The Department of Music at Cleveland State is proud of its reputation for personal, individualized attention to the academic and musical needs of its students. Many of the more than fifty faculty members either perform or conduct with the region’s most notable professional ensembles, including the Cleveland Orchestra, while the award-winning composition faculty guides one of the most complete programs of contemporary music study in the nation. The Department of Music is also proud of its professional support staff of specialists, guiding and assisting students and faculty throughout the academic year. Along with musical opportunities that can only be found in a great artistic city, outstanding instruction and support by an engaged faculty and staff has provided Cleveland State students with the educational foundation needed to distinguish themselves as performers, composers, teachers and scholars throughout the world.
Administrative Staff
- Birch Browning, Deparment Chair, Associate Professor of Music Education
- Kate Bill, Student Recruiter/Enrollment Administrator
- Stephen Kabat, Instrument Technician
- Gayle Kish, Office Coordinator
- Howard Meeker, Director of Instrumental Music
- Kay Shames, Director, Center for the Study of the Arts and Innovation
- Joyce Toerek, Administrative Secretary
- David Yost, Audio Engineer
Brass
- Gary Adams, Applied Faculty, Tuba
- David Brockett, French Horn
- Tren Cheshier, Applied Faculty, French Horn
- Charles Couch, Applied Faculty, Trumpet
- Shachar Israel, Applied Faculty, Trombone
- Joe Miller, Applied Faculty, Jazz Trumpet
- Jason D. Smith, Applied Faculty, Trombone
- Yasuhito Sugiyama, Guest Adjunct, Tuba
Composition & Theory
- Gregory D'Alessio, Associate Professor, Composition
- Andrew Rindfleisch, Professor, Composition; Coordinator of Composition; Director, Cleveland Contemporary Players
- Eric Ziolek, Department Chair, Professor of Composition
- Stephen Stanziano, Lecturer, Harmony
- Nicholas Underhill, Lecturer, Harmony
Jazz Studies
- John Perrine, Coordinator of Jazz Studies, Associate Professor, Saxophone
- Robert Fraser, Applied Faculty, Electric Guitar
- Alvin Fulton, Lecturer, Jazz History
- Glenn Holmes, Applied Faculty, Jazz Bass
- Joe Miller, Applied Faculty, Jazz Trumpet
- Jason D. Smith, Applied Faculty, Trombone
- Bill Ransom, Applied Faculty, Drum Set
- Rock Wehrmann, Applied Faculty, Jazz Piano
Music Education
- Melanie Blaser, Lecturer, Music Education
- Birch Browning, Chair, Department of Music; Conductor of Cleveland Winds; Associate Professor Music Education
- Sarah H. Watts, Visiting Associate Professor, Music Education
Music History / Ethnomusicology / Jazz History / Roots of Rock & Soul
Music Therapy
- Deborah L. Layman, MM, MT-BC – College Lecturer, Music Therapy
- Carol Olszewski, MM, MT-BC – Adjunct Instructor, Music Therapy
- Marcia Humpal, MMEd, MT-BC – Adjunct Supervisor, Music Therapy
- Brenda Calovini, MMEd, MT-BC – Adjunct Supervisor, Music Therapy
- Sarah Maxwell, MA, MT-BC – Adjunct Supervisor, Music Therapy
- Lalene DyShere Kay, ACC, MT-BC – Director of the Cleveland Music Therapy Consortium
Click here to view the Music Therapy webpage!
Percussion
Click here to enter the Percussion Department's website!
Piano / Organ / Harpsichord
Strings & Guitar
- George Bachmann, Applied Faculty, Classical Guitar
- Charles Carleton, Applied Faculty, String Bass
- Bryan Dumm, Applied Faculty, Cello
- Robert Fraser, Applied Faculty, Jazz Guitar
- Molly Fung-Dumm, Applied Faculty, Violin
- Hanne-Berit Hahnemann, Applied Faculty, Violin
- David Harrell, Applied Faculty, Cello
- Glenn Holmes, Applied Faculty, Jazz String Bass
- Arthur Klima, Applied Faculty, Viola
- Victor Liva, Coordinator of String Studies, Conductor of Orchestras, Director of Graduate String Quartet, Associate Professor, Violin
- Peter Otto, Applied Faculty, Violin
- Joanna Patterson, Applied faculty, Viola
- Jody Guinn, Applied Faculty, Harp
- Cara Tweed, Applied faculty, Viola
- Derek Zadinsk, Applied Faculty, String Bass
Voice / Choral / Opera
- Brian Bailey, Director of Choirs
- Peter Bush, Applied Faculty, Voice
- Elizabeth Unis Chesko, Associate Professor, Voice; Director, Opera Workshop
- Jose Gotera, Applied Faculty, Voice
- Eileen Marie Moore, Applied Faculty, Voice
- Noriko Fujii Paukert, Applied Faculty, Voice
Woodwinds
- Ellen Breakfield Glick, Applied Faculty, Clarinet
- Mark DeMio, Applied Faculty, Bassoon
- Sean Gabriel, Applied Faculty, Flute
- Tom Lempner,
Applied Faculty, Saxophone
- David McGuire, Applied Faculty, Oboe
- Dennis Nygren, Interim Applied Faculty, Clarinet
- John Perrine, Coordinator of Jazz Studies, Associate Professor, Saxophone
- Fritz Schaufele, Applied Faculty, Renaissance Instruments
- George Shernit,
Applied Faculty, Saxophone
- Rebecca Schweigert Mahew, Applied Faculty, Oboe
Emeritus & Emerita
- J. Heywood Alexander, Professor Emeritus, Music History
- Albert Blaser, Professor Emeritus, Music Education
- William Dempsey, Professor Emeritus, Voice
- Judith Eckelmeyer, Professor Emerita, Music History
- Ernest Hisey, Professor Emeritus, Voice
- Edwin London, Professor Emeritus, Composition
- William Martin, Professor Emeritus, Music History
- Robert McKee, Professor Emeritus, Percussion
- Howie Smith, Professor Emeritus, Jazz Studies, Composition, Woodwind Faculty