshot of Megan Steigerwald Ille

Megan Steigerwald Ille

Associate Professor of Musicology

513-556-6046

Headshot of Jonathan Kregor

Jonathan Kregor

Division Head of Composition, Musicology, and Theory; Professor of Musicology

513-556-9464

Headshot of Ailsa Lipscombe

Ailsa Lipscombe

Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology

513-556-6046

Headshot of Stephen Conrad Meyer

Stephen Conrad Meyer

Professor of Musicology

Headshot of Peter S. Poulos

Peter S. Poulos

Adjunct Instructor of Musicology

Headshot of Stanley E. Romanstein

Stanley E. Romanstein

Professor of Musicology

Headshot of Stephanie P. Schlagel

Stephanie P. Schlagel

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of Graduate Studies; Associate Professor of Musicology

Headshot of Jewel Smith

Jewel Smith

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Musicology

513-315-3207

Headshot of Kristy Swift

Kristy Swift

Assistant Professor of Music Studies

513 556 9510


Composition, Musicology and Theory Division Head and Staff

Headshot of Jonathan Kregor

Jonathan Kregor

Division Head of Composition, Musicology, and Theory; Professor of Musicology

513-556-9464

Headshot of Darlene Y. Miller

Darlene Y. Miller

Executive Staff Assistant


News and Events

1

Attend a concert or show at CCM: Fall schedule of major events...

August 19, 2025

Experience world-class performances by the next generation of performing and media artists at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM)! The college’s fall 2025 schedule of major events is now available; tickets are on sale now through the CCM Box Office.

2

Celebrating 150 years of Black classical composer Samuel...

August 18, 2025

August 15 marked the 150th birthday of celebrated Black British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. NPR did a deep dive on Coleridge-Taylor’s history, his legacy in Britain and the biases that impacted his short but robust career. NPR spoke with Sam Reenan, PhD, one of the College-Conservatory of Music’s new faculty members. Reenan, who joins the music theory faculty for the 2025-2026 academic year, spoke on Coleridge-Taylor’s legacy in Britain.

4

CCM welcomes Provostal Post-Doctoral Fellow

August 13, 2025

UC College-Conservatory of Music Dean Pete Jutras welcomes Alexandra Kori Hill as a Provostal Post-Doctoral Fellow at CCM, where she will continue her research and teach while preparing for a future faculty position. Hill will be mentored by CCM Assistant Professor of Music Studies Kristy Swift and CCM Professor of Ethnomusicology Stefan Fiol during the one-year appointment, which begins this fall.

6

CCM welcomes Maggie Perrino as Assistant Dean of Prep and...

June 30, 2025

UC College-Conservatory of Music Dean Pete Jutras recently announced the appointment of Maggie Perrino as the college's new Assistant Dean of CCM Prep and Community Engagement. In this role, Perrino will lead a team of faculty and administrative staff at CCM Prep, which offers a wide variety of programs in music, dance and the theatre arts throughout the year for people of all ages and abilities. She will also oversee CCM’s Summer Programs for youth, teens and adults. Perrino's appointment begins on June 30, 2025.

7

CCM welcomes new music theory faculty member Sam Reenan

June 6, 2025

UC College-Conservatory of Music Dean Pete Jutras has announced the appointment of Sam Reenan, PhD, as CCM's new Assistant Professor of Music Theory. His faculty appointment officially begins on Aug. 15, 2025. Reenan holds a PhD and MA in music theory from the Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester) and bachelor’s degrees in music theory and biological sciences from the University of Connecticut. As an educator, Reenan strives to facilitate students’ growth as engaged musical thinkers, communicators and respectful collaborators.

8

CCM welcomes Jessie Grant as Assistant Dean of Student Services

June 4, 2025

UC College-Conservatory of Music Dean Pete Jutras recently announced the appointment of Jessie L. Grant, PhD, as CCM's new Assistant Dean of Student Services. In this role, Grant will coordinate CCM’s academic advising program, connect students with college and university-level resources, and evaluate CCM policies and processes to better serve the college’s undergraduate and graduate students. Grant's appointment officially began on June 2, 2025.

9

Q&A: CCM Doctoral student gains accolades for innovative...

May 6, 2025

CCM congratulates Erin Alcorn (DMA Voice ‘25) for her recent first place win at UC’s GradNEXT Competition, a Shark Tank-style event where UC students pitch their ideas for how the university can reshape graduate education. In addition to her first place win, Alcorn took home the Audience Choice Prize, and will receive funding support for her dissertation project: the UC ARIA Initiative, incorporating virtual reality into art song performance.

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