“Is there any more wonderful place anywhere than a university?” asks Professor Michael Chertock. “An institution dedicated to the formation of the next generation of citizens, leaders, thinkers and questioners….”
Chertock is clearly passionate about teaching, his students, and classical music. “Music is the closest thing we have to a universal language and I feel that the music produced in the classical tradition is among the most extraordinary achievements of the past thousand years.”
Chertock teaches piano and is the chair of the Piano Department at the University of Cincinnati College-
Michael Chertock
Conservatory of Music (known as CCM). CCM has nearly 100 students and 8 faculty members. Chertock notes there are over 900 performances at CCM every year and at least 100 of them are piano recitals.
His passion leads to long hours. “A typical day begins with an eight o’clock a.m. meeting immediately followed by individual lessons. During a lunch break I often try to catch up on correspondence related to auditions and admissions. If one of my students gives an evening recital or if I have a CSO concert I do not get home until 10:00 p.m. or later. I always try to leave Wednesday afternoon open to prepare for classes. I can talk a mile a minute but make a lot more sense when prepared.”
The demands on his time are challenging, but necessary in an environment where CCM students thrive on intense one on one lessons. “A student can sense very quickly if a teacher is not completely focused on their performance.”
Chertock takes tremendous pride in his students, “CCM graduates enter international piano competitions, become recording artists, take faculty positions at major universities, and enter other exciting areas in the music industry, such as film music, opera, and commercial music.”
He is equally proud of the quality and dedication of his colleagues, emphasizing that passion and dedication to students are common virtues among faculty in the piano department.
Chertock is active in many Cincinnati arts groups serving as the principal keyboardist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the conductor of the Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony, and a boardmember of the Linton Chamber Music Series. He notes that Cincinnati and Ohio are home to world class arts organizations.
Chertock describes the relevance of music in contemporary culture, “I would like to see the USA embrace the amazing power of studying music, voice and instruments….there is no conflict between the need for great scientific education and great music education. MIT has a superb music department and I understand that Microsoft has a symphony orchestra. Intense musical study can actually help the mind organize itself.”