The Cleveland Institute of Music is one of the nation's leading independent music conservatories. It is located in the University Circle district of Cleveland, Ohio, United States and is overseen by president David Cerone and Catherine Jarjisian, interim dean.
The Institute was founded in 1920, with the composer Ernest Bloch as director. There are now over 400 conservatory students and 1700 prepartory and continuing education division students. Approximately 1,100 people apply for 150 undergraduate and graduate openings each year, of which 60-70 are freshmen.
The conservatory faculty includes 38 current and 2 retired members of the Cleveland Orchestra. Currently, 36 members of the Cleveland Orchestra are alumni of the institute. Through a cooperative arrangement with Case Western Reserve University, CIM students have full access to university courses and facilities.
The institute is currently undergoing a remodeling, expanding by adding classrooms and a new concert hall. This has been in conjunction with its successful campaign to raise $40 million. Parts of the expansion were finished in the fall of 2006 and the remainder is scheduled to be completed by November 2007.
Two news wings have been added to the main building (completion in Fall 2007). These facilities add 36,000 square feet that feature: a new entryway and expanded lobby on East Boulevard, an expanded Barbara S. and Larry J. B. Robinson Music Library, Mixon Hall, a 250-seat, state-of-the-art recital hall that also includes the Robert and Jean Conrad Audio Control Room for high-tech broadcasting, the Fred A. Lennon Education Building which includes new practice rooms, teaching studios, a student lounge, Kulas Center for International Education (Distance Learning Studio) and administrative space. This also includes the Gilliam Family Music Garden, which can be enjoyed year round from inside and outside Mixon Hall.
CIM operates the six-week internationally renowned summer program, Encore School for Strings, located in Hudson, Ohio. Its alumni include Hilary Hahn, Leila Josefowicz, and Lara St. John.
