Kai Abergas
Class of 2025
Kai Abergas is a horn player born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. He began playing the horn at the age of 12, and has since participated in numerous music-related activities. He has been a member of the Hawaii Youth Symphony and the OBDA Select Band program from 2017-2021, and has performed several recitals at the annual OBDA Solo and Ensemble Festivals. He has also been a member of his high school’s marching band, wind ensemble, jazz band, and concert orchestra for all four years. He was meant to attend the Boston University Tanglewood Institute this past season, but was unfortunately unable to due to Covid-19. Kai is now pursuing a BM in horn performance at CCM.
Galen Arnett
Class of 2024
Galen Arnett is from Winchester, Kentucky. He began his performing career at age eleven and has appeared in countless community productions leading up to his arrival at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. Galen is an alumnus of the Kentucky Center’s Governor’s School for the Arts. Since beginning his education at the College-Conservatory of Music, he has appeared in a number of mainstage productions, radio plays, and short films, including the following: Howie Newsome in Thorton Wilder’s Our Town, Stephen Meade Johnson in by Moisés Kaufman and Stephen Belber’s The Laramie Project, Cellphone in The Phoenix Project, Paul in Plan B, and Bass in Nostalgia: A Radio Play.
“CCMpower has helped me to be able to continue my education and pursuit of passion. Because I have been paying for my college experience as well as living expenses completely out of pocket I was worried if I was going to be able to continue in this program. Because of CCMpower, a load has been lifted off of my chest and allowed me to focus on my artform.”
August Bagg
Class of 2023
August Bagg is a junior in the Musical Theatre department here at CCM. He is originally from Los Angeles, California and started performing at the age of 5. He was a 2018 recipient of the Anthony Quinn Foundation Arts Scholarship for Excellence in Musical Theatre, received National Youth Theatre awards for his performances in Footloose as Willard Hewitt, Urinetown as Officer Barrel, and Spring Awakening as Otto, and was a Music Center Spotlight Semi-Finalist for two years. In 2016, he was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout through BSA Troop 223 in Pacific Palisades. He was in two staged readings at the Wallis directed by Randy Brenner and was recently in a staged reading of the new musical Rocket Science directed by Richard Israel here at CCM. He is currently Assistant Directing Xanadu at CCM and will be playing Franz in CCM’s Sunday in the Park with George this spring. He is so happy to be studying at CCM!
Evelyn Busby
Class of 2025
Evelyn Busby is a freshman harp major at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. At the age of sixteen, they played as a featured soloist with the Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra, performing the first movement of the Dittersdorf Harp Concerto. They served as Principal Harpist of the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra for three out of five years of their tenure there. Busby performed as runner-up in FWYO's Concerto Competition in March of 2018 and served as a Youth Ambassador for the organization from 2016 to 2021. Busby graduated with a high school diploma from Trinity Preparatory Academy in May of 2021. In addition to their artistic achievements, they are also in the Inaugural Class of female Eagle Scouts, and are a graduate of Twin Arrows National Youth Leadership Training.
"To me, the CCMpower Scholarship means freedom. Freedom to not only go to college, but go to college for my passion when I wouldn't be able to otherwise. It gives freedom because now I can shape myself and my career the way I want to, and be the person I've always wanted to be."
Alec Davis
Class of 2025
Alec Davis is from Chagrin Falls, Ohio. He has consistently earned top honors at regional and state-level musical competitions and festivals while balancing a busy schedule of extracurricular activities. During his time at Chagrin Falls High School, he was a member of the pit orchestra in their performance of Bob Martin and Don McKellar’s The Drowsy Chaperone. Along with that, he frequently traveled with his musical peers to Cleveland State University, where he performed with the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Honors Band, pushing himself with challenging music. With a quickly growing interest in Jazz Music, Alec began busking locally and playing with the CCM Jazz Lab Band and All Blues Jazz Combo, giving him invaluable performance experience. His most recent musical venture is music production and he will soon be releasing his debut EP with his colleague, Ryan Brackett.
“I’m grateful to have received the CCMpower scholarship. It has brought me closer to achieving my musical goals and with your support, I really feel like someone is in my corner rooting for my success.”
Torie Davis
Class of 2025
Torie Davis is from Sylvania, Ohio. Her credits include Bizet’s Carmen, with The Toledo Opera, The Ballad of Baby Doe by Douglas Moore, Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi, and La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini. At the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, she will be taking the stage in the spring semester production of Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld. She is actively involved in the College-Conservatory of Music’s Chorale choir, and will be performing with them regularly throughout the semester as well.
“Ever since I stepped on stage for my first operatic performance, I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. CCMpower gave me the ability to go to my dream program to pursue my career. Throughout all of my online auditions due to COVID-19, I feared that the costs and stipulations of a conservatory would be too severe, but thanks to CCMpower I am able to happily grow and flourish in my art and education. I will never take for granted the opportunity to use my voice and my passion and take every opportunity handed to me.”
Ryan De La Ree
Class of 2025
Ryan De La Ree is from Cleveland, Ohio. As a violist, he has played with multiple youth orchestras from the Ohio area including the Baldwin Wallace Youth Orchestra, the Akron Youth Symphony, the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, and the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. Throughout high school, he studied under the tutelage of Jeffrey Irvine, Stanley Konopka, and Nina Kiken. He has also worked with several other members of The Cleveland Orchestra in a variety of chamber groups. Over the summer of 2021, he attended Interlochen’s prestigious High School Orchestra Program. Ryan is now a first-year student at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music studying viola performance under Dr. Lees. When he is not practicing, Ryan spends time reading works by author J. R. R. Tolkien.
“I will be forever grateful for the opportunities and support offered by CCMpower. Covid turned everyone’s world upside down, especially my family with my dad losing his job. While finances became tighter, the possibility of studying at CCM was in constant jeopardy. As the world begins to normalize and with the support of CCMpower, I can now rest easy knowing that my studies will thrive with less stress. I am also grateful for the performance opportunities the CCMpower has given me. As a performance major, any chance to learn from those who have gone before me and perform is incredibly helpful for me.”
Ryan Kasko
Class of 2025
Ryan Kasko is a freshman lighting and sound design student from Downers Grove, Illinois. Inspired by a life-long passion for lighting design and a deep-held love of music, Ryan spent countless hours honing his craft and building his personal business RK Lighting and Sound. Coming from a family of musicians, concert lighting and working with musicians are Ryan’s primary focuses. Ryan has been featured in Projection Lighting and Staging News as “Tomorrow’s Next Hip Lighting Designer.” Ryan is excited to be making strides towards his next adventure here at CCM.
Chauncey Luce
Class of 2022
Chauncey Luce is from Fayetteville, Ohio. He has written, directed, filmed, and edited short films, and worked for three different non-profits doing video production and graphic design. With 1N5, he started the “Changing the Mental Health Landscape” podcast, and produced a promotional video for their “Warrior Run” event during the Covid-19 pandemic. During his time at The Mill Creek Alliance, he helped to destigmatize Mill Creek by creating multiple informative and promotional videos that helped the community get involved and understand more about the creek. He has worked with many other students to bring personal and academic projects to fruition, and his passion for his work shows on every production he’s involved in.
“CCMpower gave me the resources I need to further my education and dedicate the time necessary to my studies, rather than working a full-time job while in school. With the opportunity to pursue my degree and passion, I am optimistic that I’ll be able to make an impact through my video production work and hope to be involved in many projects to come. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without CCMpower, and I am very grateful for the chance to prove myself to my professors and peers.”
Marian Mayen
Class of 2024
Marian Mayen is a clarinetist from Charleston, South Carolina. Having transferred from the University of South Carolina, Marian is kicking off her time studying at CCM as a junior and could not be more excited to be here. She studies with Christopher Pell and performs with the CCM Wind Symphony, CCM Wind Ensemble, and the CCM Concert Orchestra.
“This scholarship made all the difference for me. It was really the deciding factor that allowed me to fully commit to CCM! Without this scholarship, I would not have the opportunity to grow and learn in this wonderful environment. I am so thankful!”
Yuna Noh
Class of 2022
Yuna Noh is a Junior at the University of Cincinnati, studying media and media production. Yuna is a passionate student and active in media production, currently working to build her audience as a virtual streamer. She is fluent in Korean and English, and hopes to work with diverse groups of people in a variety of global spaces. Yuna is incredibly happy to be honing her skills at CCM!
“This scholarship helped me to focus on my school work. When COVID hit, everything changed in my life. I lost my job due to the shut down, but still had all my bills to pay and tuition. The support I receive from CCMpower has helped me so much. ”
Jubilee O'Connor
Class of 2022
Jubilee O’Connor is a Jazz Studies in their final semester at CCM. They play upright and electric bass, piano, guitar, sing, and write music. Their music journey began when their mother, a third-generation pianist and teacher, began teaching them piano at age five. Jubilee took lessons until they were ten years old. In seventh grade, Jubilee began playing the bass in the orchestras and the jazz band at the performing arts school in their hometown of Dayton, Ohio. During high school, Jubilee began writing music and taking recording lessons. They released a full-length album their senior year. Jubilee decided to pursue a degree in Jazz Studies and study with Aaron Jacobs. During their years at CCM, they’ve written and released original music and debuted as a member of local band Hyssop, among other local gigs. After college, Jubilee plans to start building their bass studio, release original music, and keep gigging around Cincinnati.
“Working full time throughout college has taken a toll on my mental health. The CCMpower scholarship allowed me to cut back on hours so that I could finish out my last semester of college strong.”