The study of music at CCM is strongly performance based. The cornerstone of all degree programs is private lessons with faculty, who serve as mentors for students and direct their individual musical, performing and teaching growth.
The curriculum emphasizes the development of the well-rounded, holistic musician by providing a solid background in music history and theory as well as areas specific to each musical medium. Undergraduate students enjoy a close collaboration with the University of Cincinnati through a general education core that supplements their education with academic course work while graduate students specialize more precisely in their chosen field.
Where performance is the primary focus, the opportunities are abundant. CCM houses almost 1,000 performances each year in state-of-the-art spaces. Each degree program culminates in at least one full, required solo recital. Students rehearse and perform frequently with over a dozen ensembles from orchestras to wind symphonies; from pit orchestras to combined choral productions; from early music to 21st-century compositions. Chamber music study is a critical element of each program, and CCM holds annual concerto and scholarship competitions. Faculty and guest artists conduct regular studio classes and master classes. The CCM Student Artist Program even helps provide students solo and chamber music opportunities throughout the Greater Cincinnati community.
A powerful network of nationally and internationally renowned teachers and performers is available to students. Our principal applied faculty include Demarre McGill and Heather Verbeck on flute, Mark Ostoich and Dwight Parry on oboe, Ronald Aufmann, Ixi Chen and Christopher Pell on clarinet; Martin Garcia and Christopher Sales on bassoon, and James Bunte, Craig Bailey, Om Srivastava and Rick VanMatre on saxophone. Our graduates are able to draw on this network as they begin their own careers as soloists, chamber musicians and players with major symphony orchestras, as well as teaching at schools and privately throughout the world.
A powerful network of nationally and internationally renowned teachers and performers is available to students. Our principal applied faculty include Denise Tryon, Elizabeth Freimuth, Karen Schneider and Margaret Tung on horn, Michael Mergen and Phil Collins on trumpet, Tim Anderson and Peter Norton on trombone, and Tim Northcut on tuba/euphonium. Our graduates are able to draw on this network as they begin their own careers as soloists, chamber musicians and players with major symphony orchestras, as well as teaching at schools and privately throughout the world.
Performance is the primary focus of the percussionist at CCM. Students participate in eight full-time ensembles as well as frequent ad hoc groups. In addition, Greater Cincinnati has a rich cultural tradition that provides a variety of freelance opportunities. Each student meets with one member of Percussion Group Cincinnati (Russell Burge or James Culley) in weekly applied lessons and interacts with the other two group members through course work, seminars, ensembles and frequent performance and master classes.
August 12, 2022
Audiences are invited to return to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s (CCM) concert halls and theaters to experience world-class performances and presentations by the next generation of performing and media artists! The college’s fall 2022 schedule of free and ticketed events is now available. Tickets go on sale beginning on Monday, Aug. 22, through the CCM Box Office website.
August 2, 2022
UC’s College-Conservatory of Music will welcome six new full-time faculty members to its roster of distinguished performing and media arts experts this fall. In addition, the college is also welcoming five current faculty members into new leadership roles for 2022-23.
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.
