Engage with the Community

Practice your craft with diverse audiences and learn valuable pedagogical skills while developing a sense of civic engagement, all right here in Cleveland.

Practice and Performance in Service
  • CIM schedules community concerts with our many partners every year. Find out what community performance opportunities and venues are available to you.
  • Practice your pedagogical skills by teaching students at Cleveland School of the Arts (CSA), an auditioned public high school located minutes from CIM of roughly 450 students, grades 9-12. Mentor band, orchestra and choir students through one-on-one applied lessons, sectionals and ensembles coaching. CIM has partnered with CSA for over 25 years, serving hundreds of students with big musical aspirations.
  • CIM participates in the Saturday Tutoring Program, offering paid work to students interested in tutoring middle- and high-school aged students in non-musical subjects.
Curriculum For Artist Citizens
  • For almost 30 years, a community performance has been required for course credit in all chamber ensembles. This tradition continues to inspire ensembles to reach new audiences and perform in an array of venues. It’s also an effective way to polish repertoire. The Center along with your applied teacher or ensemble coach can help you discover opportunities.
  • First-Year Experience, Senior Seminar and Master’s Seminar explore topics around audience development, arts leadership advocacy, and musicians as change agents, all taught by preeminent experts.
Day of Service

Students are encouraged to participate in CIM’s annual Day of Service, where all members of the Institute come together to assist local organizations and those in need. Past projects and organizations include:

  • Volunteers made crafts with young students just blocks away at Mary Bethune School.
  • At International Newcomers Academy, volunteers read and practiced English with students who have immigrated to Cleveland.
  • At the Cleveland Sight Center, CIM members deep-cleaned the kitchen and a children’s playroom.
  • Working with the Famicos Foundation in the Glenville neighborhood, just north of CIM, volunteers picked up litter and leaves to fill dozens of bags.