Composition Department

The CIM Composition Department has consistently been one of the nation's leading centers for new music ever since Ernst Bloch first joined the school as Director in 1920, and in the almost century since, successive generations of composers have found their voice at CIM.

In the rich and diverse musical climate of our own century, I welcome and encourage a variety of compositional styles among my students. My primary goal is to guide you as you discover your own personal and unique compositional language. I work with each student on how to write dynamic, sophisticated, and moving music, while at the same time studying the instruments (and how to use them well!), learning to develop musical material and shape the overall design and architecture of a piece, and nurturing each student's musical knowledge, taste, sophistication, and judgment.

Quota Est. Annual Openings

Composition Dept.

10-12

3-4

CIM is always striving to provide our composers with as many opportunities as possible. One example is our Partnership Program, which pairs student composers with student performers, who then come to that student's composition lesson to work together on the realization of his or her ideas. This "hands-on" experience of working directly with performers as part of the creative process is invaluable to a young composer's development and is one of the things that makes CIM such a unique place to study.

Another example is our new collaboration with the Cleveland Institute of Art, pairing student composers with student filmmakers or video game designers. This collaboration is designed to take place during the junior year, and offers our students valuable experience in the art of collaboration, as well as providing them necessary, "hands on" experience in film scoring and sound design.

- Keith Fitch
Head, Composition Dept.

What Makes this Studio so Great

The CIM Composition Department provides an intensive environment for student composers where the highest level of excellence is expected. The incredibly high standard of performance at CIM assures student composers very fine performances of their solo, ensemble, and orchestral works, as well as works developed in our Electronic Music Studio, all of which are digitally recorded.

Composition recitals featuring chamber and solo works are open to composition majors at all levels of study and are scheduled every semester. Students are required to have at least one work per year present on a departmental recital (unless they are presenting their degree recital). The CIM orchestra also devotes three two-hour rehearsals each semester to rehearsing and recording student orchestral works. Additionally, many CIM student performers program works by our student composers on their own recitals throughout the year.

There are many opportunities for CIM composition students throughout the neighboring communities, as well. Read more ...

  • Meet the CIM Composition Faculty.
  • Learn about our Electronic Music Studio.
  • Read about the New Music Ensemble
  • See some of our Distinguished Alumni.
  • See CIM Faculty over the years.

Composition Division

Composition Department

Keith Fitch

Vincent K. and Edith H. Smith Chair

e. kaf64@case.edu

Conservatory Studies

Adrian Daly

Dean of the Conservatory

216.791.5000 ext. 204

adrian.daly@cim.edu

Caryn Reynolds

Administrative Assistant to the Dean

216.791.5000 ext. 273

clr87@cim.edu

Departments

For a complete list of our Conservatory departments, please see our Departments page.

Conservatory Faculty

For a complete list of faculty members and bios, please see our Faculty page.

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