Aeolus Quartet: Jia Kim, Nicholas Tavani (BM '09, Preucil), Rachel Shapiro (BM '09, Cerone/Russell), Cailtin Lynch (AD '13, Vernon)
CIM's chamber music faculty members promote a nurturing environment that emphasizes collaboration. Ensembles receive valuable hands-on experience by participating in CIM's community enrichment programs — performing live music and engaging with audiences at local museums, schools, senior centers and hospitals. With this foundation, CIM graduates go on to join or form nationally recognized, critically acclaimed and award-winning ensembles.
The following list provides a representation of ensembles whose current or former members have studied chamber music at CIM.
Composition has been an important part of our curriculum since our founding. Our New Music program focuses on helping composers find their voice, teaching them how to write dynamic, sophisticated and meaningful music while also developing orchestration skills and portfolios. Our graduates go on to study at other prestigious institutions; earn awards, commissions and fellowships. They pursue a variety of career options from composing new repertoire that will be performed in concerts to scoring films, television shows or video games.
CIM students and alumni have been accepted to or invited to attend; recognized by or won awards from; appointed as faculty for or commissioned to compose works by the following:
Most of our faculty members are professional musicians with rich and diverse histories. Many are members of The Cleveland Orchestra, while others perform with or conduct other local symphonies or ensembles. Our students have unprecedented access to The Cleveland Orchestra, and we regularly welcome internationally recognized visiting artists to coach or guest conduct our students. As a result, many take orchestra jobs while finishing their studies at CIM or win appointments soon after graduation.
The following is a representative list of the organizations with which our alumni work:
Renée Richardson (PS '18, Schiller), AVA Resident Artist, Houston Grand Opera Studio Artist
Our voice program is all about balance. We teach an Italian method of singing (Bel Canto) that focuses on free, unforced sound known for its beauty, balance and seamlessness of tones. Equilibrium in enrollment is key to our students' success. The department must be small enough to ensure that all faculty know all students and large enough to support fully staged, costumed opera productions — an important training ground for singers and orchestral musicians alike. Our graduates go on to succeed in a variety of vocal careers as singers, coaches, choral directors or working behind the scenes at opera companies around the world.
The following is a representative list of opera companies and organizations with which our graduates sing or have performed:
Daniil Trifonov (AD '14, Babayan) is an internationally renowned pianist whose first CD was nominated for a GRAMMY.
CIM creates a vibrant, energized atmosphere where ideas grow and musicians thrive — where our students are taught by some of the greatest talents in classical music and where they learn alongside exceptionally gifted peers. In an environment steeped in tradition that simultaneously encourages innovation in technique, technology and interpretation, our students grow to become imaginative and emboldened artists and performers. They tour the world to play concerts and record award-winning music.
The following list represents just some of our talented graduates who are working as performers and soloists:
Mélisse Brunet (PS '12, Topilow): Music Director of the Lexington Philharmonic, Music Director of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, featured in documentary MAESTRA
Our conducting program helps students develop advanced skills in musicianship and analysis while refining technique, musical knowledge and communication skills. Conducting majors regularly attend CIM orchestra and opera rehearsals, and may assist with sectional rehearsals. They have unprecedented access to observe rehearsals with The Cleveland Orchestra. By limiting enrollment, we grant each of our students significant podium time providing hands-on experience that translates to real-world jobs.
Below is a list of some of the organizations where CIM alumni work or have worked as conductors or music directors:
Aspen Music Festival
Assisi Opera
Australian Festival of Chamber Music
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra
Boise Philharmonic Youth Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra
Brevard Music Center
Brighton Symphony Orchestra
Capitol Chamber Orchestra
Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra
Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
China Philharmonic
Cleveland Chamber Symphony
The Cleveland Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra
Cleveland Philharmonic
Colorado Symphony Orchestra
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
FiveOne Experimental Orchestra
Florida Grand Opera
Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra
Georgia Symphony Orchestra
Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra
Giovanile Orchestra (Bologna)
Guangzhou Symphony
Hong Kong Philharmonic
Houston Symphony
Indiana University
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra
Kent/Blossom Music Festival
Lexington Philharmonic
Lyric Orchestra of Avignon Provenc
Manhattan School of Music
Metropolitan Youth Symphony of Atlanta
Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa (Mexico)
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Music Academy of the West
National Symphony Orchestra & Chorus of Costa Rica
Thomas Moore, BM'86/MM '88: Principal Oboe with The Cleveland Pops, Grammy Award-winning audio producer, founding member and president of Five/Four Productions, Ltd (Photo: Robert Muller)
Our facilities feature state-of-art equipment, but students gain more than technical training at CIM — they learn the art of recording music. Audio engineering majors follow the same core curriculum as performance majors to cultivate increased aural acuity and musical knowledge. Recording industry professionals mentor students — teaching recording skills, editing techniques, mixing, audio production for video, network communications and more. The practical experience our students gain while at CIM and through internships, along with Pro Tools Certification, make a winning combination for post-graduation success.
Some of the individuals working in the music recording and production industry:
Alan Bise
Emily Botel-Barnard
Ian Dobie
Joseph Hallman
Alex Kosiorek
Thomas Moore
Louis Enghow Ng
Joseph Maxwell Porter
Jason Whetstone
Companies where CIM Audio Recording graduates work:
Amy Schwartz Moretti, BM '98/MM '01: Associate Professor, Violin, and Director of the McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University; Distinguished Artist and Caroline Paul King Violin Chair in Strings (Photo: Courtesy of the Artist)
Our vision is to be the center for the education of the complete musician of the 21st century, which includes training the next generation of music instructors. Our Joint Music Program with Case Western Reserve University enables CIM students to take non-music courses and earn dual degrees, including an educational degree. Custom programs prepare our students for fellowships and apprenticeships. This immersive and creative educational process enables our graduates to leave CIM prepared to teach or to continue their studies at other esteemed institutions.
CIM graduates are accepted to prestigious graduate programs around the world, including:
Arizona State University
Ball State University
Bard College Conservatory
Boston Conservatory
Boston University
Bowling Green State University
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University
The Colburn School
Curtis Institute of Music
Eastman School of Music
Florida State University
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University
Manhattan School of Music
Mannes College of Music, The New School
McGill University (Montreal, Canada)
Michigan State University
Musikhochschule Lübeck
New England Conservatory
New York University
Northwestern University
Ohio State University
Peabody Institute of the John Hopkins University
Ravinia's Steans Music Institute
Royal Academy of Music
Rutgers University
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Shepherd School of Music - Rice University
Stony Brook University
SUNY Purchase College
Temple University
Univ of Arizona
Universidade de Aveiro
Univ of California, Los Angeles
Univ of California, Santa Barbara
Univ of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music
Univ of Colorado Boulder
Univ of Georgia
Univ of Houston-Moores School of Music
Univ of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Univ of Maryland
Univ of Michigan
Univ of Minnesota: Twin Cities
Univ of Missouri-Kansas City
Univ of North Texas
Univ of Southern California
Univ of Texas at Austin
Univ of West Virginia
Yale University
CIM graduates have accepted positions to teach at hundreds of schools and festivals, including:
Aber Suzuki Center at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
American Festival for the Arts
Ameropa Chamber Music Festival
Arts Share | University of Iowa
Ashland University
Aspen Music Festival
Aurora School of Music
Austin Chamber Music Center Academy
Avon School of Music
Azusa Pacific University
Baldwin Wallace University
Ballance Talent Education Studio
The Banff Centre
Batavia Studios
Battersea Arts Centre
Baylor University
Bennett Conservatory of Music (NY)
Berklee College of Music
Bethesda University (Anaheim)
Bloomsburg Preparatory School of Music
Broadway School of Music and the Arts
Brookline Music School
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music
California Arts Boarding School | Idyllwild Arts Academy
Case Western Reserve University
Celebrity School of Music
Central Conservatory of Music
Chapel Hill Chamber Music Workshop
Chapman University
Clayton State
Clear Lake High School Orchestra
Coach for Eastman Opera
Coda Mountain Academy of Music
College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati
Colorado State University-Pueblo
Columbus State University (Columbus, Georgia)
Community Music School - Oberlin College
Concordia College - Moorhead
Conneaut High School
Cornish College of the Arts
Coro de la Universidad de los Andes
Curtis Young Artist Summer Program
Cuyahoga Community College
Dana School of Music
Denver School of the Arts
DePaul University
Diller-Quaile School of Music
East China Normal Conservatory
Eastern Mennonite University
Eastman School of Music
El Paso Community College
El Sistema (Boston)
El Sistema (Cleveland)
El Sistema (Kalikolehua)
El Sistema (New Brunswick, Canada)
El Sistema (Winnipeg)
Emory University
Faculty Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School
Faith Music Academy
Flint Institute of Music
Florentine Music School
Geauga Music Center
Geneva Conservatory of Music in Manhattan
George Washington University
Gifted Music School (Salt Lake City)
Great Lakes School of Music
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Gustavus Adolphus College
Harding University
Harlem Village Academy Leadership Middle School
Harpool Middle School
Harvard University
The Hartt School
High Point University
Hiram College
Houston Youth Symphony
Illinois State University
Indiana Springs Academy of Music
Indiana University
Indiana Wesleyan University
Interlochen Arts Academy
Interlochen Arts Camp
International Festival-Institute at Round Top
Ithaca College
John Carroll University
The Juilliard School
Kanack School of Music
Kent State University
Kutztown University
Lancaster Bible College
LidalNorth International Opera Workshop
Lone Star College
Lorain County Community College
Luzerne Music Center
Lynn University
Madeline Island Music Festival
Malone University
Manatee School for the Arts
Marshalltown Community School District
Maryland Talent Education Center
McDuffie Center for Strings | Mercer University
McGill University
Meadowmount School of Music
Miami University of Ohio
Millburn Township Schools
Mississippi Valley State University
Montessori High School (Cleveland)
Music and Dance Academy of Tucson
Music Institute of Chicago
Music School of Delaware
Music School Settlement
The Music Settlement (Cleveland)
The Music Settlement School (Philadelphia)
Nassau-Suffolk Performing Arts
Neighborhood Music School
New England Conservatory
New York State School Music Association
New York Summer Music Festival
New York University
North Hennepin Community College
North Shore Suzuki School
Northern Kentucky University
Oberlin Conservatory
Ohio State University
Ohio University
Ohio Viola Society
Oklahoma State University
Omaha Conservatory of Music
Pakachoag School of Greater Worcester
Palm Beach Suzuki School of Music
Parrish Music Academy
Peabody Institute of The John Hopkins University
Penn State University
Philadelphia Biblical University
Philadelphia Young Pianists Academy
Plumosa School of the Arts
Rainey Institute/El Sistema (variously locations)
Riverside Academy at Beck Center
Rudolf Steiner School
Rutgers University
San Diego Mesa College
San Diego State University
San Jacinto College Middle/High School Strings Camp
School of Music in Espinho
Scotch College
Shepherd University (Los Angeles)
Sonrise Community School of the Arts
St. Claire School for Strings (New Zealand)
St. Joseph's School of Music
Stagecrafters Theater
Stanford University
Summer Christian Music Camp
Suzuki Association of the Americas
Taiwan Hospitality and Tourism College
Tanglewood Institute - Boston University
Teach For America - Detroit Community Schools
Texas A & M University-Kingsville
Texas Lutheran University
Texas Strings Camp
Texas Winds Musical Outreach
Toedtman School of Music
Town School (NYC)
Trinity College - University of Melbourne (Australia)
Troy University
Turtle Bay Music School
Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola
Univ of Akron
Univ of Alabama
Univ of Arizona
Univ of California, Berkeley
Univ of California, Irvine
Univ of California, Santa Cruz
Univ of North Carolina School of the Arts
Univ of Chicago
Univ of Colorado Denver
Univ of Dayton
Univ of Denver Lamont School of Music
Univ of Evansville
Univ of Louisiana at Lafayette
Univ of Manitoba
Univ of Michigan
Univ of Minnesota
Univ of North Texas
Univ of Oregon Community Music Institute
Univ of Oregon School of Music and Dance
Univ of Ottawa
Univ of Redlands (CA)
Univ of Rhode Island
Univ of Rochester
Univ of St. Andrews (Scotland)
Univ of Tampa
Univ of Texas at Tyler
Univ of Texas Permian Basin
Univ of Texas-Austin
Univ of the Incarnate Word (San Antonio)
Univ of Toronto
Univ of Utah
Univ of Virginia
Univ of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
University School
Utah State University
Valencia College
Vancouver Academy of Music
Varta Academy of Musical Arts
Wayne State University
West Texas A&M University
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts at Edith Cowan University
Violinist Jinjoo Cho (BM '11 Kantor, MM '13, PS '15 Laredo) was the winner of the 2014 International Violin Competition. She currently teaches at Schulich School of Music.
With a world-class faculty educating some of the most talented young musicians from across the country and around the globe, CIM students and alumni regularly earn awards, fellowships, scholarships and take top honors in international competitions both while studying at CIM and following graduation. Awards often provide prize money that helps students underwrite the cost of a CIM education and include recording contracts or publicity that help launch careers.
CIM students and alumni regularly earn awards, fellowships, scholarships and take top honors in international competitions, including:
Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition
ASCAP - Morton Gould Young Composer Awards
Aspen Quintet Fellowship
Astral Award
Avery Fischer Career Grant
Borciani International String Quartet Competition
Bordeaux International Quartet Competition
Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award
Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition
Cannes Film Festival
Canton Symphony Composition Fellow
Carlos Prieto International Cello Competition
Chamber Music Institute Fellowship
Charles Ives Fellowship, American Academy of Arts and Letters
