Ohio State School of Music completes visits to all Ohio counties

Four years and nearly 88 counties later, The Ohio State University School of Music’s Opus 88 program will soon reach its finale. But the initiative’s connections and impact will reverberate for years to come. 

Named for both the 88 keys on a piano and the 88 counties of Ohio, Opus 88 launched in October 2022 with a mission of bringing music to every corner of the Buckeye State. The initiative sends music faculty, staff and students to perform, teach and present in every county in Ohio. 

“The program came about from the broad idea of being active across the state to meet our land-grant mission,” said Michael Ibrahim, director of the School of Music. “For us, engaging across Ohio is a real opportunity and a gift, but it’s also a responsibility.” 

Opus 88 outreach options include conducting workshops, presentations on music research and performances by large and small ensembles in a variety of settings, from performance halls and schools to assisted living facilities and coffee shops. Angela Heck Mueller, manager of the Ohio State Community Music School, coordinated the final 33 county visits and worked to match the university’s offerings to community needs. 

“I think about, ‘What can we do to bring new and exciting opportunities to every county?’” Heck Mueller explained. “A school that has a band program might be able to experience a string quartet or a chamber orchestra, so they have a unique experience.” 

A highlight of the program was the connections formed between Ohio State students and K-12 students in school districts across the state. 

“Sometimes, I think hearing about something like discipline or leadership from a person who is not too far from a student’s age is different than when it comes from a teacher,” Ibrahim said. “Bringing college students to a middle or high school is kind of like bringing in Taylor Swift.” 

Heck Mueller also worked to match Ohio State students to their home school districts and counties, noting that this allowed students to become “a hometown hero for budding musicians hoping to follow in their footsteps one day.” 

While Opus 88 was welcomed across the state, it also benefited the students and faculty who attended the trips. 

“We recently took a bluegrass band to a rural part of Ohio, and some of the students on that trip had also been on larger trips to Japan and Ireland,” Ibrahim said. “They spoke to how the impact and the feeling they got from performing in a rural setting in Ohio was just as meaningful, if not more, as those international trips.” 

As the school approaches its final county, it plans to launch a second iteration, known as Opus 88 Encore, to address a growing waitlist among counties requesting additional visits. Offerings will expand upon the original program’s performance and teaching options to include new areas like hip hop.  

“As we’re making these trips, we’re serving the state,” Ibrahim said. “That partnership is important for us. We are Ohio’s music school.” 

To request an Opus 88 visit, go to the program website: https://music.osu.edu/form/request-opus88-visit