Cleveland Institute of Music Announces 2026 Fall Concert Season

CLEVELAND — The future of classical music takes the stage this fall at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where the artistry of the next generation meets the vision and experience of an exceptional community of CIM faculty, conductors, and guest artists. CIM’s 2026 Fall concert season opens in September with a lineup spanning orchestral music, opera, new music, and chamber performances.  

“As we welcome a new academic year, CIM is excited to create opportunities for our students to grow as artists, collaborators, and leaders, both on and off the stage,” said CIM President and CEO Paul W. Hogle. “This season brings together the extraordinary artistry of our students and faculty with new artistic voices and perspectives. We look forward to sharing that energy with our audiences throughout the fall.” 

A New Chapter for the CIM Orchestra 

The CIM Orchestra enters a new era this fall with the appointment of internationally acclaimed conductor Tito Muñoz as Director and Principal Conductor of the CIM Orchestra and Visiting Professor of Orchestral Studies. Muñoz, who served as the orchestra’s Interim Principal Conductor last year, will lead the ensemble in its season-opening performance on September 25, conducting Valerie Coleman’s Fanfare for Uncommon Times, Eduard Tubin’s Double Bass Concerto, and Tchaikovsky’s monumental Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique.” 

The orchestra’s fall season continues October 16, guest-conducted by the dynamic Sarah Ioannides, and reaches the big screen on November 20, when newly appointed Principal Guest Conductor Anthony Parnther leads the orchestra for Film Night. Drawing on his extensive experience as a conductor of film scores, including the 2027 Academy and Grammy Award-winning score to Sinners, Parnther will bring the unforgettable music of the movies vividly to life in concert. 

All visiting artists, including guests with the CIM Orchestra, are generously supported by the Kulas Foundation. 

Opera, Reinvented 

The 2026–27 CIM Opera Theater season opens a new chapter as well, with Dr. François Germain beginning his inaugural season as Director of CIM Opera Theater and Voice Ensembles. 

The season launches November 6 and 8 with Daniel Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas, an enchanting tale of love, longing and magical realism. Conducted by longtime CIM Opera Theater Music Director Harry Davidson and directed by acclaimed stage director Alison Moritz. 

The fall opera season continues with Fall Scenes December 4 and 6, offering audiences a dynamic collection of excerpts from across the operatic repertoire. The performances will be directed by CIM Assistant Professor of Voice Cynthia Skelley-Wohlschlager, with music direction by Germain and John Simmons. 

Meet the Faculty Shaping CIM’s Future 

CIM’s acclaimed Insiders series puts the spotlight on the musicians and educators at the heart of the conservatory. This fall, the series celebrates both the enduring contributions of CIM’s longtime faculty and the arrival of a remarkable new generation of artistic voices. 

The season opens September 13 with Immortal and Living Female Composers, a program spearheaded by CIM pianist Ralitsa Georgieva and featuring works by women composers, performed by Georgieva and fellow faculty members including violinist Olga Dubossarskaya Kaler, violist Lisa Boyko, cellist Si-Yan Darren Li, and pianists Gabriella Montero, Daria Rabotkina and Carolyn Gadiel Warner. 

On September 27, CIM celebrates the 60th birthday of composer and faculty member Keith Fitch with a concert featuring Stephen Tavani, Scott Dixon, Si-Yan Darren Li, Anita Pontremoli and Shaui Wang, alongside visiting artists. 

On October 29, new faculty member Edwin Huizinga brings his acclaimed ensemble Fire & Grace to Mixon Hall with an exhilarating mix of classical, folk, and contemporary traditions from around the world. November 13 features a concert celebrating CIM’s newest faculty members. The program will bring together violinists Igor Pikayzen, Sibbi Bernardsson, Chad Hoopes and Eun-Song Koh; violists Sheila Browne and Michael Klotz; and cellists Tom Landschoot and Jeffrey Lastrapes. 

Together, these performances showcase the extraordinary range of musicians joining CIM while celebrating the faculty whose artistry, teaching and mentorship continue to shape the conservatory. 

From New Music to the U.S. Army String Quartet 

The fall season extends well beyond the major orchestral and opera stages. 

On October 7, the CIM Virtuosi, CIM’s conductorless orchestra led by violinist Todd Phillips, will be joined by acclaimed guitarist Jason Vieaux for a special performance featuring Vivaldi's Guitar Concerto in D Major.  

CIM’s New Music Ensemble presents a program on October 11 featuring CIM violist Sheila Browne and guest composer Melinda Wagner, followed by a November 15 composition department recital featuring works by CIM student composers. 

On November 4,  experience the precision, artistry, and musical excellence of the U.S. Army String Quartet in a performance that blends timeless masterworks with the unmatched discipline of one of America's premier military ensembles. 

Throughout the semester, CIM’s halls will also come alive with performances by students from The Academy at CIM, whose extensive calendar includes solo, chamber, and large-ensemble performances by serious young musicians from throughout Northeast Ohio. 

CIM’s fall 2026 season begins in September and continues through December, with performances presented in Kulas Hall and Mixon Hall. All visiting artists, including guests with the CIM Orchestra, are generously supported by the Kulas Foundation.  

Most performances are free with tickets required, while select performances require paid admission. 

For the complete fall calendar and tickets, visit cim.edu/events. Tickets for spring 2027 performances will be available at a later date. 

FALL 2026 SEASON CALENDAR  

CIM thanks its fall 2026 season sponsor, KeyBank.  

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events.  

Sunday, September 13  

4 p.m. | Mixon Hall 

Immortal and Living Female Composers 

Celebrate the powerful voices of women in music, from the beloved works of the past to vibrant new compositions by living composers. Led by Ralitsa Georgieva, this richly varied program brings together extraordinary CIM faculty and students to perform music that is dramatic, intimate, and deeply expressive. 

Ralitsa Georgieva (PS ’06), piano 

Olga Dubossarskaya Kaler, violin 

Lisa Boyko (BM ’85), viola 

Si-Yan Darren Li, cello 

Eleanor Pompa, cello, student artist 

Jake McQuaid, flute, student artist 

Gabriela Montero, piano 

Daria Rabotkina, piano 

Carolyn Gadiel Warner, piano  

MENDELSSOHN Nocturne  

MONTEROSur le lac du Bourget  

CONNER* This Moment  

PEJAČEVIĆ Sonata for Violin and Piano in D Major, Op. 26: I. Allegro  

DORILAS Film Noir: I. Shadows in Streetlight  

STOYTCHEVA Sereniphoria  

BEACH Sonata for Flute and Piano: I. Allegro Moderato  

CASARRUBIOS Seven 

SCHUMANN Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 17: I. Allegro moderato 

Friday, September 25 

7:30pm | Kulas Hall 

Tito Muñoz, conductor  

Brennen Taggart, double bass, student artist 

COLEMAN Fanfare for Uncommon Times  

(2021) TUBIN Double Bass Concerto  

(1948) TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, "Pathétique"  

Sunday, September 27 

4 p.m. | Mixon Hall 

Celebrating the 60th birthday of Keith Fitch 

Celebrate composer Keith Fitch’s 60th birthday with an exhilarating program spanning more than two decades of his music, culminating in the world premiere of Blue Poles: Number 11, 1952. Featuring an exceptional ensemble of CIM faculty, students, and alumni, this concert offers an intimate and dynamic portrait of Fitch’s distinctive musical voice. 

Stephen Tavani (AD ’18), violin 

Christopher Gokelman (MM ’22, DMA ’26), viola 

Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Khari Joyner, cello 

Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Si-Yan Darren Li, cello 

Scott Dixon, double bass  

John Sebastian Vera, trombone 

Shuai Wang (BM ’03, MM ’05, MM ’05, AD ’07, DMA ’11), piano/celeste 

Sebastião Sheldrick, marimba, student artist 

Hwanee Pak, percussion, student artist  

Hunter Wirt, percussion, student artist 

FITCH Come soon, come soon (2000)  

FITCH Blue Poles: Number 11, 1952 (2026) world premiere  

FITCH Manhattan Rolls (2004)  

FITCH To sleep, to dream (2001, rev.  2004)

Sunday, October 4  

3 p.m. | Mixon Hall  

Lower and Upper Academy recital  

Wednesday, October 7  

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

CIM Virtuosi 

Todd Phillips, leader 

Jason Vieaux (BM ’95), guitar 

VIVALDI Guitar Concerto in D Major, RV 93 

ARNOLD Serenade for Guitar and Strings  

MENDELSSOHN String Symphony #10 in B minor 

BRITTEN Simple Symphony  

Sunday, October 11 

4pm | Mixon Hall 

New Music Ensemble 

Keith Fitch, director 

Melinda Wagner, guest composer 

Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Sheila Browne, viola 

WAGNER Scritch (2009) 

FELDMAN The Viola in My Life 1 (1970) 

WAGNER Wood-Sprite (2025) 

FELDMAN The Viola in My Life 2 (1970) 

WAGNER Elegy Flywheel (2020) 

New Music Ensemble is generously supported by the Roy Minoff Family Fund. 

Friday, October 16  

7:30 p.m. | Kulas Hall  

CIM Orchestra  

Sarah Ioannides, conductor  

Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Thursday, October 29  

7:30 p.m. | Mixon Hall  

Edwin Huizinga and Fire & Grace  

Experience the exhilarating meeting of classical, folk, and contemporary traditions from around the world in a performance that crosses musical borders with infectious energy. Fire & Grace brings together violin, guitar, and voice in a vibrant celebration of connection, tradition, and improvisation. 

Edwin Huizinga, violin  

William Coulter, guitar  

Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Amanda Powell, voice   

Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Wednesday, November 4 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

The U.S. Army String Quartet  

Kulas Foundation Visiting Artists 

Frequently sought after to perform at high-level special events at The White House, the Vice President's Residence, and the U.S. Capitol, the U.S. Army String quartet is tasked with performing for important missions in support of military and government leadership at the highest levels. The Army String quartet performs for both intimate official events as well as larger public concerts in the community. They support numerous outreach concerts at venues such as The Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, The Lyceum, Arena Stage, and Church of the Epiphany in Washington, D.C.  

Patrick Lin (MM ’18), violin  

Allison Smith, violin  

Julia Clancy (BM ’14), viola  

Ben Wensel (BM ’99), cello  

Friday, November 6 

7:30pm | Kulas Hall  

Sunday, November 8 

3pm | Kulas Hall  

CIM Opera Theater 

Alison Moritz, guest director 

Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Harry Davidson, conductor 

CIM Orchestra 

CATÁN Florencia en el Amazonas 

Tickets: $25-$35 

CIM Opera Theater is supported by a grant from the John P. Murphy Foundation and a generous gift from Michael Frank and the late Pat Snyder. 

Sunday, November 8 

2 p.m. | Mixon Hall  

Upper Academy recital  

Friday, November 13  

7:30 p.m. | Mixon  

Igor Pikayzen, violin 

Sibbi Bernardsson, violin   

Chad Hoopes (YAP ’13), violin  

Eun-Song Koh (BM ’16), violin  

Sheila Browne, viola  

Michael Klotz, viola 

Tom Landschoot, cello  

Jeffrey Lastrapes, cello  

Meet the newest members of the CIM faculty in a concert showcasing the artistry, experience, and extraordinary talent they bring to the Conservatory. Join us in welcoming these new voices to our community of artists and educators whose collective creativity and collaboration are shaping the future of classical music. 

Sunday, November 15 

4pm | Mixon Hall 

Composition Department Recital  

New music by CIM student composers 

Sunday, November 15  

2 p.m. | Kulas  

3:30 p.m. | Kulas  

Lower and Upper Academy piano recital   

Friday, November 20 

7:30pm | Kulas Hall 

CIM Orchestra  

Anthony Parnther, principal guest conductor 

Experience the unforgettable music of the movies—iconic themes, soaring melodies, and thrilling scores brought vividly to life by the CIM Orchestra. 

Thursday, December 3  

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Advanced Piano Trio Program Concert 

Friday, December 4 

7:30pm | Kulas Hall 

Sunday, December 6 

3pm | Kulas Hall 

Opera Scenes 

Cynthia Skelley-Wohlschlager*, stage director 

François Germain & John Simmons, music directors 

CIM Opera Theater is supported by a grant from the John P. Murphy Foundation and a generous gift from Michael Frank and the late Pat Snyder. 

Friday, December 4  

7:30pm | Mixon Hall  

String & Piano Ensembles Concert I 

Saturday, December 5 

3pm | Mixon Hall 

Brass & Woodwind Ensembles Concert I 

Saturday, December 5 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

String & Piano Ensembles Concert II 

Sunday, December 6 

2pm | Mixon Hall  

Intensive Duo Concert 

Monday, December 7  

7:30pm | Mixon Hall  

Brass & Woodwind Ensembles Concert II 

Tuesday, December 8 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall  

Advanced String Quartet Program Concert 

Wednesday, December 9 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall  

String & Piano Ensembles Concert III

Wednesday, December 9 

7:30pm | Kulas Hall  

Global Music Ensemble Concert  

Edwin Huizinga, violin  

Mike Block (BM ’04), cello 

Thursday, December 10  

7:30pm | Mixon Hall  

String & Piano Ensembles Concert IV 

Thursday, December 10  

6 p.m. | Kulas  

Upper and Lower Academy Recital  

Friday, December 11  

7:30 p.m. | Mixon  

Academy Continuing Education Recital  

Saturday, December 12  

10 a.m. | Kulas  

1 p.m. | Kulas  

4 p.m. | Kulas  

Academy ensembles concerts (Choirs, Orchestras and Wind Ensembles)  

Sunday, December 13  

4:30 p.m. | Mixon  

Academy chamber music recital  

Friday, December 18  

7:30 p.m. | Mixon  

Academy showcase recital