Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM)

The Cleveland Institute of Music (or CIM) is but one of the many fine arts, academic and institutional facilities located in the vibrant University Circle district on the City of Cleveland's east side. With its many churches, museums, performance facilities, university classrooms, dormitories and major hospitals, University Circle is a economic and cultural engine vital to the City and its citizens.

A private music conservatory, the CIM was first founded in 1920. Over the past near-century, it has grown to serve a diverse and aspiring student body totaling several thousand undergraduates and graduate students. Roughly one-fifth of that total number are conservatory students, while the remainder pursue either preparatory or continuing education in music, voice, performance, composition and conducting. The CIM attracts a truly global talent poole, with 75% of all students coming from outside the State of Ohio, and more than one-sixth arriving from abroad.

This independent conservatory is known for producing high-quality performers. A full 80% of its alumni perform for many of the most acclaimed and respected musical ensembles around the globe. (Many, of course, aspire to perform with the world-class Cleveland Orchestra, a near neighbor.) The Institute's counts thousands of doctoral level graduates among its roster of alums.

The CIM occupies a facility on East Boulevard near Wade Oval. It's neighboring arts facilities include Cleveland Music School Settlement, The Cleveland Art Museum, and The Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA), as well as Severance Hall (home of the aforementioned Cleveland Orchestra). Also nearby are the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, The Cleveland Botanical Gardens, University Hospitals, and the interwoven campus of Case Western Reserve University.

In late 2007, the newly renovated and expanded Cleveland Institute of Music opened with a fanfare and premiere performances. Designed by architect Charles Young, the revamped facility presented a dramatic new face to the approaching visitor. The curved perimeter wall enclosing a formal garden projects adjacent to the CIM's main entrance, making a bold formal statement. Beyond that curved wall and formal garden is a full-height glass wall, against which the performance stage of the new Mixon Hall abuts. Audience members seated in the raked levels of this boxy performance venue gaze upon the musical performance in progress against a dramatic and breath-taking backdrop of glass, garden, perimeter wall and Cleveland evening sky beyond.