CIM embraces the contemporary in spring 2026 concert season

Along with the new year and new hall at CIM is about to come an influx of new music.  

On CIM’s spring 2026 concert season, announced Wednesday, the classics are well-represented, but within the mix is also an uncommonly broad array of works by living composers, including several affiliated with CIM.  

“As we start a new year and settle into our renewed Kulas Hall, it’s only fitting that we also feature contemporary music,” said Scott Harrison, CIM’s Executive Vice President & Provost. “With this bold, enterprising spring season, we’re putting CIM on the cutting edge, where it belongs.”  

CIM’s status as a top destination for great classical music in Northeast Ohio has been reaffirmed by the grand re-opening of Kulas Hall in October. Newly transformed, the iconic space – along with CIM’s other principal venue, Mixon Hall – will once again host an enormous variety of offerings.  

As the spring 2026 semester gets underway, CIM patrons can look forward to substantial presentations by the CIM Orchestra, CIM Opera Theater, and the CIM New Music Ensemble, as well as a rich menu in the ongoing Perspectives and Insiders series.  

Fans of contemporary music have particular cause for excitement. Featured across the spring season will be works by Libby Larsen, Judith Weir, Pierre Boulez (HDMA ’05), Jacob Druckman, Billy Childs, Andrew Rindfleisch, and four members of the CIM community: faculty violinist Philip Setzer, composition faculty member Jennifer Conner (MM ’87, DMA ’92), and celebrated alumni John Mackey (BM ’95) and Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate (MM ’00). 

There’s plenty for fans of the classics, too. Performances by students, guests, and faculty will feature a wide range of core repertoire including Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, the Mozart Oboe Concerto, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F minor, and a host of other Classical- and Romantic-era chamber music.  

That, though, is just the big picture. The real glory of the spring 2026 season lies in the details, in the specifics of performers and programs.  

Among the highlights: 

• Three concerts by the CIM Orchestra in the new Kulas Hall, with conductors Tito Muñoz, Ruth Reinhardt, and Anthony Parnther.
• A performance by the new CIM Virtuosi chamber orchestra featuring oboe student Erin Yun, winner of CIM’s 2025 Concerto Competition.
• CIM New Music Ensemble performances featuring the music of Libby Larsen, co-founder of the American Composers Forum; and Andrew Rindfleisch, professor of composition at Cleveland State University.
• New productions by CIM Opera Theater of Judith Weir’s Blond Eckbert and Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel.
• A benefit performance by members of CIM’s Black Student Union.
• Four Insiders series concerts by members of the CIM faculty, including a performance of a work by Philip Setzer, violin faculty and a founding member of the renowned Emerson Quartet.     
• Appearances by the Third Coast Percussion ensemble, cellist Tommy Mesa, and pianists Inna Faliks and Michelle Cann (BM ’09, MM ’10).  

A detailed list of events is below. Most events are free with tickets required, but a few select performances entail paid admission. All tickets are available now. For more information or to order tickets to spring 2026 season events, visit cim.edu/events.  

CIM thanks its spring 2026 season sponsor, KeyBank. All visiting artists, including guests with the CIM Orchestra, are generously supported by the Kulas Foundation. 

CIM ORCHESTRA 

The glories of the newly transformed Kulas Hall will come into focus in three performances by the CIM Orchestra, each of which will include a movement from Woodland Songs, a new work commissioned by CIM from alumnus Jerod I. Tate featuring CIM voice students as soloists. Guest conductor Anthony Parnther starts off the new year Feb. 24 with Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 9 and Billy Childs’ Saxophone Concerto, called Diaspora, with CIM’s own Steven Banks. Guest conductor Ruth Reinhardt is next, March 6, with Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, with student pianist Anna Audenis. The spring orchestral season concludes April 17 with interim principal conductor Tito Muñoz leading Mahler’s Symphony No. 1.   

CIM OPERA THEATER 

German folklore is at the heart of both works on the spring 2026 season of CIM Opera Theater. Two weeks before his appearance with the CIM Orchestra, guest conductor Anthony Parnther leads a new production by interim artistic director JJ Hudson of the 2006 “pocket” version of Judith Weir’s Blond Eckbert, a fantastical story based on an 18th-century tale by Ludwig Tieck about a husband and wife who share a terrible secret. Performances take place Feb. 11 and 12 in Mixon Hall. A tale with a happier ending – Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel – is next. Hudson stages a new production March 27 and 29 in Kulas Hall. Music director Harry Davidson conducts.  

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. 

CIM NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE 

On its first program of the new year, CIM’s New Music Ensemble, led by Director of Contemporary Music and Ensembles Keith Fitch, showcases the work of his colleague, Andrew Rindfleisch, longtime professor of composition at Cleveland State University (Feb. 15). Later in the semester, on March 29, the same forces convene for a program featuring the work of Libby Larsen, co-founder of the American Composers Forum. Student composers will also receive their moments in the spotlight, in Composition Department Recitals March 1 and April 19, in Mixon Hall.  

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

PERSPECTIVES AND INSIDERS SERIES 

CIM’s illustrious faculty take center stage in the Insiders series, which begins Feb. 17 with an eclectic night of chamber music for saxophone, cello, piano, and electronics.  More music for saxophone follows in the “Carolyn Warner and Friends” concert on Feb. 25, with faculty members Steven Banks, pianist Carolyn Warner, and others; and violinist Ilya Kaler teams up with pianist Daniel Shapiro for Mozart, Strauss, and Prokofiev on March 18. The series concludes April 8 with violinists Olga Dubossarskaya Kaler and Ilya Kaler joining forces with their son, cellist Daniel Kaler (BM ’19), violist Lynne Ramsey, and pianist Ilya Itin for major works by Debussy, Ysaÿe, and Brahms. The Perspectives series, meanwhile, continues to offer a broader view of the world of music, courtesy of guest artists. The series begins March 22 with Third Coast Percussion and continues with Ukrainian pianist Inna Faliks, April 14; and cellist Tommy Mesa with pianist Michelle Cann, on April 16.  

Visiting artists are supported by the Kulas Foundation.  

ACADEMY AT CIM 

The Conservatory isn’t the only source of fine music at CIM. The school’s pre-college training program also presents high-level performances, all of which are free and open to the public. See the calendar below for the full schedule of Academy solo recitals and concerts by all levels of Academy Choir, Academy Orchestra, and Academy Chamber Winds.  

SPRING 2026 SEASON DETAILS 

Saturday, January 31 

12pm | Mixon Hall 

Lunar New Year Celebration 

Co-presented with Steinway 

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with an afternoon of vibrant music, with performances by CIM faculty and Academy students, welcoming in luck, renewal, and joy. Enjoy festive refreshments inspired by traditional flavors as we ring in the year together. 

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Tuesday, February 10 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

32nd Annual Darius Milhaud Performance Prize Concert 

CIM students compete for cash prizes for best performance of a work by Darius Milhaud. 

Made possible through funds from CIM’s Darius Milhaud endowment. 

Wednesday, February 11 

Thursday, February 12 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

CIM Opera Theater 

JJ Hudson, director 

Anthony Parnther, guest conductor 

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

CIM Orchestra 

WEIR   Blond Eckbert (pocket version) (2006) 

Tickets: $30 

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. 

Saturday, February 14 

4pm | Room 217  

New Music Symposium  

Guest composer Andrew Rindfleisch discusses his music.  

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Sunday, February 15 

4pm | Kulas Hall 

New Music Ensemble 

Keith Fitch, director 

Andrew Rindfleisch, guest composer 

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Geoffrey Burleson, piano 

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Shuai Wang (BM ’03, MM ’05, MM ’05, AD ’07), piano 

RINDFLEISCH   What Vibes! (2000) 

DRUCKMAN   Reflections on the Nature of Water (1986) 

RINDFLEISCH   Quiet Music (2007) 

RINDFLEISCH   Mirages (2023) 

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

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Tuesday, February 17 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Andrew Hosler, saxophone 

Daniel Pereira, cello 

Eric Charnofsky, piano 

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Dylan Findley, electronics  

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

BOULEZ   Dialogue de l’ombre double (1985) 

SEIF    ﻣﻌﺎﻧﻲ Meanings (2022) 

   [Sami Seif (BM ’21)] 

CONNER   Ours to Lose (2025) 

   World Premiere 

   [Jennifer Conner (MM ’87, DMA ’92)] 

TATE   Snake Oil (2019) 

   [Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate (MM ’00)] 

MACKEY   Soprano Sax Concerto (2007) 

   [John Mackey (BM ’95)] 

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Pre-concert lecture at 6pm. 

Saturday, February 21 

6pm | Mixon Hall 

Academy Recital 

Sunday, February 22 

7pm | Mixon Hall 

Black Student Union Benefit Concert 

Presented by the CIM Black Student Union 

Tickets: $25 | free for students 

All proceeds go to the Black Student Union’s Student Assistance Fund. 

Tuesday, February 24 

7:30pm | Kulas Hall 

CIM Orchestra 

Anthony Parnther, guest conductor 

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Steven Banks, saxophone 

Davis Fischer, baritone, student artist 

TATE   Nani' (Fish) from Woodland Songs (2025) 

   [Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate (MM ’00)]  

CHILDS   Diaspora: Concerto for Saxophone (2023) 

SHOSTAKOVICH   Symphony No. 9 in E-flat Major, Op. 70 

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Wednesday, February 25 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Carolyn Gadiel Warner, piano 

Olga Dubossarskaya Kaler, violin 

Philip Setzer, violin 

Si-Yan Darren Li, cello 

Steven Banks, saxophone 

POULENC   Sonata for Violin and Piano, FP 119 

SETZER   Elegy for Violin and Piano (1976) 

GLINKA   Trio Patetico for Violin, Cello, and Piano  

RAVEL   Adagio from Piano Concerto in G Major (trans. C. Warner) 

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Sunday, March 1 

4pm | Mixon Hall 

Composition Department Recital 

Featuring new works by CIM student composers. 

Wednesday, March 4 

7:30pm | Kulas Hall 

Organ Department Recital 

Friday, March 6 

7:30pm | Kulas Hall 

CIM Orchestra 

Ruth Reinhardt, guest conductor 

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Nathaniel Hill, conductor, student artist 

Anna Audenis, piano, student artist 

Hanyue Zhang, soprano, student artist 

TATE   Shawi' (Raccoon) from Woodland Songs (2025) 

   [Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate (MM ’00)] 

BEETHOVEN   Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 

RACHMANINOFF   Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Sunday, March 15 

3pm | Mixon Hall 

Upper Academy Recital 

Wednesday, March 18 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Ilya Kaler, violin 

Daniel Shapiro, piano 

MOZART   Violin Sonata in A Major, K. 305 

PROKOFIEV   Violin Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 80 

STRAUSS   Violin Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 18 

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Sunday, March 22 

3pm | Mixon Hall 

Third Coast Percussion 

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artists 

On the occasion of their 20th anniversary, Chicago’s GRAMMY-winning quartet, Third Coast Percussion, presents Time Pieces: The New Classical, a program that celebrates 20 years of genre-defying, award-winning music, including many of the ensemble’s 20th anniversary commissions and tracks from their GRAMMY-nominated album, Standard Stoppages. 

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Wednesday, March 25 

1pm | Mixon Hall 

Conservatory Concerto Competition 

Wednesday, March 25 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

CIM Virtuosi 

Todd Phillips, leader 

Erin Yun, oboe, student artist 

MOZART   Oboe Concerto in C Major, K. 314 

GRIEG   Holberg Suite, Op. 40 

COPLAND   Appalachian Spring 

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Friday, March 27 

7pm | Kulas Hall 

Sunday, March 29 

3pm | Kulas Hall 

CIM Opera Theater 

JJ Hudson, director 

Harry Davidson, conductor 

CIM Orchestra 

HUMPERDINCK   Hansel and Gretel 

Tickets: $35-$45 

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. 

Saturday, March 28 

4pm | Room 217  

New Music Symposium  

Guest composer Libby Larsen discusses her music.  

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Sunday, March 29 

4pm | Mixon Hall 

New Music Ensemble 

Keith Fitch, director 

Libby Larsen, guest composer 

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

LARSEN   Trio Noir (2022) 

LARSEN   Selected Songs  

FITCH   Burnt Counterpoint (2007) 

LARSEN   Monk’s Oboe (2013) 

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

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Wednesday, April 8 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Olga Dubossarskaya Kaler, violin 

Ilya Kaler, violin 

Lynne Ramsey, viola 

Daniel Kaler (BM ’20), cello 

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Ilya Itin, piano 

DEBUSSY   Violin Sonata, L. 140 

YSAŸE   Sonata for Solo Violin in G Major, Op. 27, No. 5 

YSAŸE   Caprice d’après l’étude en forme de valse de Saint-Saëns 

BRAHMS   Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34 

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Sunday, April 12 

2pm & 3:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Academy Piano Recitals 

Tuesday, April 14 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Inna Faliks, piano 

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

“Adventurous and passionate” (The New Yorker) Ukrainian-born pianist Inna Faliks has established herself as one of the most communicative and poetic artists of her generation. She has made a name for herself through commanding performances of standard piano repertoire, as well as genre-bending, interdisciplinary projects, and inquisitive work with contemporary composers. 

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Thursday, April 16 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Tommy Mesa, cello 

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Michelle Cann (BM ’09, MM ’10), piano 

   Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist 

Trailblazing artists Tommy Mesa and Michelle Cann renew their collaboration in a program that reimagines the chamber music canon for the 21st century. This unique concert pairs works by modern composers like Andrea Casarrubios and Kevin Day with Debussy and Rachmaninoff, brought to life by the invigorating talents of two outstanding musicians. 

DEBUSSY   Cello Sonata, L. 135 

CASARRUBIOS   Mensajes del agua (2019) 

DAY   Cello Sonata No. 1 (2016)  

RACHMANINOFF   Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19 

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Friday, April 17 

7:30pm | Kulas Hall 

CIM Orchestra 

Tito Muñoz, conductor 

Davis Fischer, baritone, student artist 

Kiana Lilly, soprano, student artist  

Morgan Potts, mezzo-soprano, student artist  

Hanyue Zhang, soprano, student artist 

Jingdian Zhou, tenor, student artist 

TATE   Woodland Songs (2025) 

   [Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate (MM ’00)]  

MAHLER   Symphony No. 1 in D Major, “Titan” 

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events. 

Sunday, April 19 

4pm | Mixon Hall 

Composition Department Recital 

Featuring new works by CIM student composers. 

Thursday, April 23 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Upper Academy Recital 

Friday, April 24 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Intensive Duo Concert 

Saturday, April 25 

10am | Kulas Hall 

Academy Choirs Concert 

Saturday, April 25 

12pm | Kulas Hall 

Academy Choirs and Chamber Winds Concert 

Saturday, April 25 

3pm | Kulas Hall 

Academy Orchestras Concert 

Sunday, April 26 

3pm | Mixon Hall 

Cleveland Composers Guild Concert 

Sunday, April 26 

2pm | Kulas Hall 

Brass & Woodwind Ensembles Concert I 

Monday, April 27 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Brass & Woodwind Ensembles Concert II 

Tuesday, April 28 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Advanced Piano Trio Program Concert 

Wednesday, April 29 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Advanced String Quartet Program Concert 

Thursday, April 30 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

String & Piano Ensembles Concert I 

Friday, May 1 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

String & Piano Ensembles Concert II 

Saturday, May 2 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

String & Piano Ensembles Concert III 

Sunday, May 3 

12pm & 3pm | Mixon Hall 

Lower Academy Recitals 

Friday, May 8 

7:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Continuing Education Recital 

Saturday, May 9 

4:30pm | Mixon Hall 

Academy Chamber Music Recital 

Wednesday, May 13 

6pm | Mixon Hall 

Academy Showcase Recital 

Friday, May 15 

Luminaries Gala 

Join us for an evening of music, with guest conductor Leonard Slatkin and the CIM Orchestra, as we celebrate the talent and artistry of the CIM community and honor those who have made an impact. 

Visit cim.edu/luminaries to sponsor, purchase tickets, and learn more.