August 18, 2026
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