Cleveland Institute of Music

Home > CIM Names Joel Smirnoff President

April 30, 2008 - A. Malachi Mixon, III, chairman of the Cleveland Institute of Music's (CIM) board of trustees, announced today that Joel Smirnoff, first violinist of the Juilliard String Quartet and chair of the violin department at The Juilliard School, has been appointed president of CIM, effective July 1, 2008. Smirnoff's appointment follows a national search process that began in October 2006, when David Cerone announced his pending retirement. Mr. Cerone was the longest-tenured president in CIM history, having held the position since 1985 and overseeing enormous growth and success. Mr. Cerone will remain on the faculty at CIM.

Upon making the announcement, Mixon stated, "I am extremely pleased with the results of our search. The Committee's decision was unanimous. We have in Joel Smirnoff a leader for CIM consistent with our classical traditions; a gifted teacher and virtuoso performer. He brings a tremendous background of experiences to CIM and with him in place I see a future that continues to be very bright and exciting for our school."

The search committee included trustees Mal Mixon, Barbara Gratry, Carl Jenks, Paul Sykes and Barbara Robinson. CIM faculty and staff were invited to meet with the finalists in a series of special interviews.

In accepting the appointment, Mr. Smirnoff remarked, "It is with a strong sense of honor, excitement and responsibility that I view my appointment as President of the Cleveland Institute of Music. The Cleveland Institute stands today as one of the world's great conservatories, thanks to the vision and efforts of my predecessor, David Cerone, and to the illustrious presidential lineage that preceded him. I am very aware of the Institute's great history and feel so deeply honored to have been chosen to become a part of it. I have every intention of continuing, in tandem with the Institute's wonderful faculty and staff, the deep commitment the school has made to the expressive potential of great music, to the lives of young musicians all over the world and to the Cleveland community."

Mr. Smirnoff will oversee the vision, leadership and management of CIM, helping the organization attain its next level of excellence. He will be charged with maintaining CIM's financial stability – the Institute has balanced its budget for 12 years in a row – and strong, high-caliber enrollment. In 2006, CIM celebrated the attainment of The Campaign for CIM's $40 million capital campaign goal. The Institute celebrated the completion of its expansion and the dedication of Mixon Hall, its state-of-the-art 250-seat recital hall, in November 2007. Mr. Smirnoff will also teach at CIM and continue to be part of the Juilliard String Quartet next season as the ensemble searches for a replacement during this transitional phase.

Violinist Joel Smirnoff is a native of New York City and chair of the violin department at The Juilliard School. He has been a member of the Juilliard String Quartet since 1986, and the ensemble's leader since 1997. The Quartet, founded in 1947, has become a living American legend and won four GRAMMY Awards. Formerly the group's second violinist, Mr. Smirnoff attended the University of Chicago and The Juilliard School and was a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for six years. Second Prize-winner in the International American Music Competition in 1983, he made his New York recital debut in 1985 at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall as part of the Emerging Artists series and at Town Hall as part of the Midtown Masters series. In 1997, he was featured violin soloist at Tanglewood in a concert dedicated to the memory of violinist Louis Krasner, performing the Berg Violin Concerto under the direction of Bernard Haitink. Mr. Smirnoff has participated in the world premiere of numerous contemporary works, many of which were composed for him. Mr. Smirnoff is a Sony recording artist and has solo recordings on GM, CRI and Northeastern Records.

Mr. Smirnoff has served as Chair of the Violin Department at The Juilliard School since 1993 and served as Head of String Studies at the Tanglewood Music Center during the late 1990s. Mr. Smirnoff has been on the faculty of Tanglewood since 1983. He has served on the juries of the Naumburg and Indianapolis Violin Competitions.

He also pursues an active career as a conductor, both in the U.S. and abroad. In the summer of 2000, Mr. Smirnoff made his official American conducting debut with the San Francisco Symphony, conducting an all-Tchaikovsky program. He has also been a frequent guest with the New World Symphony and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. In May 2004, he received rave reviews for his debut with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, replacing Peter Oundjian, who had fallen ill. In Europe, Mr. Smirnoff has conducted the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and a European tour with the Basel Sinfonietta and Charles Rosen as soloist in the Elliott Carter Piano Concerto. Mr. Smirnoff has led both the Juilliard Symphony and the Juilliard Orchestra in concert.

He has also appeared in concert with the Louisiana Philharmonic, the Phoenix Symphony, the Chicago Philharmonic, the Western New York Chamber Orchestra and the Texas Music Festival Orchestra.

Mr. Smirnoff also plays jazz, performing frequently as improvising soloist with Tony Bennett. His solos were featured on the GRAMMY Award-winning CD Tony Bennett Sings Ellington Hot and Cool. He has also been guest soloist with Gunther Schuller and the American Jazz Orchestra, as well as the Billy Taylor Trio.

Mr. Smirnoff was born into an eminent New York musical family. His mother sang with the Jack Teagarden Band under the stage name of Judy Marshall and his father, Zelly Smirnoff, played in the NBC Symphony under Toscanini and was second violinist of the Stuyvesant String Quartet. Mr. Smirnoff is married to the eminent concert violinist Joan Kwuon, who is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Founded in 1920, The Cleveland Institute of Music is one of only eight independent, fully accredited, privately-supported, not-for-profit conservatories. Its mission is to provide exceptionally talented students from around the world an outstanding, world-class education in the art of music performance and related musical disciplines. CIM offers the Bachelor of Music, Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees and post-secondary and post-baccalaureate certificates. CIM operates two education divisions, the Conservatory Division and the Preparatory and Continuing Education Division, which welcomes more than 1,500 young people and adults for music lessons each year.

For additional information, contact Susan M. Schwartz, Director of Marketing and Communications, at 216-795-3122 or sxs129@cwru.edu.

A video of the announcement is now available online.

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