Sound Design and Technology

Sound Design student sits at control panel monitoring multiple glowing monitors

CCM Sound Design’s BFA and MFA programs are guided by a hands-on philosophy and an immersive approach to industry-standard practices and technology for live entertainment.

CCM training in Sound Design and Technology starts in your first semester and continues throughout your academic program, with a comprehensive education provided in both classrooms and on production assignments custom-fit to the career you want to have. Our holistic program focuses on connecting tools with practical application, leadership and team dynamics and creative solutions to technical and artistic challenges. Our uniqueness derives from not utilizing installed sound systems in any of our three performance spaces: every show is built from the ground up, with students designing, engineering, installing, tuning, and troubleshooting each sound system. Design choices and drawing packets are reviewed by peers and faculty during design presentations.

The program features numerous production assignments in musical theatre, drama, opera and dance which may include mix engineer, production sound, wireless crew, sound operator, assistant designer and sound designer. We also offer opportunities in music composition, audio production for video, audio post-production for video and audio drama/podcast design and editing for interested students. Students also learn all the RF, networking, communications and video monitoring skills necessary for the modern live audio professional all staged in world-class spaces in the Corbett Center for the Performing Arts:

  • Corbett Auditorium (capacity: 663)
  • Patricia Corbett Theater (capacity: 378)
  • Cohen Family Studio Theater (capacity: ~120, but is flexible depending upon show)
Learn More About the BFA Program Learn More About the MFA Program

Faculty

Headshot of Emily C. Porter

Emily C. Porter, 

Assistant Professor of Audio Technology

513-556-7482

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Headshot of Matthew Daniel Tibbs

Matthew Daniel Tibbs, 

Chair of Theatre Design and Production; Assistant Professor of Sound Design

513-556-9597

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Theatre Arts, Production and Arts Administration Division Head and Staff

Headshot of Rebecca Bromels

Rebecca Bromels, 

Division Head of Theatre Arts, Production and Arts Administration (TAPAA); Chair and Associate Professor of Arts Administration

513-556-5803

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Headshot of Jen Lampson

Jen Lampson, 

TAPAA Production Manager

513-556-9439

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Headshot of Deborah Neiheisel-DeZarn

Deborah Neiheisel-DeZarn, 

TAPAA Program Manager

513-556-5803

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CCM's admissions process begins on August 1 (undergraduate) and September 1 (graduate) for entrance in the following year's fall semester. All application materials must be submitted on or before December 1 to be considered for specific scholarship awards. Visit the CCM Admissions website for additional application instructions.

Theatre Design and Production - BFA

Pre-screening

Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admission and invited for an audition.

Pre-screening Requirements
  • Current resume
  • 500-word applicant statement
    • Use the 500-word statement to express: how you came to your area of theater design and production, what you expect to gain out of the CCM experience, and what direction you intend to go upon graduation. What are your personal and professional goals and how does CCM get you closer to those goals?
  • Upload contact information for three references
  • Portfolio (include theatre, artistic, and/or craft work)
  • Theatre Design and Production questionnaire

Interview

Interview Requirements
  • Application materials, along with experiences, achievements and long-range goals will be discussed at the applicant’s interview. All applicants will interview with faculty from the Theatre Design and Production department.

Additional Information

  • Candidates should only apply to one major within Theatre Design and Production unless you are seriously considering two areas.

Theatre Design and Production - MFA

Pre-screening

Applicants must submit a graduate application by March 1 and the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before March 3 in order to request an interview with the faculty and be considered for admissions.

If you’ve participated in U/RTA you must submit the required materials (listed below) to Acceptd to be considered for admissions into CCM. 

Pre-screening Requirements
  • Current resume
  • 500-word applicant statement
    • Use the 500-word statement to express: how you came to your area of theater design and production, what you expect to gain out of the CCM experience, and what direction you intend to go upon graduation. What are your personal and professional goals and how does CCM get you closer to those goals?
  • Portfolio (include theatre, artistic, and/or craft work)

Interview

Interview Requirements
  • MFA Interviews should be coordinated and scheduled directly through the appropriate faculty. Visit the Theatre Design and Production website for the faculty directory and contact information.
  • Application materials, along with experiences, achievements and long-range goals will be discussed at the applicant’s interview. All applicants will interview with faculty from the Theatre Design and Production department.

CCM Sound has a noted track record of being a leader in connecting our students with immersive audio, providing students opportunities to work with L-Acoustics L-ISA, d&b audiotechnik Soundscape and Meyer Sound SpaceMap Go. We were the first university to accomplish this feat. Students regularly have opportunities for training through d&b and L-Acoustics. Through our involvement with USITT, faculty connections, and our alumni network, we leverage unique opportunities for our students including comp tickets to tours, “ride-alongs” behind the mixing desk on Broadway and job opportunities. 

Our students work in the industry, at times hired before graduation. CCM students boast a 94% employment or continuing education rate following graduation. Recent graduates are working in significant roles at MSG Sphere in Las Vegas, Cirque du Soleil “O,” Stereophonic on Broadway, L-Acoustics, and on current national tours.

This is a sampling of our equipment inventory. It is an ever-changing list. Each TAPAA production has a sound budget, and we regularly rent or have industry partnerships that allow us to bring in additional technologies.

  • Loudspeakers
    • A full range of large and small loudspeakers and subwoofers (and the appropriate processors/controllers) by d&b, Meyer Sound, Apogee, EV, EAW, JBL.
  • Mixing Consoles and Processors
    • DiGiCo SD10 with SD & D stage racks and T software, Yamaha CL3 with RIO stage racks, PM5D and LS9 with various expansion cards, Midas M32R with DL racks; A variety of analog consoles are also available.
    • Waves Soundgrid Server with SuperRack and various plug-in packages
    • Meyer Galileo 616 Processor
    • Aviom Personal mixing system
  • Microphones
    • A full range of wired and wireless microphones by DPA, Sennheiser, Shure, Beyerdynamic, AKG, Crown, Audix and more.
  • Playback Equipment and Computers
    • Several Mac Minis running QLab Pro Audio software either as a DANTE enabled device or with an external audio interface.
    • Audio Interface options include MOTU, Focusrite and Presonus.
    • Ipads with remote software including Meyer Compass software, d&b R1 and R10 software, DiGiCo remote, Yahama Remote, Qlab Remote.
    • Wired and Wireless networks for digital audio transmission and remote control of equipment/software.
    • SMAART v8/9 and Rational Acoustics mics for sound system tunning.
    • Sound Devices 970 for multi-track recording and playback.
  • Amplifiers
    • Power amplifiers including d&B, Crest, Crown.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Headphones, video cameras and monitors, microphone stands, keyboards, audio snakes, intercom equipment and other miscellaneous equipment by AKG, Clear-Com, RTA, Furman, Kurzweil, Mark of the Unicorn, Panasonic, Roland, Sony, TOA, Whirlwind and other manufacturers.
  • Auralex acoustic treatment
  • Roland XP-80 76-Key Keyboard
  • Yamaha P-71 Digital Piano
  • Korg minilogue xd
  • M-Audio 25-Key Controller
  • SSL Nucleus 2 Mix Surface + Channel Strips
  • Genelec studio monitors
  • Surround sound capability
  • Focusrite interface
  • Mac computer with:
  • Logic Pro X
  • Audinate Dante DVS
  • Pro Tools
  • Native Instruments Komplete
  • 3rd Party Instrument Libraries for Kontakt
  • Qlab 5

The Theatre Design and Production (TD&P) Sound Design Project Studio is a well-equipped multi-purpose laboratory and production space. It functions as a classroom for some sound courses as well as a fully functional multimedia post-production studio.

The studio is also well-stocked with sound effects collections from Sound Ideas, Hollywood Edge and other production companies as well as microphones for a variety of recording projects.

News and Events

1

CCM presents Bernstein musical 'Wonderful Town' Nov. 21-23

Event: November 21, 2024 8:00 PM

UC College-Conservatory of Music presents "Wonderful Town" on Nov. 21-23 in Corbett Auditorium. Directed by CCM Musical Theatre Professor Diane Lala, the musical features a Book by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov, Music by Leonard Bernstein, and Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Tickets are on sale now through the CCM Box Office.

2

CCM Play Series opens with Shakespeare's 'The Winter's Tale'

Event: October 3, 2024 12:00 AM

CCM's Play Series opens with William Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale", presented Oct. 3-5, 2024, in Patricia Corbett Theater. A jealous king, a betrayed queen, a lost daughter and a fairytale ending. "The Winter’s Tale" is one of Shakespeare’s great late romances, full of magic and hope. Tickets on sale now through the CCM Box Office!

3

CCM ranks in top 10 most represented colleges on Broadway

September 16, 2024

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 2023-24 season according to Playbill's coverage.

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