Music Theory & Composition
Frost School graduate’s music lifts pioneering new opera
Frost School of Music composition alumnus Kevin Day has taken a giant step in creating the music for “Lalovavi,” a fantastical new opera that opened the Cincinnati Opera’s Black Opera Project to rave reviews and cheering audiences.
A heartfelt homage to veterans
Frost School of Music composer Shawn Crouch’s powerful oratorio “Letters Home,” a tribute to veterans through a century of their writings, premiered at New York’s Carnegie Hall just after Memorial Day. The work’s Frost School choir was led by choral director Matthew Brady, who served in Iraq and bonded with Crouch over their families’ long history of military service and loss.
Musical tributes for a cherished leader
The Frost School commissioned two works to commemorate the loss of beloved music educator and leader Robert Carnochan.
A national prize for a trailblazing opera
A Frost School composer and an alumna received one of the top awards from The American Prize, a prestigious and uniquely wide-ranging performing arts contest, for their opera “Stained Glass.”
A musical bridge builder at the heights of pop and classical music
Frost School triple alumnus Carlos “Carlitos” Lopez has parlayed his degrees in pop production, classical composition, and conducting into a groundbreaking career connecting musical worlds, from Bad Bunny to symphony orchestras. Recently, he’s been showing young people how to do the same.
Helping the next generation of composers find their voice
Marcos Balter, the celebrated music artist who is the current composer in residence at the Frost School’s composition program, is the latest in a series of famous composers who open creative and professional doors for students.
Celebrating a milestone with premieres by world-class composers
The Centennial commissioning series, created by Frost Symphony Orchestra musical director Gerard Schwarz to celebrate the Frost School’s 100th birthday, winds up this fall with premieres by two of the most important composers in contemporary classical music.
Leading a new kind of musical storytelling
Frost School faculty member and award-winning composer Shawn Crouch has been tapped to direct the innovative Miami music group IlluminArts.
Scoring classical ballet – and a classic novel
Composing a score for a classical ballet based on the iconic American novel “The Great Gatsby” was a “transcendent” experience in musical storytelling for a Frost School doctoral student.
A new composer finds his own groove for classical music
New Frost School composition graduate Asher Lurie learned to combine wildly disparate forms of music into a unique vision that has earned him awards and a spot at an elite graduate program this fall.
Bringing his music back home
Multi-talented musician Justin Kinchen took the extraordinary skills he’s developed at the Frost School to a concert in his hometown of Indianapolis that showcased his original jazz and classical compositions and paid tribute to his childhood mentors.
The soul of American song
A songwriting class that draws inspiration from the rich panoply of Black music helps students at the Frost School of Music expand their artistry, empathy, and understanding of American music.
Making the music world his own
Composer and new doctoral graduate Kevin Day found inspiration and mentorship at the Frost School that has opened up a host of musical possibilities.
Fostering the next generation of composers
One-on-one sessions with globally celebrated composer Chen Yi, the Frost School’s 2024 Composer in Residence, expand the program’s impact for students. Her tenure is part of a busy and creative period for the Department of Theory and Composition.
