Gregory Miller
Richard W. Wesp Assistant Director
Gregory Miller, is the Richard W. Wesp Assistant Director, of the Cincinnati Youth Choir (CYC), Ensemble-in-Residence at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Preparatory Department (CCM).
Greg Miller is a fifth-year student at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music pursuing dual degrees in Music Education and Voice Performance. A Cincinnati native, Greg has been participating in the musical life of this city from an early age and continues to be active in choral, operatic, and theatrical productions around the city.
Greg began his musical journey as a member of the then Cincinnati Children’s Choir (CCC), now the Cincinnati Youth Choir (CYC). As a member of CCC, Greg had the opportunity to perform across America and overseas. Greg also participated in the 2012 World Choir Games in Cincinnati, for which CCC received a Gold Medal in the Youth Choirs of Equal Voices Division. A proud alumnus, Greg is excited to make CYC as impactful and transformative for the current singers as it was for him.
Since enrolling at CCM, Greg has participated in many different choral and operatic performances. Greg has participated in the CCM Chamber Choir, Chamber Singers, UC Men’s Chorus, and CCM Chorale. While in the CCM Chorale, he was a recipient of the 2016 John Leman Award, named for a former CCM Choral Professor and awarded to a member of the CCM Chorale who exhibits exceptional musicianship, leadership, and artistry. Also at CCM, Greg has been active in CCM Opera d’arte, CCM’s undergraduate opera project. As part of Opera d’arte Greg has performed multiple roles, including Albert Herring in Benjamin Britten’s “Albert Herring” and Gabriel von Eisenstein in “Die Fledermaus”. Greg studies voice with Dan Weeks, and has studied conducting with Dr. Brett Scott, Robyn Lana, and Bob Porco.
Outside of CCM, Greg is active in Cincinnati’s professional music scene. Greg was a member of the Cincinnati Opera Chorus for the 2017 and 2018 seasons, performing in productions of “La Boheme”, “The Magic Flute”, “The Flying Dutchman”, and “Another Brick in the Wall”. Greg has also performed with many of the professional choirs in Cincinnati. Most recently he has participated in recording sessions and performances with Coro Volante and in April, Greg performed in Collegium Cincinnati’s production of Bach’s Mass in B Minor.
In addition to the being on the stage, Greg also has experience teaching and preparing students for a variety of performances. Before becoming the Richard Wesp Assistant Director, Greg was an intern with CYC for two years, spending one year with Con Brio and one with Bel Canto. In that time, Greg helped prepare CYC students for performances of Bernstein’s “Mass” and Boito’s “Mefistofole” with the Cincinnati May Festival, holiday performances with the Cincinnati Pops, festival performances at Carnegie Hall, and the Cincinnati Symphony’s 125th anniversary celebration. Greg has also been an instructor for CYC’s outreach program, ChoralQuest.
Greg is excited to continue his work with CYC and is looking forward to a year of music-making, learning, and community-building.
About the Richard W. Wesp Assistant Director
Richard W. Wesp was a prominent music educator in the Cincinnati area. He received his education at CCM and taught in the Forest Hills School District for 57 years, and became well known for his excellence in choral music education. Dick mentored numerous students and student teachers, including CYC’s Founder & Artistic Director, Robyn Lana. Since CCC’s inception, Dick had been an avid supporter and watched with an inquisitive eye as the organization grew. After his retirement in 2011, he accepted an invitation to join the CYC Board of Directors, a position he filled with joy and eagerness. He tragically passed away in September 2012 due to complications resulting from West Nile Virus, and CYC wished to memorialize him through the endowment of the CYC Assistant Director position. Thus, the Richard W. Wesp Assistant Director position was born. Serendipitously, the first person to hold this position is Alex Gartner, one of Dick’s former students and close friends, who served as the director from 2012-2016. Now with great pride CYC welcomes Jillian to the role and knows she will fill the position with fantastic enthusiasm!