President Hogle Provides Glimpse into CIM’s Future to Local Women’s Club

President and CEO Paul W. Hogle spoke about CIM’s future February 25 at the most recent meeting of the Intown Club of Cleveland. Members of the women’s club are typically movers and shakers in the community, having served as both volunteers and professionals in everything from the arts and education to corporate life.

Hogle spoke at the invitation of Cynthia Bassett, a member of CIM’s Board of Trustees and senior vice president of Wealth Management at UBS Financial Services.

After sharing with the group a brief history of the nearly 100-year-old CIM, Hogle explained how the Institute – through an ambitious strategic plan called Blueprint:100 – is committed to the education of the complete musician through a gradually smaller student body, resulting in:

• CIM becoming more selective
• Reduction in tuition
• Greater access to performance halls and practice rooms
• A richer ability to serve academic and student life needs
• Annual funding and existing new endowment resources will go further

Blueprint:100 provides an important foundation to improve CIM’s position among its classical conservatory peers and enhance the Institute’s ability to retain and attract the most talented classical music students in the world.

The gathering also was treated to a virtuoso performance by CIM’s Heilerin Quartet, featuring students Sarah Biagini (violin, Kwuon), Caroline Joyner (violin, Kwuon), Erlene Koh (viola, Konopka) and Tyla Axelrod (cello, Kraut).

Following the quartet’s performance – and thunderous applause – the student performers were asked pointed questions by the audience: What were their feelings about Cleveland, life at CIM and why did they choose to study at the Institute.

In concluding his remarks, Hogle invited Clevelanders to embrace CIM’s mission.

“On the eve of CIM’s historic centennial anniversary in 2020, we are rededicating ourselves to the core principles that have served us across the decades and are pursuing our mission with renewed purpose,” Hogle said. “Simply put, CIM aspires to ‘be the future of classical music’ and we are unapologetic in engaging individuals and families across Cleveland to help permanently secure that future.”