A U G U S T, 2012

CCM Preparatory Department

Newsletter

1

Summer pix

Pictures of summer CCM Prep’s summer camp and workshop offerings were in full swing this July. Here are images showing just some of the activities that our young students in music, dance and theatre arts were up to.

Coming Up

Saturday, Sept. 8 (see page 4 for details)

Open House Audition Weekend

Recital Parent Meetings

Friday-Saturday,

Sept. 28-29 Adult Chamber Music

Weekend

Piano camp students learn about percussion by making shakers, right, and about rhythm by learning dance steps, below.

Inside

CCM Prep prepares for a big date 4

Responding to survey

feedback 5

Coda: Teaching, parenting in the news 6

2

CCM Preparatory Department

Amy Dennison Assistant Dean

amy.dennison@uc.edu

Elizabeth Boland Assistant Director

elizabeth.boland@uc.edu Peggy Grant

Music Registrar peggy.grant@uc.edu

Elaine Eckstein Theatre Arts Coordinator

Dr. Jonnie Lynn Jacobs-Percer

Dance Coordinator

Cameron Bowers Stephanie Coombs

Molly Massa Katie McGonagle

Lani Stait Student Assistants

Joe Lenzer Business co-op student

Phone: 513-556-2595 Fax: 513-556-9469

Web: www.ccm.uc.edu/prep E-mail: ccmprep@uc.edu

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/

group.php? gid=133058323400885#!/

profile.php?id=632020947&ref=ts

The CCM Preparatory Department provides educational instruction and performance opportunities in Music, Theatre and Dance to students of all ages and abilities through classes, lessons and performances for more than 1,800 students on campus, off campus and in partner schools and organizations.

Images from our summer camps

Top, the Summer Strings ensemble performs at CCM Prep’s Blue Ash satellite location. Above, Johnnie Lynn Jacobs-Percer teaches period dances to piano students in the Cincinnati Piano Institute Camp. Below, future stage stars learn dance steps at Showbiz Kids theatre arts camp.

3

Left, young dancers from the “Once Upon a Time … Storytime Ballet Camp” showcase their new skills for their parents. Above, high school drama workshop students go over a scene. Below, a rehearsal for ‘Getting to Know: Once Upon a Mattress,” a camp for theatre arts students.

CCM Prep has a full day of activities lined up for Saturday, Sept. 8. Here’s what’s on tap:

Activities Bake Sale 9 a.m.-noon, CCM Atrium Parent Meeting for Musical Theatre Intensive (required) 9 a.m., Room 3640 Corbett Center Parent Meeting for Acting Certificate (required) 9:30 a.m., Room 4755 Corbett Center for the Performing Arts New Student Orientation/Tour 11 a.m., Baur Room, Corbett Center Faculty/Honors Recital 12:15 p.m., Room 3250, Mary Emery Hall Honors Music Program 1 p.m., Room 3250, Mary Emery Hall Performing Troupe Meeting Noon, Baur Room, Mary Emery Hall

Auditions Tap classes 9 a.m., Room 3705, Corbett Center Musical Theatre Dance classes 10 a.m., Room 3640 Corbett Center; no audition necessary for beginners. Ballet: Auditions for level placement for younger dancers at 10 a.m., older dancers at 1:30 p.m., Studio A, Corbett Center Ballet company auditions, 3 p.m., Studio B, Corbett Center

Acting Certificate 10 a.m.-noon, Room 4755 Corbett Center Musical Theatre Intensive 11-2 p.m., Room 3640, Corbett Center Acting Classes Noon-4 p.m., 4755 Corbett Center Cincinnati Junior Strings (also Sept. 9) By appointment, UC Blue Ash Muntz Theater Crescendo Chamber Music Program 10 a.m.-noon and 4-7 p.m., Room 5219 Mary Emery Hall Cincinnati Youth Wind Ensemble (also Sept. 7 and Sept. 9) Woodwinds/brass only, 9-5 p.m., location TBA Cincinnati Junior Youth Wind Ensemble (also Sept. 9) Woodwinds/brass only, 9-5 p.m., location TBA

Try-It Classes (Where space is available; check with CCM Prep offices a 513-556-2595 to verify availability, time and location.) Young Actor’s Toolbox Sing, Sing, Sing Can’t Stop Singing All About Acting Acting 1 Beginning ballet classes Beginning Tap Beginning Musical Theatre Dance Music Theory I Keyboard for Kids Music for Little Mozarts

Clear your calendars: CCM Prep hosts big day on Sept. 8

If you’re an adult musician looking for an opportunity to play chamber music, we have just the event for you. On Sept. 28-29, CCM Prep will host a Chamber Music weekend for looking for adult musicians who wish to perform chamber music. Participating groups will be coached by CCM Preparatory faculty and have master classes with CSO musicians. The weekend culminates in a recital and a visit to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra concert on Sept. 29. For more information, call the CCM Prep office at 513-556-2595.

Play well with others? Let us know

Updates to CCM Prep Program Guide New information has superseded some listings in the recently published and distributed CCM Prep Program Guide: Please note: Calendar dates CCM Prep will be closed the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The Theatre Arts and Dance Showcase date originally scheduled for May 11 will now be held May 18. Costs The cost of the CCM Prep Musical Theatre Intensive program on Page 34 should read $1,400 per year or $2,400 per year when bundled with unlimited ballet.

4

5

You commented … and we listened “Cleanliness of building” CCM has about 1,200 students here on a daily basis and CCM Prep has about that many coming through the building at least once a week. Add the audience members who attend hundreds of performances at CCM and that is a lot of people in these buildings! We are working with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music on improving our cleaning service. CCM student staff already assist with general cleaning of the building. I have brought this issue to the Dean’s Leadership Committee and we all agree that this is an important issue for all — students, guests, faculty and staff. I will continue to keep this issue in the forefront of our executive team here at CCM so we can be proud of our facilities which need to equal the talent level of this great school. While in the building, if you see something that needs repair, cleaning or appears broken, please do not hesitate to contact our office staff so we can notify the proper staff to take care of the problem. “Appearance of disorganization” We’re working to improve our distribution of information regarding programs, class changes, special performances, etc. We will update changes on our website as quickly as possible as well as inform all faculty of these changes. We will send group e-mails to CCM Prep families when necessary. Please check our website frequently for updated information. We also encourage you to attend our student

meeting on Sept. 8, when we will host a Q and A session along with tours. “Progress reports” We are instructing faculty to improve communication with students and their families. Instructors of group classes and ensembles will send out weekly e-mails summarizing what is happening and what to expect. We also have the capacity to add progress information on students’ profile in ASAP. We are working out those details now. “Online registration is confusing!” We have now completed our first year with the new online registration system. CCM Prep Assistant Director Elizabeth Boland and her staff have been working on technical issues that have arisen with the system.

Online registration will be easier this year as we have opened up private lesson registrations. Students or their parents can now select their teacher and sign up for the annual lesson quantity of 30. Students who want to take fewer than 30 lessons must get pre-approval from Assistant Director Elizabeth Boland. Students with hospital affiliation or UC affiliation will use coupon codes “Hos13” and “UC13” respectively. These updates should permit families to process online registrations with fewer difficulties. New music students will be pre-registered by Registrar Peggy Grant and introduced to the system at that time. Families applying for the “family discount” should fully register and use the pay-in-office checkbox and then call our office (513-556-2595) to add the appropriate discounts to their account. Payments can be made over the phone or online at that point. For waiting-list classes that require an audition, go to your online shopping cart and click “pay later” on the checkout screen. Then click “Complete transaction.” Families wishing to arrange partial payments must contact CCM Prep Assistant Director Elizabeth Boland at 513-556-9467. Once payment plans are set up, families may either pay over the phone, mail a check or log back in, select an invoice and make the partial payment.

— Amy Dennison, Assistant Dean

Many of you completed our annual survey. We have read your comments and much appreciate the time and care it took to share them with us. While we like to hear that you love our program and faculty, we also appreciate criticism and we’d like to respond to some of it.

6

Last Sunday’s New York Times contained two articles that particularly sparked my interest because they related to what we do here at CCM. The first was an op-ed piece by Andrew Hacker that questioned the necessity of algebra classes for high school and college students. Hacker questions the practical value of algebra for the average student and suggests that offering math classes in which a student learns about and dissects important financial concepts such as consumer price indexing would be more valuable to most of us. I agree. Hacker also suggests that this focus on math or the entire “stem” (science, technology, engineering and math) approach to learning further devalues and/or eliminates courses encouraging creativity and exploration, such as the arts. The second article was a review of a new book called “Teach Your Children Well” by Madeline Levine, and certainly I intend to read this book soon. Levine’s book discusses current parenting trends, and observes that providing too much help and guidance to your children may actually do more harm than good. Many young people seeking therapy for depression are children who have been given everything by their parents except what they really need. So what does this mean to CCM Prep? Our program encourages

creativity, yet builds those essential characteristics of discipline, communication, responsibility and

self-esteem that truly are essential for every child. Learning through the arts develops these skills, and when schools cut back on arts-related classes,

then parents must find alternative ways to help their children build these essential skills. Quality family experiences develop these skills as well as arts classes, of course. There is such a thing as taking too many classes and lessons and creating a stressful environment in which children are expected to achieve in too many areas. As much as we love to have students excited about being in our program we encourage you to thoughtfully decide what is best and appropriate for your child. Our staff is always willing to answer any of your questions about learning at CCM Prep and how we can help you figure out what is best for your child. We are proud of the quality and experiences we can offer you and your children, and we want you to have the optimal experience.

— Amy Dennison, Assistant Dean,

CCM Prep Director

Coda Trends in parenting, teaching leave role for Prep

Honor for CCM Prep stage teacher CCM Prep Theatre Arts Coordinator Elaine Eckstein, above, was awarded the Rose Award by the Phi Beta Professional Fraternity for the Creative and Performing Arts at the group’s 2012 Convention in Columbus, Ohio on July 21. The Rose Award is the organization's highest award of individual achievement given to an alumni member for outstanding professional development and service to the fraternity.