No Ordinary Woman: Soprano Katherine Jolly Champions New Music and Womanhood in Art Song</h1> <article> <h1>No Ordinary Woman: Soprano Katherine Jolly Champions New Music and Womanhood in Art Song</h1> <p>kviancou — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:57:34 +0000</p> <span>No Ordinary Woman: Soprano Katherine Jolly Champions New Music and Womanhood in Art Song</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-06T12:57:34-04:00" title="Monday, April 6, 2026 - 12:57">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:57</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div class="image_resized align-left media-embed-resized" style="width:235px;"> </div> <p>When creating programs for concerts or recording projects, Associate Professor of Voice <a href="/katherine-jolly">Katherine Jolly</a> creates a blend of the familiar and the challenging. In addition to teaching, the soprano is dedicated to growing an audience for art song, an intimate, Western style of composition that places poetry and music on equal footing. “I’m trying to get back to a place where art song is a normal part of life, like it used to be, rather than this obtuse, fancy thing.” </p><p>It’s with this ear for poetry that Jolly released her new album, <a href="https://www.navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6803"><em>No Ordinary Woman</em></a> (Navona Records/PARMA Recordings), in January with pianist Emily Yap Chua. This album, her first since her 2019 debut <em>Preach Sister, Preach</em>, features three song cycles that are intimate reflections on different sorts of love and on womanhood. </p><p>Two were commissioned and composed for Jolly: <em>Nikki’s Love Songs</em>, a song cycle with poetry by writer and civil rights activist Nikki Giovanni set to music by Dominic DiOrio, and <em>Love in Times of War</em>, which contains texts written and set by composer Carla Lucero. Rounding out the album is the 1997 song cycle <em>No Ordinary Woman</em> by former conservatory faculty member Gwyneth Walker, based on poems by the writer and teacher Lucille Clifton. This is the first label recording of this cycle.</p><p>“There's a lot of humor in the melodic treatments, and you can hear it in, for example, Giovanni’s ‘Good Omelet,’” Jolly says of the music on <em>No Ordinary Woman</em>. “You can also hear the humor in Walker’s ‘Homage to My Hair’ and in Lucero’s ‘Electric.’ If I'm going to present something that's a little more challenging for the audience, then there has to be at least one or two sets where people walk away singing something. My goal is to champion living composers and new works, so that we are welcoming current and future audiences to a space where we create beauty and light."</p><p>Jolly recorded the album over a joyful and intense three-day span in 91ֱ��’s Clonick Hall, with brief cat naps in between takes to stay sharp. Below, she discusses the album’s gestation and her passion for making art song accessible to all, reflecting current times and, in this case, women’s journeys. </p><p><strong>What sparked your interest in recording this album?</strong></p><p>I grew up in a highly musical and writer-conscious household. Nikki Giovanni’s book <em>Love Poems</em> came out when I was a junior in college. At the time, I thought, “Someday I want to have these set to a cycle for me.” This is really a long-term career goal and passion project for me. I have relationships with everyone involved in this album. I’m so grateful.</p><p><strong>Did you speak with Giovanni before she passed away in 2024?</strong></p><p>Yes, I reached out to Professor Giovanni in 2020 to ask for her permission to set some of her poetry. I came home one day to a handwritten card from her in the mail. I’m going to frame it; I’ve been an ardent reader and fan of hers for so long. My parents followed her work, long before I was born.</p><p>Nikki graciously affirmed that she would be honored to have some of the poems from her book, <em>Love Poems</em>, set by one of my best friends, Dominic DiOrio, and that she'd be honored if I would sing them. </p><p><strong>Which poems did you choose?</strong></p><p>This particular album is all about love. Nikki’s poetry celebrates different kinds of love—like aging love or playful love that's very sensual or even spicy. Dominic and I chose the poems that resonated with us. Everyone should have this book of poetry; there is something for everyone.</p><p><strong>Let’s talk about the second set, </strong><em><strong>No Ordinary Woman</strong></em><strong>. How did you settle on Lucille Clifton’s poetry?</strong></p><p>Soprano Kylie Kreucher ’23, a junior at the time, was accepted into the prestigious voice program at Music Academy of the West. So we were tasked with creating a program that had a meaningful theme. For Kylie, it was about female empowerment and unheard voices. So I looked for art songs across time periods that spoke to her and found Walker’s “Homage to My Hips.” It was perfect for the theme.</p><p>Then I began exploring the rest of the cycle and programmed it multiple times: on campus; with Cincinnati Song Initiative; and in guest recitals throughout the country. Women around my age or a little older waited post-recital to share about how this cycle, <em>No Ordinary Woman</em>, resonated with them. The final song in the set is really about aging gracefully. This cycle feels very much like how I want to see myself, and my students keep telling me, “Dr. J, I can just hear your laughter in these.”</p><p><strong>And the third set, </strong><em><strong>Love in Times of War?</strong></em></p><p>Carla Lucero has shaken things up in the opera world; she is a force and an incredible composer. This cycle grew out of conversations between us. A lot of what she's written is based on my personality. There are snappy sections and references to cats at the piano, and it grew into an interesting concept to think about falling in love with somebody that you didn't intend to fall in love with. Vocally and musically, it is very challenging, so I look forward to bringing it to audiences and staging it. It was designed to be operatic in scope, and we've talked about orchestrating it and making it a one-woman, one-act orchestral show. </p><p><strong>What’s next for you?</strong></p><p>I’m working on my next album already! I have had a really lovely operatic career; now, mostly I’m focused on recital and chamber works, singing with symphonies, and teaching. Not only am I still singing, I'm singing and creating. So many of my colleagues at 91ֱ�� are doing the same, juggling performing, recording, creating, and teaching. What a gift for our students and our community. What a gift for us.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">New album by 91ֱ�� associate professor of voice includes three song cycles about womanhood, femininity, and aging gracefully.</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="2026-04-06T12:00:00Z">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</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=3341">Conservatory Faculty</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=35596">Voice</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="/katherine-jolly" hreflang="und">Katherine Jolly</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-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Five Faculty Honored for Excellence in Teaching</h1> <p>eburnett — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:15:56 +0000</p> <span>Five Faculty Honored for Excellence in Teaching</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-24T11:15:56-04:00" title="Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 11:15">Tue, 03/24/2026 - 11:15</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Five 91ֱ�� faculty members have been recognized with Excellence in Teaching Awards for the 2024-25 academic year.</p><p>Presented annually, the awards recognize faculty across the college and conservatory who have demonstrated sustained and distinctive excellence in the classroom and beyond.</p><p>"The awardees represent the very best of undergraduate teaching and are deeply admired by colleagues and students alike for their mastery as pedagogues and their dedication to the learning and growth of their students,” says<a href="/node/4921"> David Kamitsuka</a>, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Their insights and mentoring will be a lifelong inspiration for their students."</p><p>Three college faculty and two conservatory faculty earn the honor each year.</p><p>“In their steadfast commitment to their students—and to all of our students—and their transformative work in and beyond the classroom and studio, these five individuals represent the highest ideals of the institution,” says Dean of the Conservatory <a href="/william-quillen" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ae2f8811-f23e-458f-87e3-6d455d557536" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="William Quillen">William Quillen</a>. “We are grateful to them for their extraordinary work and fortunate to count them as colleagues.”</p><p>A dinner reception was held March 19 at the home of President Carmen Twillie Ambar. The honorees are as follows:</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/grace-an" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3b336afb-7a55-45fc-9ebc-8a894957b3c7" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Grace An"><strong>Grace An</strong></a><br><strong>Associate Professor of French and Cinema and Media</strong><br>“Grace An is a brilliant innovator in immersive pedagogies, leading our students on transformative experiences in France,” Kamitsuka says of An, a driving force behind the popular 91ֱ�� in Paris study-away program, which launched in fall 2025. “Students literally hear, see, touch, smell, and taste French culture through her multidisciplinary advanced courses.”</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/paul-brehm" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0b425ae3-159b-4795-8db5-22eeb3e6864e" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Paul Brehm"><strong>Paul Brehm</strong></a><br><strong>Associate Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies</strong><br>“Paul Brehm is masterful in cultivating the virtuous educational circle of celebrated lectures and super-popular individual office hours,” says Kamitsuka. “He makes the study of economics into an adventure of discovery.”</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/dmitry-kouzov" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="b85376d2-ae5a-4e3d-abad-9f105194fa92" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Dmitry Kouzov"><strong>Dmitry Kouzov</strong></a><br><strong>Associate Professor of Cello</strong><br>“Dmitry Kouzov is one of the great cello pedagogues at work in the country today,” says Quillen. “In his time at 91ֱ��, he has not only cultivated an extraordinary studio; he's helped support the flourishing—artistically, personally, and more—of so many of our students through his engaging, inspiring work as a teacher and chamber music coach.” </p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="a4ff3436-3ac9-4e9b-968d-9dad71694d40" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Gunnar Kwakye"><strong>Gunnar Kwakye</strong></a><br><strong>Robert W. & Eleanor H. Biggs Associate Professor of Neuroscience</strong><br>Kamitsuka notes that an incredible 33 91ֱ�� students have served as co-authors with Gunnar Kwakye on peer-reviewed scientific publications. “And that is just the tip of the iceberg regarding his integral role in the success of his students,” the dean says. “Professor Kwakye is a living legend as a mentor for our neuroscience students.”</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/james-oleary"><strong>James O’Leary</strong></a><br><strong>Frederick R. Selch Associate Professor of Musicology</strong><br>“Jamie O’Learly is not only one of the most respected musicologists of his generation,” says Quillen; “he's also an extraordinary pedagogue, consistently transforming students' lives through his extraordinary classroom teaching, his mentorship work directing individualized research, and more.”</p><hr><p>About the Excellence in Teaching Awards: Each year, College of Arts and Sciences faculty are selected for consideration through nominations presented to the College Faculty Council, which are then reviewed by a faculty committee. An award is presented in each division of the college: arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and natural sciences and mathematics. The conservatory dean recommends a number of conservatory faculty to the Conservatory Faculty Council for consideration, and together they review and narrow the recommendations to two recipients.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Annual awards celebrate distinguished and sustained leadership across the college and conservatory.</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="2026-03-24T12:00:00Z">Tue, 03/24/2026 - 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=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4303">A&S Faculty</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=35261">Cello</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25356">French</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25351">Environmental Studies and Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25341">Economics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=28856">Musicology</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="/grace-an" hreflang="und">Grace An</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/dmitry-kouzov" hreflang="und">Dmitry Kouzov</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/james-oleary" hreflang="und">James O’Leary</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" hreflang="und">Gunnar Kwakye</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/paul-brehm" hreflang="und">Paul Brehm</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/french-and-italian" hreflang="und">French and Italian</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/economics" hreflang="und">Economics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/environmental-studies" hreflang="und">Environmental Studies and Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/strings" hreflang="und">Strings</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/musicology" hreflang="und">Musicology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Honorees were celebrated at a March 19 dinner hosted by President Carmen Twillie Ambar. Pictured from left are Dean of the Conservatory William Quillen, Paul Brehm, James O'Leary, Gunnar Kwakye, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences David Kamitsuka, and President Ambar. Not pictured: Grace An, Dmitry Kouzov.</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">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</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-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Jaron M. LeGrair Joins 91ֱ�� Conservatory Faculty as Assistant Professor of Music Theater in Voice</h1> <p>awillia2 — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:13:23 +0000</p> <span>Jaron M. LeGrair Joins 91ֱ�� Conservatory Faculty as Assistant Professor of Music Theater in Voice</span> <span><span>awillia2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-01-21T13:13:23-05:00" title="Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - 13:13">Wed, 01/21/2026 - 13:13</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Beginning in fall 2026, <a href="/jaron-legrair" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="6aa8b85a-5a75-4bb1-bd44-5fd7c76eab83" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Jaron M. LeGrair">Jaron M. LeGrair</a> will join the faculty of the 91ֱ�� Conservatory of Music full-time as assistant professor of music theater in voice. A nationally recognized voice teacher, performer, and researcher, LeGrair has served as a visiting assistant professor at 91ֱ�� since the fall of 2025.</p><p>Educated in music performance and pedagogy, LeGrair brings deep expertise in voice instruction to 91ֱ��. He has trained hundreds of singers, actors, and public speakers through his private voice studio, and his educational content engages more than 1.2 million followers worldwide on social media. Before coming to 91ֱ��, LeGrair held faculty appointments at Point Park University, Saint Mary’s College of California, Youngstown State University, and Indiana Wesleyan University. He was featured in <em>Ebony</em> magazine and was a contributing author to the<em> Vocal Athlete</em> and the <em>Choral Conductor’s Companion</em>.</p><p>“The entire 91ֱ�� music theater team is thrilled to have Jaron join us as a full-time member of our family,” says Director of Music Theater <a href="/victoria-bussert" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="cf36b3f7-a94a-452f-a17d-cc66585aa6ac" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Victoria Bussert">Victoria Bussert</a>. “Jaron combines his incredible teaching knowledge with a deep love for this art form and for his students.”</p><p><a href="/music-theater" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="56bebccd-e8e4-4ca0-bcb8-1802850ca7f2" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Music Theater">91ֱ��’s music theater program</a> represents a significant chapter in the conservatory’s long legacy of rigorous, professional training in the performing arts. Designed to prepare undergraduates for careers on Broadway and beyond, the curriculum integrates intensive study in voice, acting, and dance, with specialty courses in audition technique, on-camera acting, and a New York City showcase—all led by world-class faculty who are music theater experts and professionals working in the industry. </p><p>“Being part of 91ֱ�� has been one of the most enriching experiences of my life, so having the opportunity to continue that work in a permanent way is deeply meaningful,” LeGrair says. “From the very beginning, the music theater program felt like a place where collaboration, care, and artistic curiosity are truly valued, and that sense of alignment only deepened over time. There is a genuine sense of respect and community here that you can feel every day, and working with my voice students has become one of the highlights of my week.”</p><p>As a performer, LeGrair has collaborated with several of the nation’s most esteemed gospel choirs and performed operatic and classical repertoire with ensembles such as the Akron Symphony and Opera Columbus. An Estill Master Trainer, he has presented at conferences such as The Voice Foundation, the Pan-American Vocology Association, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and Estill Voice International.</p><p>“Jaron is an extraordinary artist and teacher,” says Dean of the Conservatory William Quillen. “His work with our students thus far has been transformative, and we are honored and delighted beyond words to welcome him to the faculty on a continuing basis.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The passionate pedagogue brings his multifaceted teaching style and experiences to his voice students.</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="2026-01-21T12:00:00Z">Wed, 01/21/2026 - 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=3341">Conservatory Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4111">Music 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="/jaron-legrair" hreflang="en">Jaron M. LeGrair</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/music-theater" hreflang="und">Music Theater</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 Jaron M. LeGrair</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-47304" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <hr><p><em><strong>Stephanie Manning ’23</strong> completed her bassoon performance degree at 91ֱ�� while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. A regular contributor to </em>ClevelandClassical.com<em>, she has also published articles with </em>Signal Cleveland, The Montreal Gazette, <em>and</em> Carnegie Hall.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Amy Lee Joins 91ֱ�� Conservatory Faculty as Associate Professor of Violin</h1> <p>azaleski — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 22:05:34 +0000</p> <span>Amy Lee Joins 91ֱ�� Conservatory Faculty as Associate Professor of Violin</span> <span><span>azaleski</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-12-03T17:05:34-05:00" title="Wednesday, December 3, 2025 - 17:05">Wed, 12/03/2025 - 17:05</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Beginning in fall 2026, Amy Lee will join the <a href="/conservatory">91ֱ�� Conservatory</a> faculty full-time as an associate professor of <a href="/violin">violin</a>. A musician praised for her expressive artistry and technical command, she is currently associate concertmaster at the Cleveland Orchestra. Since fall 2024, Lee has also been a visiting associate professor at the conservatory. </p><p>“Amy is not only a world-class artist, as her extraordinary tenure with the Cleveland Orchestra might attest—she is also a first-rate teacher, and we are thrilled beyond words that our students will have the opportunity to study with and learn from her,” says Dean of the Conservatory Bill Quillen.</p><p>“I’m deeply honored to be joining the 91ֱ�� Conservatory faculty full-time,” Lee adds. “Teaching here has been profoundly meaningful. The students are open, curious, and eager to grow, bringing a wonderful sense of possibility into the studio. What I treasure most about 91ֱ�� is its truly student-first spirit: a community that nurtures the whole artist, encouraging both individuality and excellence with remarkable care.”</p><p>Lee has appeared as a soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra many times since joining the ensemble in 2008. Notable performances include Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto at Blossom Music Center; Arvo Pärt’s Fratres featured on the orchestra’s Adella streaming platform; and Igor Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto in collaboration with the Joffrey Ballet.</p><p>A native of Seoul, South Korea, Lee made her solo debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age 15 and later earned a bachelor’s degree at the Curtis Institute of Music and a master’s degree at the Juilliard School.</p><p>In addition to her work with the Cleveland Orchestra, Lee has appeared as a soloist with orchestras throughout the United States and Europe. She was also the first-prize winner of the Irving M. Klein International String Competition and the Corpus Christi International Competition for Piano and Strings.</p><p>Lee teaches and performs at multiple summer festivals, and holds faculty positions at the Aspen Music Festival and School, Kent Blossom Music Festival, and the Ascent Music Festival. An active chamber musician, she is also a member of the Omni Quartet and Ensemble HD and a former member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Two. She also participates regularly in the Marlboro Music Festival and Strings Music Festival.</p><p>Before coming to 91ֱ��, Lee coached chamber music at the Cleveland Institute of Music and spent a decade as a violin professor at Kent State University’s Hugh A. Glauser School of Music.</p><p>"Amy Lee is a consummate professional—a wonderful musician and a passionate, committed, and dedicated teacher,” says <a href="/sibbi-bernhardsson">Sibbi Bernhardsson</a>, professor of violin and director of strings at the 91ֱ�� Conservatory. “Her values—musical excellence, hard work, performance rigor, and creating a positive learning environment—align perfectly with 91ֱ�� Conservatory's core values when it comes to educating the next generation of musicians. We are thrilled that she will be joining our faculty."</p><p>Adds Lee: “I’m thrilled to be part of shaping the future here—guiding young musicians as they discover their own voices, develop technical freedom and artistic vision, and grow with confidence and resilience. It means a great deal to me to pass down the values that have shaped my own musical life and to help the next generation carry those forward with integrity and imagination.”</p><hr><p><em>Learn more about the career and performance opportunities for students </em><a href="/violin" data-entity-type="external"><em>studying violin</em></a><em> at the 91ֱ�� Conservatory.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The renowned violinist and associate concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra brings extensive teaching and performing experience to 91ֱ��</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="2025-12-05T12:00:00Z">Fri, 12/05/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</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=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=35116">Violin</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/strings" hreflang="und">Strings</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">“I’m thrilled to be part of shaping the future here—guiding young musicians as they discover their own voices, develop technical freedom and artistic vision, and grow with confidence and resilience," says violinist Amy Lee, who's joining the conservatory faculty in fall 2026.</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">Roger Mastroianni</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-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>"The Great Comet" Starts Something New</h1> <p>srasmuss — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 20:32:10 +0000</p> <span>"The Great Comet" Starts Something New</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-11-19T15:32:10-05:00" title="Wednesday, November 19, 2025 - 15:32">Wed, 11/19/2025 - 15:32</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>That symbolism of change resonated with the director and professor, who joined the 91ֱ�� faculty this fall to launch the <a href="/music-theater" data-entity-type="external">Music Theater</a> program. “For all of us, this is a new life beginning,” she says, “and I really wanted to use that image in our inaugural production.”</p><p>No better show for that than <em>Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812</em>, which was created by Dave Malloy and adapted from a small section of Tolstoy’s famously lengthy novel. The Tony Award-winning musical follows the separate stories of the romantically conflicted Natasha and the disillusioned Pierre, combining an eclectic blend of musical genres with an intimate staging. 91ֱ��’s upcoming production will run at the Wurtzel Theater <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/search/events?search=Natasha+AND++Pierre" data-entity-type="external">December 3-7 and December 9-10</a>. </p><p>Bussert has seen almost all of <em>Great Comet</em>’s original incarnations, stretching from 2013’s tent-turned-Russian-nightclub in New York’s Meatpacking District all the way to 2016’s Broadway spectacle. “It’s been a piece that I have loved from the beginning,” she says. Once the producing rights became available, she directed a 2023 production at Great Lakes Theater—which won the Cleveland Critics Circle Award for Best Musical of the Year.</p><p>The show boasts another local connection in Malloy, who grew up in Lakewood and studied English literature and music composition at Ohio University. Malloy was actually playing piano on a cruise ship when he first stumbled upon the section of <em>War and Peace</em> that inspired him to pick up his pen and start writing. </p><p><em>Great Comet</em> “is such an incredibly smart, beautifully constructed piece,” Bussert says. Malloy took many of the lyrics from a translation of Tolstoy’s novel, adding musical influences like pop, indie rock, opera, electronic dance music, and Russian folk songs. Many of the show’s performers are expected to play instruments; in the 91ֱ�� production, both of the actors playing Pierre learned to play the accordion for the opening scene.</p><p>Why two Pierres? That’s because the eight performances will be split between the Tycho Cast and the Halley Cast. “One of the things that I'm committed to in education is constantly reinforcing the fact that there is no right way to play a role,” Bussert says. By double-casting, the students can see how the same role can be approached with two different interpretations. “I think that's what it is to be an artist. It’s not about replicating somebody else's performance or somebody else's life experience.”</p><p>Inspired by the staging of the original 2012 production, 91ֱ��’s design will bring audience members up close to the action, with seats available on all sides of Wurtzel Theater and its balconies. “I love the immersive feel of the storytelling,” Bussert says. “It’s a lot easier to stage things in the proscenium than it is to stage things in the round, but it’s also a really great experience for the students.”</p><p>Joining Bussert on the creative team is music director <a href="/matthew-webb" data-entity-type="external">Matthew Webb</a>, who also worked on the Great Lakes production. Webb, who's also an assistant professor of music theater, will conduct a small orchestra of conservatory students and a few local professionals. Choreographer <a href="/alex-sanchez" data-entity-type="external">Alex Sanchez</a>, another core member of the Music Theater faculty, brings extensive experience in the New York theater scene.</p><p>“ He has lifted the bar so high for a collegiate production,” Bussert says. “His whole aesthetic is very Broadway, so that has been an amazing experience for all of us.”</p><p>Also helping the show come together are Theater Department faculty like scenic designer Laura Carlson-Tarantowski and costume designer Tesia Benson. Bussert says that kind of collaborative spirit has been at the heart of her 91ֱ�� experience so far.</p><p>“ I've heard for years that this is a magical place. I absolutely believe it now. To be around such brilliant minds and passionate students in every area—it’s just inspiring. It’s like everybody’s artist brains are on full throttle at all times.”</p><p><strong>TICKET INFORMATION</strong><br>$15 reserved seating ($10 students)<br>Tickets are available online 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><a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=22601" data-entity-type="external">Online Box Office</a></p><p>PRODUCTION DETAILS<br>Wednesday, December 3 - Saturday, December 7, at 7:30 p.m.<br>Saturday, December 6, at 2:30 p.m.<br>Tuesday, December 9, and Wednesday, December 10, at 7:30 p.m<br>91ֱ�� College Irene and Alan Wurtzel Theater<br>67 N. Main Street<br>91ֱ��, Ohio</p><hr><p><em>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 </em>The Montreal Gazette, Early Music America, <em>and ClevelandClassical.com.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">91ֱ�� Music Theater’s inaugural production, which will run for eight performances in early December, offers an up-close view of an acclaimed musical.</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="2025-11-19T12:00:00Z">Wed, 11/19/2025 - 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="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When the characters in Leo Tolstoy’s <em>War and Peace</em> saw the Great Comet of 1812, “they thought either the world was ending or a new life was beginning,” says Professor of Music Theater <a href="/victoria-bussert" data-entity-type="external">Victoria Bussert</a>. </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=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3341">Conservatory Faculty</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-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ��’s Tim Weiss Wins 2025 Ditson Conductor’s Award</h1> <p>eburnett — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:16:01 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ��’s Tim Weiss Wins 2025 Ditson Conductor’s Award</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-10-29T10:16:01-04:00" title="Wednesday, October 29, 2025 - 10:16">Wed, 10/29/2025 - 10:16</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Professor of Conducting <a href="/timothy-weiss">Timothy Weiss</a> has joined an esteemed list of conductors recognized as champions of contemporary American music.</p><p>Weiss is the 2025 recipient of the <a href="https://ditsonfund.org/conductors-award">Alice M. Ditson Fund Conductor’s Award</a>, the oldest continuing award honoring conductors for distinguished contributions to American music. Established by Columbia University in 1945, the Ditson Award has been presented to luminaries including Leonard Bernstein, Marin Alsop, John Adams, Christoph von Dohnányi, and 91ֱ�� alumnus Robert Spano ’84.</p><p>Augusta Read Thomas, Ditson Fund Committee member and a composer whose work Weiss has frequently programmed at 91ֱ��, <a href="https://music.columbia.edu/news/tim-weiss-wins-2025-ditson-conductors-award">praised Weiss</a> for his “powerful skill and imagination for new possibilities for music.” </p><p>Thomas will present the award to Weiss in person on November 1, during the 91ֱ�� Contemporary Music Ensemble’s <a href="/events/concert-contemporary-music-ensemble-9938">concert</a> in Warner Concert Hall. He will receive $5,000 and a citation from Columbia University Interim President Claire Shipman.</p><div class="align-right"> </div> <p>“I am so honored to receive this prestigious award,” Weiss says. “It has been my great pleasure and passion to give voice to the work of living composers.”</p><p>Since 1992, Weiss has directed the Contemporary Music Ensemble and the 91ֱ�� Sinfonietta, maintaining a high level of performance and artistry across both groups. His bold programming for those ensembles—spanning a vast array of contemporary music and including numerous premieres and commissions—earned him an <a href="https://newmusicusa.org/nmbx/rewarding-the-risk-takers-ascaps-awards-for-adventurous-programming/">Adventurous Programming Award</a> from the League of American Orchestras in 2002. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Prestigious honor celebrates contributions to American music; longtime professor joins elite company.</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="2025-10-29T12:00:00Z">Wed, 10/29/2025 - 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=3341">Conservatory Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</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="/timothy-weiss" hreflang="und">Timothy Weiss</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 class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/contemporary-music" hreflang="und">Contemporary Music</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Professor of Conducting Tim Weiss, seen here leading 91ֱ��'s Contemporary Music Ensemble in a 2024 performance at Bang on a Can's Long Play Festival in New York, is a tireless advocate of new music.</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">Fadi Kheir</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-45278" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red data-text-size-giant> <p>I want to express my deepest gratitude to the composers, my colleagues, the generations of 91ֱ�� students, and the ever-curious 91ֱ�� audiences that have been on this decades-long journey with me.” <em>—Tim Weiss</em></p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-45279" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>During his 91ֱ�� tenure of more than three decades, Weiss has helped launch the ensembles eighth blackbird—winner of multiple Grammy Awards—and the International Contemporary Ensemble, and has mentored future stars in the contemporary music field. He has led 91ֱ�� students on multiple tours to Carnegie Hall and other renowned venues, and recorded numerous albums featuring CME on the 91ֱ�� Music label, including a trio of releases in 2021: <em>The 91ֱ�� Concertos</em>, <a href="/news/oberlin-music-label-presents-works-andrew-norman-juan-trigos-and-benjamin-broening"><em>Norman | Trigos | Broening</em></a>, and <em>Hartke | Ogonek | Jones</em>.</p><p>“I share this award with the 91ֱ�� community, which has always been the perfect environment for a rich, creative life,” Weiss says. “I want to express my deepest gratitude to the composers, my colleagues, the generations of 91ֱ�� students, and the ever-curious 91ֱ�� audiences that have been on this decades-long journey with me.”</p><p>“Tim Weiss has played a defining role in the musical life of our country, and it brings tremendous joy to see him recognized with this richly deserved award,” says Dean of the Conservatory <a href="/william-quillen" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ae2f8811-f23e-458f-87e3-6d455d557536" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="William Quillen">William Quillen</a>. “On a personal note, Tim is an ideal colleague, teacher, and friend, and we could not be prouder or more grateful that he's a member of the 91ֱ�� community.”</p><p>In addition to his work at 91ֱ��, Weiss heads the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble at the Aspen Music Festival and School, and the artist-driven Zohn Collective, for which he is co-director and founder. He is a regular guest of the Arctic Philharmonic Sinfonietta in Norway, where he served as artistic director for six years and received a 2024 Grammy nomination for the album <em>Missy Mazzoli: Dark with Excessive Bright</em>.</p><p>Weiss earned a Bachelor of Music in trombone performance and music education from Northwestern University, and went on to earn graduate degrees from the University of Michigan and the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, Belgium.</p><hr><p><em><strong>Stephanie Manning is a freelance writer based in Cleveland. She studied bassoon performance, arts management, and journalism at 91ֱ��.</strong></em></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Celebrating Distinguished Leadership in the College and Conservatory</h1> <p>dfrezza — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:02:47 +0000</p> <span>Celebrating Distinguished Leadership in the College and Conservatory</span> <span><span>dfrezza</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-04-30T11:02:47-04:00" title="Wednesday, April 30, 2025 - 11:02">Wed, 04/30/2025 - 11:02</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Five 91ֱ�� faculty members received Excellence in Teaching Awards for the 2023-24 academic year.</p> <p>Presented annually, the awards recognize faculty in the college and conservatory who have demonstrated distinctive excellence in pedagogy and student mentorship. </p> <p>Though they teach within widely varied disciplines, the honorees share deep dedication to students’ critical thinking and creativity. The honorees have been selected by their divisional faculty councils for their exemplary commitment to the transformative power of learning.</p> <p>A dinner reception was held April 15 at the home of President <a href="/node/48561">Carmen Twillie Ambar</a>. The honorees are as follows:</p> <p style="margin-top: 1.5rem;"><a href="/node/6491"><strong>Christie Parris</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Associate Professor of <a href="/node/3186">Sociology</a></strong></p> <p><em>“Christie is a brilliant teacher who deftly manages classroom dynamics on some of the most complex topics and difficult material in sociology,” says <a href="/node/4921">David Kamitsuka</a>, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Christie’s students thrive thanks to the rigor and creativity she brings to her classes.”</em></p> <hr> <p><a href="/node/46376"><strong>Drew Pattison</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Associate Professor of <a href="/node/35881">Bassoon</a></strong></p> <p><em>“Drew stands as one of the foremost woodwind pedagogues of his generation,” says <a href="/node/49511">Bill Quillen</a>, dean of the Conservatory. “In addition to his inspired teaching, he brings kindness and care to everything he does… We are fortunate and grateful to count him as a colleague.</em></p> <hr> <p><a href="/node/6886"><strong>Andrew Pau</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Associate Professor of <a href="/node/28876">Music Theory</a></strong></p> <p><em>“Through his consistent excellence, Andrew shapes the 91ֱ�� experience and lives of countless students from the Conservatory and College alike,” Quillen says. “He has also been integral in leading the redesign of our music theory core curriculum, ensuring that the pedagogy offered remains at the forefront nationwide.”</em></p> <hr> <p><a href="/node/6186"><strong>Jason Stalnaker</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Donald R. Longman ’32 Professor of <a href="/node/25411">Physics</a></strong></p> <p><em>“No one trains our students better in the skills of a scientist and the dispositions of an experimentalist,” Kamitsuka says. “Because of Jason, 91ֱ�� is one of only three undergraduate institutions collaborating in the Global Network of Optical Magnetometers for Exotic Physics Searches.”</em></p> <hr> <p><a href="/node/6576"><strong>Matthew Wright</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Chair and Professor of <a href="/node/70786">Theater</a></strong></p> <p><em>“Matthew is a pedagogue’s pedagogue,” Kamitsuka says. “His book </em>Crafting Character<em> not only trains our students to become brilliant actors but also illumines for them a profound way of engaging the world. He is a superb teacher of both acting and wisdom.”</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Five 91ֱ�� faculty members received Excellence in Teaching Awards.</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="2025-04-30T12:00:00Z">Wed, 04/30/2025 - 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=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4303">A&S Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3341">Conservatory Faculty</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">Scott Shaw</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-40487" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <style> .basic-copy hr { margin: 1.5rem 0; clear: both; } .basic-copy img.obj-left { margin-bottom: 1.5rem; } </style> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Welcomes Tenure-Track Faculty Members for the 2025-2026 Academic Year</h1> <p>azaleski — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:26:24 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Welcomes Tenure-Track Faculty Members for the 2025-2026 Academic Year</span> <span><span>azaleski</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-04-28T10:26:24-04:00" title="Monday, April 28, 2025 - 10:26">Mon, 04/28/2025 - 10:26</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� is pleased to welcome new tenure-track faculty members who will join the College of Arts and Sciences and Conservatory of Music next fall. These accomplished scholars and artists have pursued graduate studies at some of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions, exhibited their work in world-class museums, published groundbreaking research on various topics, and performed on many of the world's leading stages.</p> <p>“What is so wonderful about this group is the incredible range of knowledge and artistry they bring to our students and scholarly community,” says David Kamitsuka, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “91ֱ�� is unique in how deeply it excels in the Good, the True, and the Beautiful, and this extraordinary group of new faculty embody this tradition.”</p> <p>New tenure-track faculty members are also joining the Conservatory for the 2025–2026 academic year, many within the recently launched Music Theater program. “We are delighted and honored to welcome these new colleagues to the 91ֱ�� Conservatory community,” shares Bill Quillen, Dean of the Conservatory of Music. “In their devotion to artistic and scholarly excellence as well as the craft of teaching, these extraordinary colleagues will inspire students for years to come, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome them to 91ֱ��.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Scholars and performers bring world-class expertise in arts, sciences, and the humanities.</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="2025-04-29T12:00:00Z">Tue, 04/29/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</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=4303">A&S Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3341">Conservatory Faculty</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-40408" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <h2 class="small-headline" style="color: var(--darkred); margin-top: 1rem;">College of Arts and Sciences</h2> <p>The new faculty joining the College of Arts and Sciences include:</p> <h3 class="group-start">Liana Battsaligova</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies</p> <p> Liana’s teaching and research focus is on late- and post-Soviet literature and avant-gardes. She earned a PhD in Slavic languages and literatures at Yale and previously taught at Reed, Grinnell, Pomona, Middlebury, and Yale.</p> <h3 style="clear: left;">Aaron Beckner</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Psychology</p> <p> Aaron is a cognitive developmental psychologist who studies how infants and toddlers transform the landscape of their perceptual experience into learning opportunities. Through his work, he aims to understand how basic cognitive processes, like attention, learning, memory, and spatial reasoning, develop in real-world contexts. Aaron earned a PhD in psychology at the University of California, Davis, and has conducted postdoctoral research at Cornell University and the University of South Carolina.</p> <h3>Jaime Edwards</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Philosophy</p> <p> Jaime specializes in social and political philosophy and 19th- and 20th-century European thought, with a focus on personal and political freedom. His research examines external inhibitors like coercive institutions and internal ideological pressures that entrench the status quo, while promoting cosmopolitan solidarity and what this would look like. Jaime earned a PhD in philosophy from the University of Chicago, and before coming to 91ֱ�� was a law lecturer and political philosophy fellow at the University of Chicago Law School.</p> <h3>Juliana Frey-Méndez</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Theater</p> <p> Inspired by María Irene Fornés, the Iowa-born Cuban-American director, devisor, and choreographer Juliana Frey-Méndez works with Latiné playwrights to expand the theatrical canon. As a freelance artist, she directs and devises work in theaters nationwide, including FringeNYC (winner of Best Musical), La Jolla Playhouse’s WOW Festival, Cuban Cultural Center of New York, and the Riverside Theatre. Juliana studied theatre for social change at Cornell University, earned her MFA in theatre directing at UC San Diego, and was the inaugural Artist in Residence at Duke University’s Theatre Studies, exploring hybrid performance.</p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40693" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--slicer" data-text-size-large data-add-quotes> <p>It is an exciting prospect to teach poetry and language in a place where students are already tuned in to the textures of sound, nuance, and rhythm.</p> <p class="blockquote__attribution"> Liana Battsaligova, Assistant Professor, Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies </p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40403" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <h3 class="group-start">Marya Sea Kaminski</h3> <p class="professional-title">Associate Professor, Theater</p> <p> Marya Sea Kaminski is an award-winning theater artist, educator, and leader whose work merges creative vision with civic engagement. She has directed new plays, large-scale musicals, and adaptations, like an all-femme <em>Tempest</em> and a theatrical, life-sized D&D adaptation of <em>The Hobbit</em>. Marya was the co-founder of Washington Ensemble Theatre, where she directed premieres by emerging playwrights, founded Public Works Seattle and was later artistic director of Pittsburgh Public Theater. She earned an MFA at the University of Washington and previously taught at Hollins University and Cornish College.</p> <h3>Hamed Yousefi Koupai</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Art History</p> <p> Hamed’s research explores the intersection of modern and Islamic art and challenges the foundational assumption in art history that modern art is secular. His work brings Islamic philosophy and aesthetics to the center of art historical inquiries about historical and modern art. Apart from teaching and scholarship, Hamed has made numerous documentary films about the history of art as well as Islamic intellectual history, and his art-critical writings have appeared in <em>e-flux</em> and publications by the Walker Art Center. Hamed has been a pre-doctoral fellow at the Center for Advanced Studies in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and a Klarman Fellow at Cornell University and is earning a PhD in art history at Northwestern.</p> <h3>Sarah Jane Kerwin ’15</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor of English</p> <p> Sarah Jane Kerwin ’15 is a literary scholar focused on ecocriticism and 20th-century American literature, especially the U.S. West, settler colonialism, and the environment. Her teaching emphasizes syllabus diversification and encourages students to rethink literary canons through Indigenous, queer ecological, and anti-racist perspectives. Her current book project explores how transience in Western literature shapes environmental thought. Sarah Jane earned her PhD in English language and literature at the University of Michigan.</p> <h3>Alexander Kinney</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Sociology</p> <p> Alexander’s research examines how power, control, and culture shape economic and political arenas where rules are unsettled and state and non-state actors interact in complex ways. His published work has explored organizational behavior in the regulated cannabis industry, motivations for terrorism, and rationales for cryptocurrency use. Currently, Alexander is studying the privatization of punishment by investigating how telecom companies contracting with prisons commodify the carceral experience. He earned a PhD in sociology at the University of Arizona.</p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40694" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--slicer" data-text-size-large data-add-quotes> <p>I am excited to join an academic community in which providing and receiving a multi-disciplinary education in the liberal arts is still a top priority. </p> <p class="blockquote__attribution"> Hamed Yousefi Keppi, Assistant Professor, Art History </p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40404" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <h3 class="group-start">Ling-lin Ku</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Studio Art</p> <p> Ling-lin Ku is a multimedia sculptor whose studio practice merges traditional techniques with emerging technologies, resulting in sculptural installations that are materially rich, playful, and conceptually layered. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, with solo exhibitions at CUE Art Foundation (NYC), 18th Street Arts Center (LA), La Heurta Gallery (Barcelona), and Atelier 11 (Paris). She is the recipient of the Seebach Prize in Fine Art from the American Austrian Foundation, the Houston Artadia Fellowship, and the International Sculpture Center’s Innovator Award. Ling-lin earned her MFA at the University of Texas at Austin and was previously an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University.</p> <h3>Yongha (Yon) Kwon</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Business</p> <p> Yon’s research focuses on organizational design as a managerial tool for enhancing organizational learning. His work emphasizes the evolution of formally designed interaction patterns through social dynamics among individuals and challenges conventional assumptions regarding organizational design in the processes of knowledge creation, recombination, and diffusion. In addition to his research, Yon is dedicated to fostering inclusive, engaging, and meaningful learning environments. He is earning his PhD in business strategy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.</p> <h3>Anna Levett</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Comparative Literature</p> <p> Anna specializes in Mediterranean studies and global modernism, with particular interest in 20th-century French, Francophone, and Arabic literature and film. Her current book project considers the political, ethical, and historical challenges arising from surrealism’s reception in the Arab world. At 91ֱ��, she teaches translation studies, critical theory, global modernism, postcolonial studies, and Middle East and Mediterranean studies. She earned a PhD in comparative literature at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.</p> <h3>Marina Mayorski</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Jewish Studies</p> <p> Marina is a scholar of modern Jewish literature who is particularly interested in how literary translation, adaptation, and circulation shaped modern notions of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, and political belonging. She is also a translator of Ladino and Hebrew literature and is currently working on two anthologies of modern Ladino fiction from the Ottoman Empire and the Americas. Marina earned a PhD in comparative literature and Judaic studies at the University of Michigan and had a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.</p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40695" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--slicer" data-text-size-large data-add-quotes> <p>91ֱ�� is my ideal college: academically rigorous, a place where both the arts and sciences thrive, and animated by a proud tradition of progressive social engagement.</p> <p class="blockquote__attribution"> Jaime Edwards, Assistant Professor, Philosophy </p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40405" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <h3 class="group-start">Uche Okonkwo</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Creative Writing</p> <p> Uche Okonkwo’s debut book, <em>A Kind of Madness</em>, was published by Tin House in 2024. Her stories have appeared in <em>A Public Space</em>, <em>One Story</em>, the <em>Kenyon Review</em>, <em>Ploughshares</em>, <em>Zyzzyva</em>, The <em>Best American Nonrequired Reading 2019</em>, and <em>Lagos Noir</em>. She is a recipient of the George Bennett Fellowship at Phillips Exeter Academy, a Steinbeck Fellowship, a MacDowell Fellowship, and an Elizabeth George Foundation grant. Uche earned her PhD in creative writing at the University of Nebraska.</p> <h3>Minah Park</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Business</p> <p> Minah’s research aims to explore two critical areas: the formative experiences that influence entrepreneurial tendencies and the gender gap within entrepreneurship. Specifically, her research examines women who possess entrepreneurial potential or express intentions to engage in entrepreneurship, focusing on their experiences within the entrepreneurship pipeline. Minah is earning a PhD in management and human resources at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a specialty in entrepreneurship.</p> <h3>Romain Pasquer</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, French</p> <p> Romain’s research and teaching center on Francophone Literature, particularly from the Caribbean. His work explores how literature engages with the history of slavery and colonialism, drawing on postcolonial and trauma studies, as well as concepts and questions from Black studies, queer and feminist theory, literary theory, and psychoanalysis. Beyond his scholarly engagement, Romain is an active member of the psychoanalytic and research society SPIIRAL (Society for Psychoanalytic and Interdisciplinary Interventions and Research After Lacan), while his work and writings have appeared in <em>Chimères</em>, <em>Diacritics</em>, <em>Symposium </em>and<em> Francosphères</em>. Romain earned his PhD in French and Francophone studies at Cornell University and previously taught at Union College in New York.</p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40696" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--slicer" data-text-size-large data-add-quotes> <p>91ֱ�� students embody a unique blend of vibrant intellectual curiosity and creativity that will undoubtedly strengthen my own commitment to lifelong learning.</p> <p class="blockquote__attribution"> Alexander Kinney, Assistant Professor, Sociology </p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40406" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <h3 class="group-start">Maximiliano Paz</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Geosciences</p> <p> Maximiliano is a sedimentologist, ichnologist, and stratigrapher, teaching courses related to understanding sedimentary rocks and processes, paleoenvironments, paleoecology, and the evolution of life on Earth. His research focuses on the study of organic-rich mudstone (black shales) and other marine shallow and deep-water siliciclastic rocks in Argentina, China, Spain, and Canada, as well as the development of a trace-fossil database to recognize the timing of substrate colonization during Earth’s history. Maximiliano earned a PhD in geological sciences at the University of Saskatchewan.</p> <h3>Alexandra Pike</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Biology</p> <p> Alexandra is a molecular biologist who studies how proteins that bind DNA regulate the molecular machines that perform a variety of tasks in the cell. Currently, her research involves both biochemical and genetic approaches in yeast to study how single-stranded DNA binding proteins coordinate DNA replication, DNA repair, and telomere-length maintenance. Alexandra earned a PhD in cellular and molecular medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and conducted postdoctoral research at MIT before coming to 91ֱ��.</p> <h3>Briitta van Staalduinen</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor, Politics</p> <p> Briitta is a Finnish-American scholar of comparative politics in advanced democracies. Her research and teaching explore the ethnic-, racial-, and gender-based inequalities formed by changes in economies and welfare states as well as the consequences of these emerging inequalities for progressive politics in Europe and the U.S. Briitta earned a PhD in government from Harvard University and is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Cluster of Excellence “The Politics of Inequality” at the University of Konstanz.</p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40407" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <h2 class="small-headline" style="color: var(--darkred); margin-top: 1rem;">Conservatory of Music</h2> <p>The tenure-track faculty joining the Conservatory faculty for the 2025-2026 academic year include:</p> <h3 class="group-start">Colin Briskey</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor of Music Theater (Voice)</p> <p> Colin is an innovative, evidence-based voice teacher and storyteller who collaborates with students to craft a singing technique that is flexible, authentic, and empowering. His research interests include tessitura in musical theatre, acoustically mapping belting strategies, and the intersection of gender and musical theatre voice. Outside of academia, he works with Theatre Major, collaborating with the team to present audition and vocal health master classes at The REACH at the Kennedy Center. Colin earned a bachelor’s degree in music theatre at Oklahoma City University and an MFA in musical theatre vocal pedagogy from Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Before joining the faculty at 91ֱ�� Conservatory, Colin served on the voice faculty at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory, working with their music theater program.</p> <h3>Victoria (Vicky) Bussert</h3> <p class="professional-title">Professor of Music Theater</p> <p> Vicky has directed more than 400 shows on prominent stages across three continents, including 38 seasons at Cleveland’s Great Lakes Theater and 17 at Idaho Shakespeare Festival, acting as resident director for the sister companies. Her national work includes productions at the Manhattan Theatre Club, York Theatre, Goodspeed Opera, Playhouse Square, Portland Stage, Dallas Theater Center, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Anchorage Opera. She has long balanced her award-winning directing career with her role as an educator, serving as director of music theater at Baldwin Wallace University for 27 years. Her many accolades include a 2019 Cleveland Arts Prize for theater and dance, where the jury praised her directing and teaching, and Music School Central naming her one of the 10 Legendary Music Professors Teaching Today.</p> <h3>Martha Guth ’98</h3> <p class="professional-title">Associate Professor of Voice</p> <p> A Juno-nominated soprano for <em>Summer Night</em>, a disc of songs by Healy Willan, Martha regularly presents concerts and recitals at major venues, including Wigmore Hall, Lincoln Center, the National Cathedral, Ravinia, Oxford International Song Festival, and Leeds Lieder. As a young artist she won first prize at both the Wigmore Hall International Song Competition and the Concours Musical International de Montréal, launching a performance career specializing in concert and art song. Her deep interest in art song led her to co-found Sparks & Wiry Cries with pianist Erika Switzer, a non-profit spanning publication, live performance, and commission of new works which have been premiered at venues such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Prior to returning to the 91ֱ�� Conservatory of Music, Martha was an assistant professor of voice at Ithaca College. She earned a master’s in music at Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and a doctor in musical arts from the University of Michigan.</p> <h3>Gregory Harrell</h3> <p class="professional-title">Associate Professor of Music Theater (Voice)</p> <p> Gregory is an accomplished performer, teacher, vocal director, and arranger. His students have performed in over 40 productions on Broadway, as well as London’s West End, Off-Broadway, national and international tours, film/TV, and regional theaters. As a music theater artist, Gregory has performed Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theater, York Theater, Playwright Horizons, Beckett Theater, numerous NY cabaret venues, and major regional theaters across the U.S. As an operatic baritone, he has sung at New York City Opera (10 years), Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall, and the Kennedy Center. Gregory’s recent teaching experience includes ten years as a faculty member in the voice department of Baldwin Wallace University and master classes throughout Southeast Asia. For the past seven years, he has studied and worked with top K-pop voice teachers and performers in South Korea.</p> <p> </p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40697" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--slicer" data-text-size-large data-add-quotes> <p>91ֱ��’s investment in the space and specialized faculty for music theater is remarkable. To me, it demonstrates an unwavering commitment to both the field and the next generation of music theater professionals. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it.</p> <p class="blockquote__attribution"> Victoria (Vicky) Bussert, Professor of Music Theater </p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40409" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <h3 class="group-start"><span id="cke_bm_6633S" style="display: none;"> </span>Lauren Marousek</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor of Music Theater</p> <p>An artist, choreographer, and teacher, Lauren Marousek has trained for over 20 years in various dance disciplines. Her professional choreographic credits include productions at Beck Center for the Arts, the Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center, Baldwin Wallace University, Playhouse Square, and Cleveland Musical Theater. She is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and ran her own private dance and acting training business in Pennsylvania before becoming an adjunct faculty member at Baldwin Wallace’s Theater and Dance department. She earned a BFA in acting with a dance minor from Baldwin Wallace University and is currently enrolled in the University of Idaho’s MFA in Theatre Arts program.</p> <h3>Cassie Okenka</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor of Music Theater</p> <p> Cassie is a dedicated vocal educator and has been a Broadway performer for over a decade. As a performer, she was an original Broadway company member of <em>Bonnie and Clyde</em> and <em>School of Rock</em> and performed as Glinda in the first national tour of <em>Wicked</em>. Her private studio has produced clients performing on Broadway and in national tours, including <em>Suffs</em>, <em>Death Becomes Her</em>, <em>Shucked</em>, <em>Beetlejuice</em>, and <em>School of Rock</em>. As a vocal educator, she has taught in the BFA musical theatre program at Marymount Manhattan College and the BA musical theatre concentration at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. She earned a bachelor’s of music in music theatre from Baldwin Wallace University-Conservatory of Music and a certification of distinction in vocal pedagogy from Boston Conservatory at Berklee.</p> <h3>Luis Perdomo</h3> <p class="professional-title">Associate Professor of Jazz Piano</p> <p>Grammy-winning pianist Luis Perdomo has released nine critically acclaimed recordings as a leader, and has appeared on over 250 recordings as a sideman. He has performed and recorded with artists such as Ravi Coltrane, David Gilmore, Jerry Bergonzi, Don Byron, Tom Harrell, Brian Lynch, Ray Barretto, Henry Threadgill, Ralph Irizarry, and David Sanchez, among others. Luis is a founding member of the Miguel Zenón Quartet and his collaboration “El Arte del Bolero,” a duo recording with Zenón, was nominated for both a Grammy and a Latin Grammy in 2022. The group’s follow up album, <em>El Arte del Bolero Vol 2</em>, received the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Record. A native of Venezuela, Perdomo earned a bachelor's degree at the Manhattan School of Music and a master's degree at Queens College. He’s taught at Queens College, The New School, and MIT, and before coming to 91ֱ�� spent four years as a professor of ensembles and piano at Berklee College of Music.</p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40700" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--slicer" data-text-size-large data-add-quotes> <p>As an alum of the Conservatory, returning feels like a full circle moment. I could not be more honored or excited to join such fantastic new colleagues as we help mentor the next generation students who will keep changing the world.</p> <p class="blockquote__attribution"> Martha Guth ’98, Associate Professor of Voice </p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40417" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <h3><span id="cke_bm_7131S" style="display: none;"> </span>Alex Sanchez</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor of Music Theater</p> <p> Alex Sanchez is an award-winning, New York City-based choreographer, director, and educator. As an active theater artist, Alex brings to 91ֱ�� the unique perspective of working with the greats who shaped the industry, and a keen understanding of the skills required to succeed in today’s Broadway and regional theater. Alex has performed in ten Broadway shows and was in the original cast of <em>Fosse</em>, <em>The Red Shoes</em>, <em>Carousel LTC revival</em>, <em>Big the Musical</em>, <em>Follies Roundabout Theater Revival</em>, <em>Chitty Chitty Bang Bang</em>, and <em>Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life</em>. As a musical stager on Broadway his credits include Paradise Square, which won a Tony Award and earned ten nominations. During the course of his career, he’s also collaborated with The MET Opera, Lincoln Center Theatre, The Public Theatre, Playwrights Horizon, and numerous regional theaters.</p> <h3>Eli Stine ’14</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor of Computer Music and Digital Arts</p> <p> Eli is a media artist and software engineer who explores electroacoustic sound, multimedia, and collaboration between disciplines. His work has been programmed globally and includes, <em>Where Water Meets Memory</em>, which was a finalist for the 2022 Métamorphoses International Acousmatic Composition Contest. Eli performed electronics on composer George Lewis’ 2021 album <em>The Recombinant Trilogy</em>, on I Care If You Listen, in <em>The Wire</em>, and in February 2021’s Best of Bandcamp. Eli earned his PhD and master’s in composition and computer technologies, University of Virginia.</p> <h3><span id="cke_bm_1678S" style="display: none;"> </span>Carlos Pérez Tabares</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor of Music Theory</p> <p> Carlos’s research interests include early-ottocento Italian opera, form, rhythm and meter, and jazz. Originally from Venezuela, he earned a bachelor’s in music in composition and a master’s of music in music theory from the Mannes School of Music. Carlos is earning his PhD in Music Theory at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance.</p> <h3>Matthew Webb</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor of Music Theater</p> <p> Matthew Webb is a resident designer at Great Lakes Theater, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, and Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. His has credits as a music director (<em>Into the Woods</em>; <em>Little Shop of Horrors</em>; <em>Mamma Mia</em>; <em>The Music Man</em>; <em>Beehive</em>; <em>Forever Plaid</em>; <em>The Fantasticks</em>; <em>Sweeney Todd</em>; <em>Guys & Dolls</em>; and <em>Cabaret</em>) and sound designer/composer (<em>The Merry Wives of Windsor</em>; <em>As You Like It</em>; <em>Much Ado About Nothing</em>; <em>The Taming of the Shrew</em>; <em>Macbeth</em>; <em>Hamlet</em>) He has also worked at several other theaters across the world, including The Irish Repertory Theatre, Tokyu Theatre Orb, New World Stages, Kansas City Starlight, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Ars Nova, Village Theatre, and American Folklore Theatre. Webb’s educational theater credits include the educational premieres of <em>Kinky Boots</em> and <em>The Phantom of the Opera</em>.</p> <h3>Laura Welsh</h3> <p class="professional-title">Assistant Professor of Music Theater</p> <p> Laura Welsh has been working professionally across the country for 20 years. Notable roles include Beatrice in <em>Much Ado About Nothing</em>, Elizabeth Bennet in <em>Pride and Prejudice</em>, Rosie in <em>Mamma Mia!</em>, Viola in <em>Twelfth Night</em>, and Cassius in <em>Julius Caesar</em>. Her educational directing credits include <em>Measure for Measure</em>, <em>Bare</em>, <em>Troilus and Cressida</em>, <em>Breach</em>, <em>Henry VI: Part 1</em>, <em>Henry VI: Part 2</em>, and <em>Richard III</em>. After earning her undergraduate degree at Baldwin Wallace University and her master’s degree at the Theater School at DePaul, she became a company member with Great Lakes Theater and its sister companies, the Idaho Shakespeare Festival and the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. She was the first woman in the company’s history to play the title role in <em>Hamlet</em>.</p> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40418" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <style> h3 { clear: left } .basic-copy p + h3:not(.group-start) { margin-top: 0; padding-top: 2rem; } .basic-copy .professional-title { font-size: 1rem } img.obj-left { margin-bottom: 1rem; } </style> </div> </div> </div> </article> <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>Peter Takács—A Half-Century Celebrated</h1> <p>cstrauss — Sun, 05 May 2024 04:01:47 +0000</p> <span>Peter Takács—A Half-Century Celebrated</span> <span><span>cstrauss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-05-05T00:01:47-04:00" title="Sunday, May 5, 2024 - 00:01">Sun, 05/05/2024 - 00:01</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><a href="https://www.petertakacspianist.com/">Peter Takács</a> may be retiring from 91ֱ��, but that doesn’t mean he’ll stop coming to campus anytime soon.</p> <p>“They can’t get rid of me quite so easily,” the piano professor says, with a knowing smile. After all, he and his wife live in town, and there are still performances and recording sessions to look forward to.</p> <p>Still, this spring marks the official conclusion of Takács’ tenure, after an incredible 48 years of teaching. Many of his former students from around the world are set to convene— either live or via video—for a <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/concert-a-celebration-of-peter-takacs">celebratory concert in Warner Concert Hall on May 12</a>. A reception and <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/piano-play-a-thon-celebrating-peter-takacs">Piano Play-a-thon</a> will round out the festivities that day.</p> <p>Born in Bucharest, Romania, Takács studied piano in France and the United States before accepting his teaching job at 91ֱ�� in 1976. Described by the <em>New York Times </em>as “a marvelous pianist,” he has performed and given master classes around the world.</p> <p>Even in the midst of his 91ֱ�� career, Takács performed 15 to 20 concerts in a typical year, which he said “contributed to my teaching by always keeping me on my toes, musically speaking.” His student <a href="http://www.spencermyer.com">Spencer Myer '00</a>, now an associate professor at Indiana University, says he has a new appreciation for the challenges of juggling teaching with performing. </p> <p>“I'm excited for him in that he can invest more time in practicing, performing, and doing his passion projects,” Myer said. “It’s definitely not an end—it’s a new chapter. So there’s a lot to celebrate.”</p> <p>Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90 is Myer’s chosen repertoire for the celebration concert. It’s a fitting tribute, as Takács is a well-known Beethoven interpreter. His recording of the complete piano sonatas—released in 2011 and <a href="/news/peter-takacs-complete-beethoven-sonatas-reissued-cambria-label">reissued</a> in 2021—made him the first pianist to release them all in a single volume.</p> <p>“I think he’s just the perfect person and musician and pianist for Beethoven,” Myer said.</p> <p>At 91ֱ��, the <a href="/news/ho-ting-kelvin-tang-earns-2021-takacs-beethoven-piano-prize">Peter Takács Beethoven Prize</a> was established in fall 2019 to celebrate his teaching legacy and lifelong dedication to the composer.</p> <p>Myer had initially come to 91ֱ�� to study with Joseph Schwartz, who retired after his first two years. But Myer felt drawn to Takács because they were of similar musical minds.</p> <p>“He just loves nothing more than to live and breathe and talk about music. I definitely share that with him,” Myer said. “So the connection was there, and I knew that transition from one teacher to another would be totally seamless.”</p> <p>During a recent conversation, Takács touched on the highlights of his teaching career, the legacy of his students, and what comes next.</p> <p><strong>You started at 91ֱ�� more than four decades ago. Could you paint a picture of your first few years?</strong></p> <p>In the early days, I was kind of eager to do just about anything that anybody wanted me to do. You know how it is when you’re young, right? Those were the heady early days of doing difficult contemporary music. And you know, I must say that over the years I’ve retired from that literature and gone to what I love, which is the classics.</p> <p><strong>Any favorite memories from that time?</strong></p> <p>Olivier Messiaen was here in 1978, and I played a piece called Oiseaux exotiques. There's a cadenza for piano, and I made some kind of gesture and I knocked my glasses off. And I just kind of leaned down, picked them off the floor, put them back on and just kept playing. People still remember that—it was an exciting performance.</p> <p><strong>How are you feeling about retirement, has it sunk in yet?</strong></p> <p>There are going to be some adjustments, of course. But last year I was teaching at two thirds, and this year I’m at half. So it’s not completely cold turkey. I feel good about it—I’m still performing and I have some recording plans for the next couple of years, so I’ll definitely keep active.</p> <p><strong>What kind of recording projects are in the works?</strong></p> <p>I’ve already recorded five of Beethoven’s violin sonatas, and the next five are planned for next year. It’s been really exciting—with editing these days, you can do anything you want. The latest violin sonata is in the process of being edited, and it’s fun to see if you can find that perfect take that can fill a gap.</p> <p><strong>You’ll be playing in the celebration concert together with one of your former students, conductor Robert Spano. How did that come about?</strong></p> <p>Bob and I are friends, and he’s writing a piece for us for piano four hands. The working title is Benediction, so that has a ring to it. He said it’s a combination of Arvo Pärt and Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite. So he wants it to be kind of simple and maybe sort of childlike in some ways.</p> <p>I’m very touched that he’s coming and I’m touched by everyone that’s coming. There’s maybe 40 studio alumni who are coming that day, including the performers. They’re all exceptional.</p> <p><strong>Are there any shared attributes that you see among your students?</strong></p> <p>There are some things that are very important to me. It’s kind of a combination of intellectual analysis and emotional involvement with the music. And I think I hear that in my students. I have some who still write to me and say, “I found the perfect phrasing for a certain section of a piece—it took me like a week to figure it out, but I finally did it.” So it’s very rewarding to hear that my legacy is still out there.</p> <p><strong>What’s your favorite 91ֱ�� venue?</strong></p> <p>I think Finney Chapel is a treasure—really beautiful acoustics. There have been events there that linger in the memory. One of them was when Simon Rattle came and conducted Mahler 4 in Finney. The place was completely electric—it was packed to the gills.</p> <p>My concert with Robert Spano was another one of those electric moments, but I was on stage. The orchestra was on its toes and the audience was pretty full—big ovation at the end and all that. </p> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Peter Takács with Robert Spano after their December 2021 performance of Beethoven's third piano concerto with the 91ֱ�� Orchestra.</figcaption> </figure> <p><strong>Any non-musical hobbies you’re excited to have more time for?</strong></p> <p>I’m kind of an addicted puzzle solver. I do the <em>New York Times</em> crossword, the Spelling Bee, and Wordle. I would love to get in better shape, that would be nice. And we’ll do some traveling. There’s a lot of exciting things that I’m planning to do when I have more time.</p> <p><strong>Any final thoughts about your time at 91ֱ��?</strong></p> <p>I'd like to say that 91ֱ��'s been an ideal place to be. I have incredibly stimulating colleagues and I have had an administration that's been very helpful and not interfering. You pretty much have freedom to profess your convictions. And the students over the years have been incredible.</p> <p>—</p> <p><em>Stephanie Manning '23 completed her bachelor’s degree in bassoon performance with a dual concentration in arts management and journalism. A 2022 fellow of the Rubin Institute for Music Criticism, she has contributed frequently to ClevelandClassical.com and Early Music America. She is currently pursuing a graduate diploma in journalism from Concordia University in Montreal.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Professor Peter Takács has taught 91ֱ�� pianists since 1976. His impressive teaching career may be coming to an end, but a new chapter is just beginning.</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="2024-05-04T12:00:00Z">Sat, 05/04/2024 - 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=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3341">Conservatory Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2414">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=29541">Piano</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/keyboard-studies" hreflang="und">Keyboard 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">Tanya Rosen-Jones</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>