Alan Rafferty Email & Phone Number

Ascent Music expands the traditional festival educational model to inspire and guide musicians of the 21st century through immersive performative experience, community engagement, and a whole-life approach to learning. Ascent International Chamber Music Festival was founded in 2021 by Dr. Sarah Kim and Alan Rafferty.As Artistic Director, Alan oversees all aspects of the summer festival including budgets, hiring of faculty, admissions, scheduling and concert programming and promotion. He works closely with the Board of Ascent on fundraising and developing community partnerships. Alan helped to successfully navigate the first post-pandemic in-person festival at the University of Cincinnati in 2022 which included numerous students from all over the world studying and performing at CCM. In the first year, Ascent achieved a balanced budget and raised substantial funds, far exceeding goals set at the beginning of the year, to support the festival.

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

The Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra is a dynamic ensemble of some of the world’s finest musicians. The sixth oldest symphony orchestra in the U.S. and the oldest orchestra in Ohio, the CSO has played a leading role in the cultural life of Greater Cincinnati and the Midwest since its founding in 1895.Alan performs as a tenured member of the Cello Section where he holds the Ruth F. Rosevear endowed chair. As a result of his connection and friendship with Ruth F. Rosevear and her family and friends, his chair was endowed by her in 2012. Since that time, the CSO has had a significant increase in endowed chairs.

Elected by colleagues in the CSO to the Artistic Advisory Committee. Regular collaborative meetings with artistic and administrative leadership of the CSO to plan future seasons and overarching artistic initiatives.

Funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship is a prestigious performance fellowship program for exceptional string players. The program provides an unparalleled two-year learning experience for graduate-level violin, viola, violoncello and double bass players coming from populations that are historically underrepresented in classical music.Alan worked closely with both the CSO staff as well as the Admissions Department at CCM to organize and coordinate this program in the first year. The majority of the fellows for Cello since inception have been Alan's students and have gone on to hold positions in orchestras such as Atlanta, New Jersey and Charlotte and as leaders of Arts Organizations.

Worked extensively with the Education and Community Outreach department in numerous capacities. Curated and narrated Education Performances for thousands of grade school students in Cincinnati. Regularly performs in area schools in small ensembles. Leads cello sectionals both for the Youth Orchestra and area schools.

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Provide instruction and career guidance to undergraduate through doctoral cello majors at CCM in both individual and group settings. Alan serves as the coordinator for the cello department and leads meetings related to admissions, scholarship decisions and doctoral exams among others.Former students and mentees hold positions in orchestras, chamber ensembles, higher education and administrative positions all over the world.

Co- founded by Alan Rafferty and DeMarre McGill, Amplified Voices is a new series intended to promote and connect trailblazing black artists to the students and faculty of CCM. Amplified Voices seeks to create opportunities for the CCM community to learn more about the variety of black artistry happening around the country. Last year was difficult for most- if not all- communities and fields, due to the ever-present Coronavirus pandemic and the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, which revealed disturbing realities to much of the country. The art community in particular has been confronted with its own realities in terms of racial disparity and injustice. In response to these realities and in an effort to be a part of the solution, Amplified Voices was created.Alan applied for and received funding from the Harmony Fund at CCM to support the first in person season of Amplified Voices in 2021/22 and also coordinated and organized all aspects of guest artist visits at the University of Cincinnati. Previous guests both virtual and in-person have included Afa Sadykhly Dworkin (President of the Sphinx Organization), Dr. Tonya Pettiford-Wates (Founder of the The Conciliation Project) and Dr. Quinton Morris (Founder of A Key to Change).

Member of the CCM Thesis Committee for a 2 year term. Reviewed and approved or provided feedback on DMA Documents and Lecture Recitals.

Artist Faculty for the Festival de Music de Santa Catarina in Jaragua do Sol, Brazil. FEMUSC is the largest festival in South America with 800 students from all over the world. Organized auditions for CCM at FEMUSC with the intent of providing opportunities to the participants of FEMUSC and expanding the diversity of CCM.

Interlochen, Michigan, United States

Instructor of Cello and Chamber Music for the Interlochen Arts Camp

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

An organization dedicated to the enduring traditions of classical music while daring to dream about the future of the art form. The Board is a team of experts from diverse careers in classical music with decades of experience and leadership that are dedicated to achieve results in a time of rapid change—making classical music fun, relevant and thought provoking.Alan will work with fellow Board Members to develop the 2024 Aronson Cello Festival and will oversee all aspects of fundraising and organization along with Co-Board Chair Dr. Sarah Kim.

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Co-founded with Dr. Sarah Kim, the Cincinnati Young Artists was a grassroots program founded and developed with the mission of providing an opportunity for the nation’s talented pre-professional and young professional musicians to improve their ensemble and performance skills through intensive festivals, master classes, and concerts with internationally renowned faculty.Since founding, Alan helped to curate and develop summer programs for chamber music and cello at institutions including Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. Additional programs and performances were held throughout the year at various local high schools and hospitals. The program grew from a small local organization to an internationally renowned program attracting students from all over the world.When the pandemic hit, CYA was among the first organizations to transition to online learning. CYA held multiple Virtual Cello Academy workshops that drew over 200 cellists from all over the world in 2020 and 2021.

Recruited by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of Graduate Studies to join a task force to help reshape the Masters degree at CCM. Alan was the only member of the committee not holding a tenured position. The committee was successful in expanding the curriculum and program offerings to better reflect the increasing diversity of scholarship and performance that our students require to be successful as 21st century musicians.

Coach advanced pre-college students in the Starling Project. Groups that Alan has worked with have gone on to win the Gold Medal at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition among other prizes.

Worked with Dr. Craig Willis to create an interactive presentation in partnership with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra on Music and Wellness.

Performed as cellist of the newly formed Rhine Quartet, Quartet in Residence at NKU School of Music. Led recruiting efforts, organization of quartet schedule and orchestra rehearsal. Organized recruiting visits to local high schools. Performed as soloist with the NKU Chamber Orchestra.

Master Of Music, Cello Performance

Completed Masters degree at Northwestern as a fellowship member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.

Bachelor Of Music, Cello Performance

The Cleveland Institute of Music is one of just seven independent conservatories of music in the United States, one of three devoted.