Richard Miller Voice Competition and Daniel Okulitch: Honoring a Legacy of Excellence</h1> <article> <h1>Richard Miller Voice Competition and Daniel Okulitch: Honoring a Legacy of Excellence</h1> <p>srasmuss — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 18:55:04 +0000</p> <span>Richard Miller Voice Competition and Daniel Okulitch: Honoring a Legacy of Excellence</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-02-11T13:55:04-05:00" title="Tuesday, February 11, 2025 - 13:55">Tue, 02/11/2025 - 13:55</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� Conservatory’s Richard Miller Voice Competition—founded in 2023 by professor <a href="/salvatore-champagne">Salvatore Champagne '85</a> who serves as the competition director—is now in its second year. The competition shines a spotlight on exceptional high school vocal talent from across the nation. It honors the legacy of a former faculty member renowned for his contributions to vocal pedagogy. This year's event saw a remarkable turnout of talented young singers, who competed in the morning and received afternoon masterclasses from 91ֱ�� voice faculty and distinguished alumnus <a href="https://www.danielokulitch.com/">Daniel Okulitch</a>.</p> <p><a href="/news/voice-professor-daune-mahy-honored-may-12-celebration"></a>Okulitch, a world-renowned opera singer and former student of Richard Miller, returned to 91ֱ�� to lead a guest masterclass for the competition participants. His approach made the one-on-one experience deeply personal for each student. “Sometimes, very short masterclasses are like speed chess,” Okulitch says. “It rewards bold, unpredictable moves that keep the person you’re playing (against) on their toes or maybe surprise them. And that’s what shorter masterclasses are; you have to do something that will surprise them out of their habits and introduce a new idea.”</p> <p><a href="/news/oberlin-conservatory-launches-new-competition-high-school-classical-vocalists">Richard Miller</a>, whose tenure at 91ֱ�� left an indelible mark on generations of voice students and educators, was celebrated through the second annual competition and Okulitch’s participation. Miller was known internationally for his unique pedagogical approach, which focused on building strong foundational technique with undergraduate students exclusively—an approach which Miller described as “pushing baby ducks into the water.” </p> <p>On Miller’s influence, Okulitch shares, “He’s with me in every lesson that I teach,” and describing him as a “Renaissance man” whose teachings continue to resonate deeply with both teachers and students.</p> <p>Okulitch notes the distinctiveness of 91ֱ��’s Miller Competition compared to other vocal contests. He expressed his surprise and admiration for the level of talent among high school participants, many of whom he found to be on par with college-level singers. “It’s great because it attracts high-level students to 91ֱ��, and that’s ultimately what happened to me as well.” When Okulitch was 17, he attended a summer program at 91ֱ�� that was run by 91ֱ�� faculty Gerald Crawford and <a href="/news/voice-professor-daune-mahy-honored-may-12-celebration">Daun Mahy</a>.</p> <p>Reflecting on his time at 91ֱ��, Okulitch spoke about the profound friendships and professional connections he made, including fellow professional collaborators Rhiannon Giddens, Michael Preacely, and Limmie Pulliam, who were all at 91ֱ�� at the same time. He emphasized the focused, distraction-free environment of 91ֱ��, which allows students to fully develop their skills.</p> <p>The Richard Miller Voice Competition, along with the involvement of alumni like Okulitch, continues to build a bridge between past and present generations of vocalists. As Okulitch put it, “It’s a beautiful thing for Professor Champagne to create this competition and scholarship,” ensuring that Miller’s influence endures and inspires future generations of singers and teachers.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-02-11T12:00:00Z">Tue, 02/11/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">George Rogers</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3341">Conservatory Faculty</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35596">Voice</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=32971">Opera Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/salvatore-champagne" hreflang="und">Salvatore Champagne ’85</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/vocal-studies" hreflang="und">Vocal Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Omar Tells His Story</h1> <p>srasmuss — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 17:33:55 +0000</p> <span>Omar Tells His Story</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-10-11T13:33:55-04:00" title="Friday, October 11, 2024 - 13:33">Fri, 10/11/2024 - 13:33</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>As every 91ֱ�� graduate knows, you’re bound to meet fellow Obies everywhere. And the initial workshop for <em><a href="https://rhiannongiddens.com/omar">Omar</a></em>, the first opera by <a href="https://rhiannongiddens.com/">Rhiannon Giddens ’00</a>, was no exception.</p> <p>Conductor <a href="https://www.johnkennedymusic.com/">John Kennedy ’82</a> was there in New York City to witness the work in its early stages. “I said to Rhiannon, ‘You know, I went to 91ֱ�� too.’ And then a couple of the singers said they did. And she was like, ‘Man, we gotta do it at 91ֱ��,’” he says with a laugh.</p> <p>Years later, that vision will finally come true when the 91ֱ�� Orchestra and choral ensembles present a concert version of <em><a href="/events/concert-performance-omar">Omar</a></em> on December 6 and 8. The Pulitzer Prize-winning opera loosely follows the life of Omar ibn Said, a 19th-century Islamic scholar from West Africa who was enslaved in South Carolina.</p> <p>Kennedy, who conducted the work’s premiere and a later production, will lead the students and a cast of 91ֱ�� alumni soloists. Giddens herself will be among them.</p> <p>“I know it's extremely meaningful to Rhiannon that this be performed at 91ֱ��,” Kennedy says. It’s also a bit of a homecoming for himself, as he hasn’t visited campus in almost 15 years. After arriving in just a couple of weeks, he’ll rehearse with the students for more than a month to prepare for the big undertaking.</p> <p>Rather than perform <em>Omar’s Journey</em>, a truncated version of the opera scored for a small ensemble, 91ֱ�� will present the entire 170-minute work, minus the staging. Giddens, singing the role of Julie, will be joined by <a href="https://www.limmiepulliam.com/">Limmie Pulliam ’98</a>, <a href="https://www.michaelpreacely.com/">Michael Preacely ’99</a>, <a href="https://www.danielokulitch.com/">Daniel Okulitch ’99</a>, <a href="https://www.danielmcgrewtenor.com/">Daniel McGrew ’15</a>, and <a href="https://www.krystyswann.com/">Krysty Swann</a>.</p> <p>“Opera is, first, music and singing, and it's sometimes really wonderful to distill an opera just to its music and to listen to it that way,” Kennedy says. He adds that the strength of the score speaks for itself. Giddens wrote the libretto and composed the music together with Michael Abels, who also provided orchestrations.</p> <p>“I think that the two composers have accomplished something remarkable in sort of fusing the African American musical traditions that are so important to Rhiannon’s aesthetic with the idiom of opera,” Kennedy says. “To me, they're expanding what we might consider to be classical cultural traditions.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-10-11T12:00:00Z">Fri, 10/11/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Stephanie Manning '23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3449">91ֱ�� College Libraries</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2378">Allen Memorial Art Museum</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-32155" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red data-text-size-giant> <p><em>Omar</em> has a visceral and powerful impact on people."</p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-28172" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>He has especially high praise for Giddens’ gift for writing arias — “‘Omar’s Aria,’” he says, is “one of the great arias of the last hundred years” — as well as Abels’ ability to draw out different sounds from the orchestra. “There's no banjo. There's no kora. And yet the orchestra sometimes is able to evoke one in a really fantastic way.”</p> <p>Though audiences won’t hear a real kora during the opera, they can on December 7, when <a href="https://www.seckoukeita.com/">Seckou Keita</a> performs on the West African instrument as part of the <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series">Artist Recital Series</a>.</p> <p>“I've actually been an admirer of Seckou’s music even before the <em>Omar</em> opportunity came up,” says <a href="/sally-takada">Sally Takada</a>, the Conservatory’s Associate Dean of Artistic Programming and External Relations. “However, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring him for the Artist Recital Series during our <a href="/events/series/omar"><em>Omar at 91ֱ��</em></a> weekend because we wanted to present the opera in the context of all the other topics and themes it covers.”</p> <p>Two days before his performance, Keita will lead a lecture demonstration on West African music and performance practices. And that’s just one of numerous campus events that weekend open to the public.</p> <p>The Contra Dance Club will host a lesson and dance session, 91ֱ�� faculty will organize several academic panels, and the <a href="https://amam.oberlin.edu/">Allen Memorial Art Museum</a> will have a specially curated collection of works on display —as will the <a href="https://libraries.oberlin.edu/">College and Conservatory Libraries</a>. There will also be pre-and post-concert discussions around the opera’s December 8 performance at the <a href="https://case.edu/maltzcenter/calendar-events/concerts-events-silver-hall/oberlin-conservatory-music-presents-omar">Maltz Performing Arts Center in Cleveland</a>.</p> <p>Even with so much going on, <em>Omar</em> itself remains at the heart of it all. Kennedy recounts the music's effect on a singer who performed in the work’s premiere. During the first rehearsal, “he comes up to me at the break, and he goes, ‘This is the greatest opera I've ever sung in my life,’” the conductor says.</p> <p>Whether the students will react similarly remains to be seen, but Kennedy is optimistic. “I think that <em>Omar</em> has a visceral and powerful impact on people. So it would surprise me if that doesn't happen again."</p> <hr> <p>Stephanie Manning’23 completed her bassoon performance degree while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She recently returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. Her writing has appeared in The Montreal Gazette, Early Music America, and ClevelandClassical.com.</p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Jazz Vocalist Dani Assis ’23 Wins Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition</h1> <p>cstrauss — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 19:54:53 +0000</p> <span>Jazz Vocalist Dani Assis ’23 Wins Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition</span> <span><span>cstrauss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-06-04T15:54:53-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 4, 2024 - 15:54">Tue, 06/04/2024 - 15:54</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� Conservatory jazz vocal alumnus <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/3B8lUmu8J1pnoewYnqdjZ0">Dani Assis</a> ’23 is the winner of the prestigious <a href="https://www.ellafitzgeraldcompetition.org/">Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition</a>, hosted by the Blues Alley Jazz Society—Washington, D. C.’s stellar jazz club, and the second oldest jazz club in the country. The competition was founded in partnership with the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation. </p> <p>A rising star, Assis emerged from an international pool of talent in this year’s competition with vocalists from China, Belarus, Canada, Germany, Mexico, and across the United States. The theme for this year's competition was "Ella Loves Cole,” so the singers performed Cole Porter songs. In the last round of competition, Assis sang three Porter tunes: "Easy to Love," "What Is This Thing Called Love," and "It's De-Lovely." </p> <p>As reported in the announcement in <a href="https://www.allaboutjazz.com/introducing-vocalist-dani-assis">AllAboutJazz.com</a>, the competition jury was impressed by Assis for "the beautiful quality of his singing voice, his extensive range, and his exemplary improvisation skills.” He has since been making the rounds and has had interviews with major jazz publications, including an appearance on the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5XaHLD2UtTH53VXPtbLsle">JAZZIZ Podcast</a>.</p> <p>Last August, Assis released a single, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF3aKpy_8aY">"My Own Embrace,"</a> a contrafact of Miles Davis' "Blue in Green." Assis' first full album, entitled DaniEL, will be released later this August. </p> <p>Since graduating from 91ֱ�� in 2023, Assis has been performing with a number of artists, including former classmates from 91ֱ��. In May, Assis performed at Dizzy's Club (with his father Nanny Assis, Ron Carter, Tolga Bilgin, saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, pianist Helio Alves, guitarist Chico Pinheiro, and drummer Edu Ribeiro) and at Arthur's Tavern in Greenwich Village (with pianist Hyuna Park, bassist Michael O'Brien, and his 91ֱ�� classmate and drummer Noah Sherman ’23). </p> <p>Hear the performance of Assis' winning number at the Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4tRWNFxHzQ">"Easy to Love,"</a> by Cole Porter.<br> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Assis emerged from an international pool in seventh annual edition of the competition</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-06-04T12:00:00Z">Tue, 06/04/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Cathy Partlow Strauss ’84</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2389">Young Alumni</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/la-tanya-hall" hreflang="und">La Tanya Hall</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Dani Assis</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Alumni and Faculty Celebrated for Composition Achievements</h1> <p>cstrauss — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 21:44:20 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Alumni and Faculty Celebrated for Composition Achievements</span> <span><span>cstrauss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-03-05T16:44:20-05:00" title="Tuesday, March 5, 2024 - 16:44">Tue, 03/05/2024 - 16:44</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The American Academy of Arts and Letters—an honor society of artists, architects, composers, and writers—announced the 20 recipients of its <a href="https://artsandletters.org/pressrelease/2024-music-awards">2024 Awards in Music</a>. A number of 91ֱ�� Conservatory alumni and a member of the Conservatory faculty were awarded prizes or scholarships. The honor celebrates and supports both established and emerging composers. 91ֱ��’s five honorees run the gamut of these career phases.</p> <div class="grid grid--1-2 left-right"> <p>Vocal performance alumnus <a href="https://rhiannongiddens.com/">Rhiannon Giddens ’00</a> was awarded the Virgil Thomson Award of $40,000, which goes to an exceptional American composer of vocal works. Giddens work was recently recoginized with the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Music for her opera <em>Omar</em>.</p> </div> <div class="grid grid--1-2 right-left"> <p>The Benjamin H. Danks Award of $20,000, given to a composer of ensemble works was granted to double degree alumnus and composer <a href="https://www.aaronhelgeson.com/">Aaron Helgeson ’05</a> (BM in composition and BA in theater). Helgeson serves as Associate Professor of Composition and Music Theory at Montclair State University’s Cali School of Music. His music has received awards and grants from institutions like the Fromm Music Foundation, Aaron Copland Fund, Barlow Endowment, ASCAP, and American Composers Forum. Recordings of his music are available on Carrier Records, 91ֱ�� Music, and Innova Recordings.</p> </div> <div class="grid grid--1-2 left-right"> <p>91ֱ�� Conservatory composition faculty <a href="/jesse-jones">Jesse Jones</a> received the Walter Hinrichsen Award, established by the C. F. Peters Corporation for the publication of a work by an American composer. The Rome Prize- and Guggenheim-winning composer has also just <a href="https://ezraquartet.bandcamp.com/album/ezra">released a new album with his group EZRA</a>, which includes nine works written by Jones. This musician collective is focused on the creation of genre-crossing and style-inclusive new music and consists of banjo virtuoso and 91ֱ�� Conservatory composition student <a href="https://maxallard.com/">Max Allard</a>, world-renowned mandolinist Jacob Jolliff, and bassist Craig Butterfield, with Jones on guitar and keyboard instruments.</p> </div> <div class="grid grid--1-2 right-left"> <p>Composer and conductor <a href="https://www.justinweissmusic.com">Justin Weiss ’17</a> (B.M. in Music Composition with a minor in Music Theory) is currently a PhD Fellow in Composition at the University of Chicago where he studies with Augusta Read Thomas and is conductor of the university’s New Music Ensemble. He has received a Charles Ives Scholarship of $7,500.</p> </div> <div class="grid grid--1-2 left-right"> <p>Composer <a href="https://isaacsantoscomposer.wordpress.com/">Isaac Santos ’22</a>, now a PhD candidate in Princeton University’s Department of Music, also received a Charles Ives Scholarship of $7,500.</p> </div> <style type="text/css">.basic-copy .grid.grid--1-2 {; margin: 2rem 0; } .basic-copy .grid.grid--1-2.left-right { grid-template-columns: 1fr 2fr; } .basic-copy .grid.grid--1-2.right-left { grid-template-columns: 2fr 1fr; } .basic-copy .grid.grid--1-2.right-left > :first-child { grid-column: 2; grid-row: 1; } .basic-copy .grid.grid--1-2.right-left > :last-child { grid-column: 1; grid-row: 1; } .basic-copy .grid p { margin-top: 0.125rem; margin-bottom: 0; } </style></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">American Academy of Arts and Letters awards prizes and funding to four alumni and a member of the Composition Department faculty</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-03-05T12:00:00Z">Tue, 03/05/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Cathy Partlow Strauss ’84</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=33331">Composition</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35596">Voice</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35616">Conducting</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/jesse-jones" hreflang="und">Jesse Jones</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/contemporary-music" hreflang="und">Contemporary Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/music-theory" hreflang="und">Music Theory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/vocal-studies" hreflang="und">Vocal Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yevhen Gulenko</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Tyreek McDole ’23 Wins Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition</h1> <p>cstrauss — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 03:00:13 +0000</p> <span>Tyreek McDole ’23 Wins Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition</span> <span><span>cstrauss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-12-07T22:00:13-05:00" title="Thursday, December 7, 2023 - 22:00">Thu, 12/07/2023 - 22:00</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Recent 91ֱ�� Conservatory graduate <a href="https://www.tyreekmcdole.com/">Tyreek McDole ’23</a> has won the 2023 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize and a one-of-a-kind platform for embarking on a career in the music business. His performances included “September in the Rain” and two blues songs: “Lush Life” and “Every Day I Have the Blues.”</p> <p>McDole was one of the five finalists who emerged from a record number of more than 280 applicants representing 37 countries. His win marks only the second time a male vocalist has taken first prize in the contest’s 12-year history.</p> <p>Also known as “The SASSY Awards,” the competition was held on Sunday November 19 before a live audience at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and was part of the TD Bank James Moody Jazz Festival.</p> <p>Noted as one of the most anticipated events in jazz, this accolade now ranks McDole among the competition’s previous winners that include the standout artists Samara Joy (2019 winner) and Jazzmeia Horn (2013 winner).</p> <p>The <em>London Jazz News</em> review of the event praised McDole’s performance: “Clearly, McDole doesn’t just have a way with the blues; he has a sinuous and companionable way with them.”</p> <p>While at 91ֱ��, McDole was a member of the 91ֱ�� Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble. He credits his musical development to the guidance he received at 91ֱ�� from LaTanya Hall, Gary Bartz, Gerald Cannon, Eddie Henderson, Billy Hart, Dan Wall, Sullivan Fortner, and Weedie Braimah</p> <p>Originally from St. Cloud, Florida, McDole now lives and works in New York City where he has performed at the Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club, Birdland Theatre, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Minton’s Playhouse and he has collaborated with artists such as Theo Croker, Nicholas Payton, Rodney Whitaker, Russell Hall, Johnny O’Neal, Emmet Cohen, and Gary Bartz. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">McDole emerged from a record 280 applicants from 37 countries</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-12-07T12:00:00Z">Thu, 12/07/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Cathy Partlow Strauss ’84</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2360">After 91ֱ��</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/la-tanya-hall" hreflang="und">La Tanya Hall</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Tyreek McDole ’23 receives prize at 2023 Sarah Vaughan Competition.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Shakiru Bola Okoya via NJPAC</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Master Class at the Cat with Chris Eldridge ’04</h1> <p>jstrauss — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 21:11:49 +0000</p> <span>Master Class at the Cat with Chris Eldridge ’04</span> <span><span>jstrauss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-10-09T17:11:49-04:00" title="Monday, October 9, 2023 - 17:11">Mon, 10/09/2023 - 17:11</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Grammy Award-winning guitarist and singer Chris Eldridge ’04 returned to 91ֱ�� for a brief residency that included a band workshop at the Cat in the Cream on the afternoon of October 6. Two student bands, Cast-Iron Cornbread (made up of Sasha Paris-Carter, Cashel Day-Lewis, Max Allard, Francesca Neibel-Spruill, and Ellie Rui) and the Yard Salers (Jace Mason, Otto Allard, Max Allard, Katie Galt, and Eva Paddock) prepared original compositions and their takes on the classics.</p> <p>Eldridge listened and offered feedback, emphasizing the ways that conversational and unreserved expressive qualities of music can help the bands find their voices and their connections with one another. He urged them to push their limits in performance and find the extremes of their sound. “There’s something beyond just nailing pitch or rhythm,” said Eldridge, a founding member of Punch Brothers who has served as a visiting faculty member at 91ֱ��. “It’s inflection, and timbre, and arguably, the most important thing is communicating that amongst each other.”</p> <p>Eldridge’s residency also included a career Q&A presented by the Conservatory deans office and the College of Arts and Sciences’ <a href="/node/3321">musical studies</a> major.</p> <p>Drop in on the bands’ experience in these clips below.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Punch Brothers guitarist guides student bands as part of two-day residency.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-10-09T12:00:00Z">Mon, 10/09/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Genevieve Dilan</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3874">Improvisation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3714">Conservatory Professional Development</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25281">Musical Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies" hreflang="und">Musical Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Chris Eldridge ’04 offers guidance to bands onstage at the Cat in the Cream coffeehouse during a conservatory master class.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">true</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Genevieve Dilan</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id class="o-flex--video-embed"> <div class="video-embed-field-provider-vimeo video-embed-field-responsive-video"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-33583" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-cont-img-section paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images photoswipe-gallery"> <div class="o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="image-grid image-grid--single-caption pull"> <div id="obj-31741" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-image-row paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <div class="image-row"> <div class="image-row__images" data-cols="3"> <div id="obj-29937" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/202310_chriseldridge_gdilan-4.jpeg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="6240" data-pswp-height="4160"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29939" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/202310_chriseldridge_gdilan-3.jpeg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="5619" data-pswp-height="3746"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29938" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/202310_chriseldridge_gdilan-2.jpeg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="6240" data-pswp-height="4160"> </a> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <p>Scenes from the masterclass.</p> </div> <div class="figure__credit"> Photo credit: Genevieve Dilan </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <hr> <p>From left: Members of Yard Salers, fiddle player from Cast-Iron Cornbread, and members of Cast-Iron Cornbread. All of the musicians in the two bands are majoring in various disciplines in the conservatory. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-27818" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p><em>Genevieve Dilan is a fifth-year double-degree student in vocal studies and psychology. She is a correspondent for the Conservatory Communications Office.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Courtney Bryan ’04 Wins Prestigious MacArthur Fellowship</h1> <p>eburnett — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 01:09:41 +0000</p> <span>Courtney Bryan ’04 Wins Prestigious MacArthur Fellowship</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-10-03T21:09:41-04:00" title="Tuesday, October 3, 2023 - 21:09">Tue, 10/03/2023 - 21:09</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Composer and pianist <a href="https://www.courtneybryan.com/">Courtney Bryan</a>, a 2004 graduate of 91ֱ�� Conservatory whose works explore the African American experience through a range of musical and sociopolitical influences, has been awarded a MacArthur Fellowship for 2023, one of the nation’s most prestigious and lucrative honors.</p> <p>A native of New Orleans, Bryan completed a BM in <a href="/node/75916">composition</a> at 91ֱ��, an MM from Rutgers University, and an MA and DMA from Columbia University. Since 2016 she has taught at Tulane University, where she is the Albert and Linda Mintz Professor of Music. She is also composer in residence at Opera Philadelphia. Bryan’s compositions have been performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and numerous other renowned venues and festivals.</p> <p>Widely known as the “Genius Grant,” the <a href="https://www.macfound.org/programs/fellows/">MacArthur Fellowship</a> recognizes the creative contributions and potential of individuals representing disciplines across the sciences, arts, and humanities. Each fellow receives a stipend of $800,000 with no strings attached.</p> <p>Bryan becomes the 14th graduate of 91ֱ�� to be honored with a MacArthur Fellowship. She follows writer and educator <a href="/news/kiese-laymon-98-earns-macarthur-foundation-honor-2022">Kiese Laymon ’98</a>, who won in 2022, and musician <a href="/news/rhiannon-giddens-00-named-macarthur-fellow-2017">Rhiannon Giddens ’00</a>, a 2017 honoree.</p> <p>“It’s still sinking in for me,” Bryan said from the American Academy in Rome, where she is completing work made possible by a <a href="/news/courtney-bryan-04-awarded-rome-prize-composition">Rome Prize</a> awarded in 2019. Still reckoning with the news of her MacArthur honor, she said she’s not sure how she will use the award but that she’s in the early stages of “brainstorm mode.”</p> <p>“The honor of MacArthur is an affirmation of one pursuing one’s own path,” she said. “I feel affirmed and I feel grateful for my family, community, teachers, and collaborators who have helped me grow to who I am today. I also hope to use this stage of my career to see what things I can help build upon—especially in New Orleans, to further creative opportunities for other creatives.”</p> <p>Bryan’s eclectic musical interests—which include classical, jazz, spiritual, gospel, and postmodern influences—can be traced to her studies at 91ֱ��. In addition to her composition major, she studied classical and jazz piano extensively, mentored by piano professors <a href="/node/6736">Alvin Chow</a> and <a href="/node/6721">Dan Wall</a> and a host of other faculty across the conservatory and college. She was a fixture in the 91ֱ�� Jazz Ensemble throughout her time on campus and she regularly collaborates with a long list of fellow 91ֱ�� alumni musicians.</p> <p>“I remain grateful for my time at 91ֱ��: a time when I really got to explore the paths forward and to be in such a creative environment with such amazing professors and classmates,” Bryan said from Rome. “I loved my time at 91ֱ��!”</p> <p>Learn more about Bryan at <a href="https://www.courtneybryan.com/">courtneybryan.com</a>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Composer-pianist’s artistry reveals wide-ranging influences; honor is the 14th for an 91ֱ�� graduate.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-10-04T12:00:00Z">Wed, 10/04/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=29541">Piano</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=33331">Composition</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/alvin-chow" hreflang="und">Alvin Chow</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/contemporary-music" hreflang="und">Contemporary Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/keyboard-studies" hreflang="und">Keyboard Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Dolores White ’54, Composer, Educator, and Pianist, Dies at 90</h1> <p>jreinier — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 18:41:34 +0000</p> <span>Dolores White ’54, Composer, Educator, and Pianist, Dies at 90</span> <span><span>jreinier</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-03-30T14:41:34-04:00" title="Thursday, March 30, 2023 - 14:41">Thu, 03/30/2023 - 14:41</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A prolific composer, Mrs. White enjoyed a lengthy and diverse career incorporating teaching and performing into her artistic practice, while raising a family and supporting her husband, Donald, a cellist and the first Black member of the Cleveland Orchestra.</p> <p>Her music reaches into American traditions and draws on ethnic and international influences. In a <a href="/news/oberlin-conservatory-launches-dolores-54-and-donald-57-white-prize">November 2021 interview</a> for the 91ֱ�� News Center, Mrs. White said, “I’ve always thought the average person needs to know about different cultures. It’s important to have exposure to different music, different genres, and different histories.” Of her composition work, she said “I take risks, I dream big, and I use humor in my works in different ways which helps to keep my optimistic views.”</p> <p>Mrs. White was born in Chicago, Illinois. She attended Howard University for two years before transferring to 91ֱ�� Conservatory of Music where she earned her bachelor’s degree in piano performance. She later completed her master of music in both piano performance and composition at the Cleveland Institute of Music, twenty years after finishing her undergraduate degree. She pursued additional studies at The Ohio State University and The Juilliard School.</p> <p>Mrs. White held positions at several colleges, universities, and arts organizations, including College of Wooster, Hartt School of Music, Cleveland’s Karamu House, and the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College, where she served as assistant professor of music. She was also a piano instructor at the Cleveland The Music Settlement. After retiring from teaching in 2000, White continued to compose vocal and instrumental works, remaining vitally involved throughout her life.</p> <p>Her most recent visit to 91ֱ�� was in November 2021, for the occasion of the Contemporary Music Ensemble’s presentation of her work <em>Crystal Gazing</em>. She worked with the students in rehearsal and she delivered her composer’s notes from the stage at the performance in Finney Chapel.</p> <p>Mrs. White’s interests included Afro-Cuban music and dance, and African American arts, as well as the profile of women in music. She conducted numerous workshops and lectures on these topics.</p> <p>Her works have been performed by The Cleveland Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Chamber Symphony, among other artists and ensembles. Recordings of her music are on the Cleveland Chamber Symphony’s <em>The New American Scene No. 2</em>, which features <em>Crystal Gazing</em>. Her string quartet is on the Cleveland Composers’ Guild recording titled <em>Telling Tales</em> (Albany). A piano piece, <em>Toccata</em>, is included in <em>Dark Fires</em>, performed by Karen Walywn (Albany). Most recently, Rachel Barton Pine recorded her <em>Blues Dialogues</em> for solo violin on the eponymous album (Cedille).</p> <p>Her pieces have been published by Willis Music Company, Boston Music Company, Cuyahoga Community College Press, Southern Illinois University Press, and Ludwig Music Publishing Company. Mrs. White was a recipient of numerous commissions and grants from the Bascom Little Fund, American Society of Composers, and the Cleveland Women’s Symphony Orchestra. Most recently, she was honored with The Cleveland Orchestra’s 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award.</p> <p>Mrs. White was a member of the Chicago-based 6Degrees Composers and the Cleveland Composers’ Guild. She is a contributor to the book <em>Black Women in America: A Historical Encyclopedia</em> by Carlson Publishers. Both Dolores and Donald White’s biographies are in the <a href="https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/dolores-white-40">HistoryMakers Digital Archive</a>.</p> <p>In fall 2021, Mrs. White established a fund at 91ֱ��, The Dolores '54 and Donald '57 White Prize, to support student performance-based projects that elevate the Conservatory’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. 91ֱ�� Conservatory students Malcolm Bamba and Blake Logan are the first awardees of the prize and will be presenting programs on campus this spring. They were selected on the basis of their demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging—in particular their demonstration of these values in musical programming and artistic work—and their demonstrated excellence in musical performance.</p> <p>91ֱ�� Conservatory’s Dean William Quillen shares, “Dolores White was an extraordinary musician and true exemplar of the 91ֱ�� ethos. We are forever grateful to her for the many lives she touched here at 91ֱ��, and throughout the world, and express our heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones.”</p> <p>Mrs. White is survived by her daughter and 91ֱ�� Conservatory piano performance alumna Dianna White-Gould ’84 (Eric), her son Darrow White (Avanda), and three grandchildren, Alexandria, Gabrielle, and Daniel.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">A prolific composer, Mrs. White enjoyed a lengthy and diverse career incorporating teaching and performing into her artistic practice.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-03-30T12:00:00Z">Thu, 03/30/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Cathy Partlow Strauss</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� Conservatory alumna Dolores Rae (Miller) White ’54 died after a brief illness on Friday, March 24, 2023 at the Cleveland Clinic. She was 90.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2412">Obituaries</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Conducting at 91ֱ��</h1> <p>jreinier — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 21:32:05 +0000</p> <span>Conducting at 91ֱ��</span> <span><span>jreinier</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-02-17T16:32:05-05:00" title="Friday, February 17, 2023 - 16:32">Fri, 02/17/2023 - 16:32</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When <a href="https://www.mauricecohn.com/">Maurice Cohn</a> ’17 stepped off the plane to conduct the Cincinnati Symphony, he had only a few days to prepare. Strikes in France had grounded the orchestra’s regular maestro, Louis Langrée, and Cohn, 27, had been offered an opportunity to fill in for the performance of <em>Also sprach Zarathustra</em> by Richard Strauss. </p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Maurice Cohn.<br> Photo by Sylvia Elzafon. </figcaption> </figure> <p>“It was terrifying, but also extremely rewarding and a lot of fun. The Cincinnati Symphony is a truly incredible orchestra, and I felt very lucky to get the chance to work with them,” shares Cohn, who currently holds the position of assistant conductor with the Dallas Symphony. “It was a wonderful high-adrenaline, high-satisfaction musical experience.” </p> <p>And audiences and critics agreed: The <em>Cincinnati Business Courier</em> published a <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/10/22/review-substitute-steps-in-to-conduct-thrilling.html">rave review</a> of the performance, writing, “Cohn’s leadership showed depth, musicality and expressive power,” and that his “auspicious debut left me wishing to see him return for another visit, and soon.” </p> <p>But what we see during a performance is a tiny fraction of a conductor’s real work. In a way, Cohn started preparing for that concert many years ago in 91ֱ��’s conducting program, led by professor <a href="/raphael-jimenez">Raphael Jiménez</a>. </p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left"> <figcaption>Raphael Jiménez<br> Credit: John Seyfried</figcaption> </figure> <p>Jiménez advises, “I constantly tell my conducting students: Don't be fooled by watching conductors’ performances, because what you are watching is very faded.” Every small movement in a performance is just a reminder of what the conductor has already developed in rehearsal—so what might have required a big cue at first eventually just requires a wink. </p> <p>And conducting is so much more than the movements you make. Jiménez sees conducting as a service requiring a deep knowledge of the music, as well as your musicians. “You have a lot of talent in your hands, and it’s your job to get the best out of them. So you need phenomenal ears. You need to know the score extremely well. Your number one job is to listen.”</p> <p>Jiménez spends a lot of time mentoring students, such as Cohn. 91ֱ��'s conducting students start with four semesters of conducting classes, led by Jiménez as well as Professor of Music Education <a href="/jody-kerchner">Jody Kerchner</a>; <a href="/timothy-weiss">Tim Weiss</a>, the director of 91ֱ��’s Contemporary Music Ensemble; and Ben Johns and <a href="/gregory-ristow">Gregory Ristow</a>, who direct the vocal ensembles. </p> <p>The program works to develop conductors holistically, taking advantage of 91ֱ��’s well-rounded education. Jiménez shares, “Some first-year students come in and say, ‘Hey what is happening? I should be conducting now.’ But I say, you need to take a history class, you need to take music theory, and really understand the music. By sophomore year, they start to understand the huge responsibility it is to be in front of these people that trust you with their talent.”</p> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Professor Raphael Jiménez coaches conducting student Immanuel Mykyta-Chomsky during an 91ֱ�� Orchestra rehearsal. Photo by Joshua Reinier.</figcaption> </figure> <p>After finishing the sequence of classes, 91ֱ�� students receive close mentorship and real-world experience for the rest of their time as undergraduates. Conducting students assist in preparation and in performances of the conservatory’s Contemporary Music Ensemble, 91ֱ�� Orchestra, and 91ֱ�� Opera; they conduct composition students’ pieces; and they have directed wind, brass, and choral ensembles, as well as the Arts & Sciences Orchestra and productions of the 91ֱ�� Musical Theater Association. Out in the community, these students regularly serve as assistant conductors with the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra, which partners with 91ֱ��. Enterprising conducting students also find generosity among their classmates who participate in ad-hoc ensembles and they mount their own performances. </p> <p>Cohn—a double degree graduate who earned a his Conservatory bachelor's in cello performance—has a fond memory of conducting his cello professor, <a href="/darrett-adkins">Darrett Adkins</a>, when he appeared as soloist with the Arts & Sciences Orchestra—Cohn’s first big break, as the faculty conductor of the ensemble was away on sabbatical. He describes it as “one of the top three musical moments of my life: playing with [Adkins] after studying with him.” </p> <p>Mentorship continues long after students graduate. After Cohn conducted the Cincinnati Symphony, Jiménez gave his former student a call to debrief. “We’re talking all the time,” Jiménez shares. “It's something that I enjoy.”</p> <p>91ֱ��’s conducting program has produced many prominent names including <a href="https://www.robertspanomusic.com/">Robert Spano</a> ’84, <a href="https://www.oaklandsymphony.org/artist/michael-morgan/">Michael Morgan</a> ’79, <a href="https://jeannettesorrell.com/about/">Jeannette Sorrell</a> A.D. ’90, and <a href="https://www.jamesfeddeck.com/">James Feddeck</a> (B.M. ’05, M.M. ’06), to mention just a few. And, that number is growing fast. Several recent 91ֱ�� graduates, including Cohn, have received the prestigious Career Assistance Award from the Solti Foundation U.S.—Matthew Straw ’20, currently completing his master's degree at Eastman; Farkhad Khudyev ’08, director of the University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music Symphony Orchestra; and Tiffany Chang B.M., M.M. ’08, faculty at Berklee College of Music and a frequently engaged guest conductor. Benjamin Martin ’22, now studying composition at the University of Chicago, recently returned to 91ֱ�� to conduct the world premiere of <a href="/news/oberlin-opera-theater-presents-world-premiere-alice-tierney-jan-27-29-0"><em>Alice Tierney</em></a>, a new opera by Melissa Dunphy and Jacqueline Goldfinger. Many other students are studying conducting at prestigious programs, including Alan Truong ’21, one of two conductors accepted to Juilliard’s conducting program this year, and Fanye Yuan ’20, now studying at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. </p> <p>But like conducting itself, it’s not the awards that show the real work of a conductor—it’s the depth of your understanding, musicianship, and humanity. That’s what Cohn remembers so fondly about his experience at 91ֱ��. “A lot of schools will tell you they’ll help you become who you want to be. But more importantly, 91ֱ�� helps you discover the <em>kind</em> of person you want to be. It changes your mind about what you think is important, what your priorities are. That’s not something that happens everywhere.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">91ֱ��'s conducting program has produced distinguished alumni as well as up-and-coming names including Maurice Cohn '17.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-02-17T12:00:00Z">Fri, 02/17/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Joshua Reinier</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What we see a conductor do during a performance is just the tip of the iceberg—the real work starts years before.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35616">Conducting</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/raphael-jimenez" hreflang="und">Raphael Jiménez</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/conducting-and-ensembles" hreflang="und">Conducting and Ensembles</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Maurice Cohn conducting the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Sylvia Elzafon, courtesy Dallas Symphony Orchestra.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Artist Recital Series Presents ACRONYM Baroque Band</h1> <p>cstrauss — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 03:54:16 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Artist Recital Series Presents ACRONYM Baroque Band</span> <span><span>cstrauss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-11-10T22:54:16-05:00" title="Thursday, November 10, 2022 - 22:54">Thu, 11/10/2022 - 22:54</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The next concert in 91ֱ��’s Artist Recital Series line-up will be performed by the acclaimed early music ensemble ACRONYM at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 15. </p> <p>For the first time in 142 seasons, a concert on this famed series will be held in 91ֱ�� Conservatory’s Warner Concert Hall, the 496-seat stately concert hall designed by architect Minoru Yamasaki and built in 1964. The space is a primary performing venue for 91ֱ�� Conservatory programs.</p> <p>Founded in 2012 by 91ֱ�� alumni, Baroque band <a href="http://www.acronymensemble.com">ACRONYM </a>is dedicated to giving modern premieres of the wild instrumental music of the 17th century. They have released ten critically acclaimed full-length recordings since 2014. Recent projects include the first modern performances and recordings of works by Biber, Rosenmüller, and Capricornus. The band’s most recent album, <em>Cantica Obsoleta</em> (2020), features the premiere recordings of nearly-lost works from Sweden’s Düben Collection.</p> <p>ACRONYM’s founding was the direct result of a doctoral thesis project of Kivie Cahn-Lipman ’01. His experience unearthing buried manuscripts and creating an edition of the early Baroque sonatas of Johann Pezel led ultimately to the central mission of ACRONYM—to discover, transcribe, record, and give modern premieres of long-forgotten music of that era.</p> <p>For this performance, the group’s first concert on campus since early 2014, they’ll perform their imaginative program “Dreams of the Wounded Musketeer,” about a military trumpeter’s final moments as he relives the swirling music that shaped his life.</p> <p>The music used to illustrate the life and times of this fictional soldier, was written by a roster of quite well-known, and some much lesser-known, 17th-century composers, including Heinrich Biber (1644-1704), whose programmatic battle piece <em>Battalia</em>, served as inspiration for the story. </p> <p>A nine-member ensemble for this performance includes Cynthia Black, violin and viola; Kyle Miller, viola; Doug Balliett, violone; Joshua Stauffer, theorbo; and Elliot Figg, harpsichord and organ. The 91ֱ�� Conservatory alumni performing on this program include Grammy winning violinist Johanna Novom ’07, tenor viol player Cahn-Lipman, Loren Ludwig '99, bass viol, and 91ֱ��’s newly appointed <a href="/edwin-huizinga-06">Visiting Assistant Professor of Baroque Violin, Edwin Huizinga ’06</a>.</p> <p>Huizinga thrives in both Baroque and modern repertoire. He has toured throughout North America, Europe, and Asia with Tafelmusik, Opera Atelier, the Wallfisch Band, Aradia Ensemble, Apollo’s Fire, and Theater of Early Music. He has also served as guest director of the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, as a guest artist with I FURIOSI Baroque Ensemble, and as guest concertmaster with the New Dutch Academy and the Kansas City Baroque Orchestra. </p> <p>As part of this short residency, Novom and Cahn-Lipman will lead public master classes in <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/guest_master_class_johanna_novom_baroque_violin">Baroque violin</a> and <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/guest_master_class_kivie_cahn-lipman_01_baroque_cello">Baroque cello</a> for 91ֱ�� students at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, November 14.</p> <p><strong>CONCERT DETAILS</strong><br> ACRONYM<br> Tuesday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m.<br> Warner Concert Hall<br> 77 W. College St.<br>  91ֱ��, OH 44074</p> <p><strong>TICKETS</strong><br> <a href="/events/acronym_ensemble">Individual tickets</a> for ACRONYM’s performance are $35 for the general public. Discounted tickets are $30 for senior citizens, military, and 91ֱ�� College staff, faculty, and alumni. Student admission is just $10.</p> <p>They are available <a href="/events/acronym_ensemble">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase them in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College's Central Ticket Service, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p> <p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The early music ensemble will perform their imaginative program, “Dreams of the Wounded Musketeer.”</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-11-10T12:00:00Z">Thu, 11/10/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Cathy Partlow Strauss ’84</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/edwin-huizinga-06" hreflang="und">Edwin Huizinga ’06</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/historical-performance" hreflang="und">Historical Performance</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">The ACRONYM Ensemble.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jeff Weeks</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>