April 29, 2020

CIM Launches Virtual Summer Intensives: May and June 2020


Intensives

Today, the venerable Cleveland Institute of Music announced nine virtual Summer Intensives to be held in May and June 2020 and taught by some of America’s most highly sought-after and accomplished teaching artists. These three- and five-day online courses focus on audition skills and fundamentals – tools that every musician needs to achieve success in a competitive field – and feature master classes, demonstrations, discussions and private lessons curated to position registered students for the next step in their musical careers.

CIM’s Summer Intensive faculty includes Cleveland Orchestra musicians, professional opera singers, acclaimed pedagogues and experienced vocal coaches.

“Building on two decades of success in distance studio training, the CIM Summer Intensives will challenge and engage enrolled students who are serious about advancing their training as a classical musician,” said Jerrod Price, executive director of preparatory, enrollment and pathway programs at CIM. “This is a great opportunity for musicians to invest in their long-term potential by studying with faculty who have years of experience and distinguished track-records of developing talent.”

CIM President and CEO Paul W. Hogle emphasizes that CIM’s program puts pre-college, collegiate and early-career professional classical musicians in a learning relationship with celebrated faculty and gives them the time and space to focus exclusively on their music.

“The impact of our Summer Intensives on a classical musician’s career trajectory can be a game changer,” he said. “A week in one of these highly personal classes will serve as an introduction to the high expectations of professional development – a fast-paced dose of inspiration for students destined for the conservatory, an orchestra, and opera company or other coveted classical music performance opportunities.”

Faculty includes esteemed classical musicians Michael Sachs, principal trumpet of The Cleveland Orchestra; Jason Vieaux, Grammy-winning guitarist; Antonio Pompa-Baldi, silver medalist at the Van Cliburn International Competition and winner of the Cleveland International Piano Competition; Melissa Kraut, leading pedagogue and co-founder of the Sitka (Alaska) Cello Seminar; and Frank Rosenwein, principal oboe of The Cleveland Orchestra and in-demand guest artist and master class clinician.

Unlike a typical summer performance seminar or academy, CIM Summer Intensives welcome participants, who receive lessons and the opportunity to perform in master classes in addition to all program sessions, and observers, who can audit the program sessions. 

Each intensive has specific audition requirements, application deadlines and tuition rates and participant enrollment is limited to ensure personal attention. In most cases, there is no limit to the number of registered observers. Visit cim.edu/summer-intensives for details.

Price explained that being an observer is also a valuable experience.

“Whether just getting started, or already well into your career, being able to observe the best teaching in the world for $95 is an unparalleled move toward providing access to these otherwise unreachable pedagogues,” he said. “We’re excited to offer these intensive classes to artists at all levels.”

Intensive Schedule: 

Michael Sachs Trumpet Audition Intensive 

  • Tuesday, May 26 – Saturday, May 30 
  • Faculty: Michael Miller and Michael Sachs
  • Participants: Submit application and audition recordings by May 11
  • Observers: Register by May 21 

Cello Audition Intensive 

  • Monday, June 1 – Friday, June 5 
  • Faculty: Melissa Kraut and Richard Weiss
  • Participants: Submit application and audition recordings by May 18
  • Observers: Register by May 28 

Bassoon Audition Intensive 

  • Monday, June 1 – Friday, June 5 
  • Faculty: John Clouser and Barrick Stees
  • Participants: Submit application and audition recordings by May 18
  • Observers: Register by May 28 

Piano Audition Intensive 

  • Monday, June 1 – Friday, June 5 (for western hemisphere time zones)  
  • Monday, June 8 – Friday, June 12 (for eastern hemisphere time zones - in Mandarin)
  • Faculty: Kathryn Brown and Antonio Pompa-Baldi
  • Participants (June 1-5): Submit application and audition recordings by May 18; Observers: Register by May 28
  • Participants (June 8-12): Submit application and audition recordings by May 25; Observers: Register by June 4 

Viola Audition Intensive 

  • Wednesday, June 3 – Friday, June 5 
  • Faculty: Mark Jackobs, Stanley Konopka and Lynne Ramsey
  • Participants: Submit application and audition recordings by May 20
  • Observers: Register by June 1 

Oboe Audition Intensive 

  • Friday, June 5 – Sunday, June 7 
  • Faculty: Frank Rosenwein
  • Participants: Submit application and audition recordings by May 22
  • Observers: Register by June 3 

Classical Guitar Intensive 

  • Wednesday, June 10 – Friday, June 12 
  • Faculty: Colin Davin and Jason Vieaux
  • Participants: Submit application and audition recordings by May 27
  • Observers: Register by June 8 

Violin Audition Intensive 

  • Monday, June 15 – Friday, June 19  
  • Faculty: Ilya Kaler, Olga Dubossarskaya Kaler and Stephen Rose
  • Participants: Submit application and audition recordings by June 1
  • Observers: Register by June 11 

Core Elements in Singing 

  • Monday, June 22 – Friday, June 26 
  • Faculty: Clifford Billions, François Germain, Dina Kuznetsova, Mary Schiller, John Simmons and Dean Southern
  • Participants: Submit application and audition recordings by June 8
  • Observers: Register by June 18  

CIM Faculty Conducting the 2020 Summer Intensives 

Bassoon 

John Clouser, principal bassoon, The Cleveland Orchestra; has participated in Colorado, Tanglewood, Grand Teton, Peninsula, Flagstaff and Round Top music festivals 

Barrick Stees, assistant principal bassoon, The Cleveland Orchestra; taught at Michigan State University, Interlochen Arts Camp; Interlochen Arts Academy; Brevard Music Center 

Cello 

Melissa Kraut, founder and education director of the Sitka (Alaska) Cello Seminar with famed cellist Zuill Bailey; solo and chamber performer throughout the US and Europe 

Richard Weiss, first assistant principal cello, The Cleveland Orchestra, to which he was appointed in his senior year of college 

Classical Guitar 

Colin Davin holds numerous prizes in several international competitions, including Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition

Jason Vieaux, Grammy-winner described as “among the elite of today’s classical guitarists” he is a prolific performer with such orchestras as Cleveland, Houston, Toronto, San Diego, Buffalo, Auckland Philharmonie in New Zealand; earned 2015 Grammy for Best Classical Instrumental Solo album 

Oboe 

Frank Rosenwein, principal oboe of The Cleveland Orchestra; a regular presence at the Marlboro Music Festival, he has also performed at the Mainly Mozart Music Festival and San Diego and Philadelphia Chamber Music societies 

Piano 

Kathryn Brown, widely hailed for her interpretations from Mozart to Gershwin; has performed around the globe as a concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, as well as at Carnegie Hall with The Cleveland Orchestra and maestro Christoph von Dohnányi 

Antonio Pompa-Baldi, prizewinner in several competitions, including Cleveland and Van Cliburn International Piano Competitions; appears regularly in performances at Carnegie Hall, Severance Hall, Shanghai’s Grand Theater and Boston’s Symphony Hall 

Trumpet 

Michael Miller, fourth/utility trumpet, The Cleveland Orchestra; former principal trumpet of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, where he was a frequent featured soloist; former faculty at University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the University of South Carolina  

Michael Sachs, principal trumpet, The Cleveland Orchestra; recognized internationally as a leading soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, teacher, author and clinician; has been a featured soloist with The Cleveland Orchestra; former fourth/utility trumpet with the Houston Symphony 

Viola 

Mark Jackobs joined The Cleveland Orchestra in 1993 and has given master classes around the US, including at CIM, Interlochen Arts Camp, the Music Institute of Chicago, Ohio Viola Society, Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Peabody Institute of Music at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Colorado-Boulder  

Stanley Konopka has been assistant principal violist for The Cleveland Orchestra since 1993 and former principal violist of the National Repertory Orchestra; as an avid chamber musician, he has recorded on the Telarc and Azica labels with fellow CIM faculty John Clouser (bassoon), Yolanda Kondonassis (harp) and Richard King (horn)

Lynne Ramsey serves as first assistant principal of The Cleveland Orchestra and was invited to perform the Walton Viola Concerto with the Beijing Philharmonic in China, having the distinction of the first foreign musician to perform in Beijing’s new concert hall; she has taught at the Oberlin Conservatory and Aspen Music Festival 

Violin 

Ilya Kaler, praised by critics as “a magician, bewitching our ears,” the only violinist to win the gold medal at the prestigious Tchaikovsky, Sibelius and Paganini international competitions 

Olga Dubossarskaya Kaler, highly sought out teacher and clinician who has appeared on such concert venues as Carnegie Hall, Albert Hall in London and Berlin Philharmonie Hall 

Stephen Rose, principal second violin for The Cleveland Orchestra; teaches regularly at the New World Symphony, National Orchestral Institute and Kent/Blossom Music Festival; appears frequently at music festivals around the world as a faculty member and performer 

Voice 

Clifford Billions began his professional singing career at the Metropolitan Opera Studio in New York City; his students have gone on to careers at the Metropolitan and New York City operas, as well as in opera companies in Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Houston and St. Louis 

François Germain, piano and vocal coach who has performed extensively in Europe, Canada and the US as a soloist and accompanist; he is the recipient of many awards, including first prize in the Radio-France Competition and the Paul and Verna Galinas Competition; founder and editor of dictionpolice.com, which teaches diction to classical singers 

Dina Kuznetsova, one of the world’s most compelling sopranos, active recitalists and chamber musicians, has graced the stages of many of the world’s greatest opera venues from the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden to New York’s Metropolitan Opera and the San Francisco Opera House 

Mary Schiller, a leading voice pedagogue in the US, has appeared in more than 30 operas, in oratorios and recital performances; her students have gone on to perform with the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Lyric Opera of Chicago and San Francisco Opera   

John Simmons has coached, taught and performed at numerous opera festivals and schools; performed recitals in Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy and the US, as well as in ensembles such as The Cleveland Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus and Joffrey Ballet in Chicago 

Dean Southern, has performed opera, oratorio and recital throughout the US and Europe and has taught master classes at such venues as the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, Central Conservatory of Music and China Conservatory of Music in Beijing and the Interlochen Arts Academy