Roosevelt University

The Music Conservatory at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts provides professional training and education within the context of a vibrant university in a world-class city. It is a place where musical genres from classical to jazz are valued, where the energies of one discipline spill over to enliven other artistic endeavors, where preparing to be a teacher is as important as preparing to be a performer or scholar, and where students come to enhance their unique talents and polish them to perfection.

The Music Conservatory is well situated on the top floors of the historic landmark Auditorium Building, designed by world-famous architects Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan. The building includes the 3,800-seat Auditorium Theatre, renowned for its beauty and exquisite acoustics. Located on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Congress Parkway, this edifice is now an integral part of the “educational corridor” of more than 50,000 students enrolled in various institutions in the famous downtown Loop. Across the street are the Pritzker Music Pavilion of Millennium Park, the magnificent Buckingham Fountain, and the sparkling beauty of Lake Michigan. The new state-of-the-art residence hall, the University Center of Chicago, is located just one block away on the corner of State Street and Congress Parkway.

Within walking distance are many of the city’s major cultural institutions, including Symphony Center, home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the Lyric Opera; the Jazz Showcase; the Goodman, Chicago, Oriental, and Cadillac theaters; the Art Institute; the Field Museum of Natural History; and the “Magnificent Mile” of shops and galleries. This ideal location provides opportunities for learning from some of the most accomplished musicians in the world, from principals in the Chicago Symphony to Grammy-nominated jazz artists.

Faculty

Violin: Shmuel Ashkenasi (First Violin, Vermeer Quartet); Robert Chen (Co-Concertmaster, Chicago Symphony); Nathan Cole (Chicago Symphony); Cyrus Forough; Vadim Gluzman (Concert Artist); Stefan Hersh (Former Principal Second Violin, Minnesota Orchestra/Former violinist, Chicago String Quartet); Yang Liu (Concert Artist); Laura Park Chen (Lyric Opera of Chicago, Head of Strings); Viola: Li-Kuo Chang (Assistant Principal, Chicago Symphony); Roger Chase (Former Guest Principal, Berlin Philharmonic); Lawrence Neuman (Chicago Symphony); Cello: Tanya Carey (Former Assistant Principal, Milwaukee Symphony); Barbara Haffner (Assistant Principal, Lyric Opera of Chicago); Richard Hirschl (Chicago Symphony); Kenneth Olsen (Assistant Principal, Chicago Symphony); John Sharp (Principal, Chicago Symphony); Wendy Warner (Concert Artist); Bass: Andrew Anderson (Lyric Opera of Chicago); Stephen Lester (Chicago Symphony); Harp: Sarah Bullen (Principal, Chicago Symphony); Flute: Dionne Hansen-Jackson (Assistant Principal, Lyric Opera of Chicago); Donald Peck (Principal Flute Emeritus, Chicago Symphony); Oboe: Eugene Izotov (Principal, Chicago Symphony); Peggy Michel (Music of the Baroque); Grover Schiltz (English Horn, Chicago Symphony); Clarinet: Gregory Smith (Chicago Symphony); Carolee Smith; John Bruce Yeh (Assistant Principal, Chicago Symphony); Bassoon: Dennis Michel (Chicago Symphony, Head of Winds); Theodore Soluri (Principal, Milwaukee Symphony); Saxophone: Jan Berry; Horn: Dale Clevenger (Principal, Chicago Symphony); Alice Render; Trumpet: Tage Larsen (Chicago Symphony); Channing Philbrick (Co-Assistant Principal, Lyric Opera of Chicago); Chris Martin (Principal, Chicago Symphony); Mark Ridenour (Assistant Principal, Chicago Symphony); Trombone: Jay Friedman (Principal, Chicago Symphony, Head of Brass); Peter Ellefson; Tuba: Gene Pokorny, masterclasses (Principal, Chicago Symphony); Charles Schuchat (Former Principal, Israel Philharmonic); Percussion: Edward Harrison (Principal Timpanist, Lyric Opera of Chicago); Vadim Karpinos (Chicago Symphony); Orchestral Seminar: Henry Fogel (President, American Symphony Orchestra League); Piano: Emilio del Rosario; Ani Gogova; Kuang-Hao Huang; Ludmila Lazar; Meng-Chieh Liu; Solomon Mikowsky; Jorge Federico Osorio; Guitar: Denis Azabagic; Paul Henry; Pamela Kimmel, Head of Guitar; Voice: Michael Best, Head of Voice; Matthew Chellis; Mark Crayton; Judith Haddon; David Holloway, Chair of Performance; Jonita Lattimore; Elizabeth Norman; Samuel Ramey, masterclasses; Richard Stilwell; Tracy Watson; Dana Brown, vocal coach; Giulio Favario, vocal coach; Scott Gilmore, vocal coach; James Gandre, performance class; Music Education: Charles Groeling; Mary Jo Ferneding; Cheryl Frazes Hill, Head of Music Education; July Moe; John Thomson; Composition: Stacy Garrop; Kyong-Mee Choi; Jazz Studies: Neal Alger, guitar; Jackie Allen, voice; Ruben Alvarez, Latin percussion; Rob Amster, bass; Steve Berry, trombone; John Blane, trombone; Linda Clifford, voice; Jo Ann Daugherty, piano; Carey Deadman, trumpet; Jerry DiMuzio, saxophone; Jim Gailloreto, saxophone; Tom Garling, trombone; Phil Gratteau, drum set; Roger Harris, piano; Art Hoyle, trumpet; Roger Ingram, trumpet; Henry Johnson, guitar; Scott Mason, bass; John McLean, guitar; Paul Mertens, saxophone; Jeff Morrow, voice; Dave Onderdonk, guitar; Rob Parton, trumpet; Judy Roberts, voice; Marlene Rosenberg, bass; Ron Ruvio, trumpet; Fred Simon, piano; Mike Smith, saxophone; Colleen Timler, voice; Jim Trompeter, piano; Paul Wertico, Interim Head of Jazz, drum set; Brad Wheeler, saxophone; Theory and Music History: Charles Brauner, music history; Linda Berna, music history and theory; Donald Chen, theory and conducting orchestral studies; Stuart Folse, music theory; Ani Gogova, keyboard studies; Phyllis Hill, keyboard studies; William Hussey, music theory; Lucia Marchi, music history; Rudy Marcozzi, music theory and history, Chair of Academic Music Studies; Gregory Reish, music history; David Schrader, music history and performance practice; Conductors: Cheryl Frazes Hill, Director of Choral Activities; Jay Friedman, Principal Guest Conductor; Anne Heider, Resident Choral Conductor; Jane Glover, Guest Conductor, 2007–08; Stephen Squires, Principal Conductor.

Student Performance Opportunities

There are more than 200 concerts, recitals, operas, and theater performances presented each year. Ensembles include Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Conservatory Chorus, Wind Ensemble, Women’s Chorus, Opera, Jazz Ensembles, Chamber Music, New Music Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, and Collegium Musicum.

Programs and Additional Information

The Bachelor of Music degree is offered in performance studies, composition, jazz studies, and music education. The Master of Music degree is offered in performance, orchestral studies, and composition. A Performance Diploma is available in instrumental performance (classical), opera (a joint program with Chicago Opera Theater), and orchestral studies.

There is a diverse student body from forty states and twenty-three other countries. Roosevelt University offers exclusive ESL preparation. The Music Scholarship program is open to both U.S. and international applicants.

Application Procedures

Deadline--freshmen and transfers: January 15. Notification date--freshmen and transfers: April 1. Required: essay, high school transcript, college transcript(s) for transfer students, minimum 2.0 high school GPA, audition, SAT or ACT test scores, interview (for music education and composition), composition portfolio (music composition only). Recommended: minimum 3.0 high school GPA, letter of recommendation. Auditions held 15 times on campus; recorded music is permissible as a substitute for live auditions when distance is prohibitive (over 500 miles from Chicago) and videotaped performances are permissible as a substitute for live auditions when distance is prohibitive (over 500 miles from Chicago).

Roosevelt University

Faculty

Student Performance Opportunities

Programs and Additional Information

Application Procedures

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