Cleveland Institute Of Music To Highlight Contemporary Works In Spring 2026 Season

The Cleveland Institute of Music will present a spring 2026 concert season that places a strong emphasis on contemporary music alongside established classical repertoire. The season will take place primarily in the recently renovated Kulas Hall and in Mixon Hall, following the venue’s reopening earlier this academic year.

According to CIM Executive Vice President and Provost Scott Harrison, the season reflects the Institute’s commitment to contemporary music-making while continuing to present canonical works. The spring schedule will feature performances by the CIM Orchestra, CIM Opera Theater, and CIM New Music Ensemble, as well as concerts in the ongoing Perspectives and Insiders series.

Works by living composers will be presented throughout the season, including music by Libby Larsen, Judith Weir, Pierre Boulez, Jacob Druckman, Billy Childs, and Andrew Rindfleisch, along with compositions by CIM-affiliated artists and alumni such as Philip Setzer, Jennifer Conner, John Mackey, and Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate. Classical repertoire will also be represented with performances of works including Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, Mozart’s Oboe Concerto, Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F minor, and Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel.

The CIM Orchestra will give three performances in Kulas Hall under guest conductors Anthony Parnther and Ruth Reinhardt, as well as interim principal conductor Tito Muñoz. Each orchestral program will include music from Woodland Songs, a new work commissioned by CIM from alumnus Jerod I. Tate that features CIM voice students as soloists.

CIM Opera Theater will present two productions during the spring semester: Judith Weir’s Blond Eckbert in its chamber “pocket” version and Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. The CIM New Music Ensemble, directed by Keith Fitch, will offer programs devoted to the music of Andrew Rindfleisch and Libby Larsen, alongside performances of works by student composers.

Additional highlights will include appearances by Third Coast Percussion, pianist Inna Faliks, cellist Tommy Mesa, and pianist Michelle Cann, as well as faculty-led performances in the Insiders series. The Academy at CIM will also present a full slate of free pre-college concerts and recitals throughout the spring.

Most events during the spring 2026 season will be free with tickets required, with select performances offered at paid admission. Tickets for all events are available at cim.edu/events.

The spring season is sponsored by KeyBank, with visiting artists supported by the Kulas Foundation.

SPRING 2026 SEASON DETAILS

Saturday, January 31
12:00 p.m. | 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
7:30 p.m. | 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
7:30 p.m. | 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
4:00 p.m. | Room 217
New Music Symposium
Guest composer Andrew Rindfleisch discusses his music.
Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist

Sunday, February 15
4:00 p.m. | 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
7:30 p.m. | 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 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, February 21
6:00 p.m. | Mixon Hall
Academy Recital

Sunday, February 22
7:00 p.m. | Mixon Hall
Black Student Union Benefit Concert
Presented by the CIM Black Student Union
Tickets: $25 | Free for students
All proceeds benefit the Black Student Union’s Student Assistance Fund.

Tuesday, February 24
7:30 p.m. | 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)
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
7:30 p.m. | 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
RAVEL Adagio from Piano Concerto in G Major (trans. C. Warner)

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events.

Sunday, March 1
4:00 p.m. | Mixon Hall
Composition Department Recital
Featuring new works by CIM student composers.

Wednesday, March 4
7:30 p.m. | Kulas Hall
Organ Department Recital

Friday, March 6
7:30 p.m. | Kulas Hall
CIM Orchestra
Ruth Reinhardt, guest conductor
Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist

TATE Shawi’ (Raccoon) from Woodland Songs (2025)
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3
RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events.

Sunday, March 22
3:00 p.m. | Mixon Hall
Third Coast Percussion
Kulas Foundation Visiting Artists

Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events.

Friday, March 27 & Sunday, March 29
Kulas Hall
CIM Opera Theater
HUMPERDINCK Hansel and Gretel
Tickets: $35–$45

Friday, April 17
7:30 p.m. | Kulas Hall
CIM Orchestra
Tito Muñoz, conductor

TATE Woodland Songs (2025)
MAHLER Symphony No. 1, “Titan”