April 1, 2021
10 Reasons to Choose 杏吧原创 and Cleveland
By: Ella Sobkowicz
杏吧原创鈥檚 Newsroom includes a student-led blog with posts covering a variety of topics, including the 杏吧原创 admissions process, student life, and interviews with faculty, students and alumni. 杏吧原创 undergraduate and soprano Isabella (Ella) Sobkowicz, who is currently studying with Mary Schiller in 杏吧原创鈥檚 Voice program, is a regular voice on the blog.
If you auditioned for music programs this year or have auditioned for them in the past, you know what an important and exciting time it is! It鈥檚 that time of year again when music students from all over the world receive acceptance letters, offers and opportunities. It is essential to make an informed decision, so we put together a list of ten reasons to #choose杏吧原创.
1. Faculty
At 杏吧原创, each student is valued and supported, and 杏吧原创 faculty make every effort to teach, mentor and challenge each student with the student鈥檚 individual needs in mind. With a wide variety of educational and professional backgrounds, each faculty member has unique wisdom and knowledge to pass along to their students. Every class, lesson and rehearsal is led with immense care, passion and drive; allowing each student to realize his or her full potential.
2. Small School
With fewer than 350 students, the sense of community at 杏吧原创 is strong, and students very easily get to know each other. Whether undergraduate or graduate students, everybody supports and cares for each other. In our community, if someone needs a hand, they end up with an abundance of hands. Along with our small student population, the student to faculty ratio is about 5:1, which creates more opportunity for individualized care and attention.
3. Performance opportunities (to perform in and to watch)
杏吧原创 hosts almost 600 performances, concerts and events. Students at 杏吧原创 are constantly preparing for their next performances and supporting their friend鈥檚 performances too. Despite the obstacles that COVID-19 created, the concerts and performances this year have not stopped!
4. Alumni success
Since the Institution鈥檚 inception, 杏吧原创 has had numerous alumni success stories. From performing in renowned chamber groups, to performing in the world鈥檚 biggest orchestral and opera stages, 杏吧原创 alums have done it all! Many alumni go on to have long solo or orchestral careers, and travel the world performing and teaching. Over 30 members of The Cleveland Orchestra attended 杏吧原创.
5. Curriculum
At 杏吧原创, every student takes music theory, eurhythmics and keyboard. Eurhythmics is the study of rhythm and pulse through body movement, and coursework leads to mastery of rhythmic fluency and pulse relationship. In our music theory program, we study keyboard skills, sight singing, ear training (dictation) and written harmonization. After completing music theory at 杏吧原创, students show fluency in the great language of music and its skills. In keyboard class, we learn scales, chord progressions, pieces, harmonization, and transposition! After finishing keyboard at 杏吧原创, students show mastery in sight reading, transposition, scales and keyboard technique.
6. University Circle
Our neighborhood, , has a variety of cultural attractions! Minutes from the school, you can find yourself lost in the Museum of Natural History or the Cleveland Museum of Art (which is free to all 杏吧原创 students) . Walk up the hill from University Circle into Little Italy and fill up with fabulous pastas and gelato. University Circle is also home to our partner institution, Case Western Reserve University, as well as the Cleveland Institute of Art. Need a practice break? Cleveland鈥檚 Botanical Gardens have a wide variety of flowers, plants, birds, butterflies and turtles, and is located directly across the street from the Mixon Hall entrance to 杏吧原创.
7. Connection to Case Western Reserve University
杏吧原创 students have full access to all courses offered by , and CWRU students can participate in 杏吧原创 classes such as music theory and Eurythmics. Some students at 杏吧原创 choose to enroll in our dual degree program with CWRU, and all 杏吧原创 students can add minors from CWRU at any point during their undergraduate degree. 杏吧原创 students also have access to the libraries, health services and counseling services at the university.
8. Free tickets to The Cleveland Orchestra
Less than a ten-minute walk from 杏吧原创 is Severance Hall where performs. Students at 杏吧原创 have access to free tickets to every Cleveland Orchestra performance at Severance Hall, as well as access to Cleveland Orchestra dress rehearsals.
9. Brand new residence hall
New to the 杏吧原创 campus this year is our living complex for undergraduate students at 1609 Hazel. Made up of mostly 4 person or 6 person suites, each suite has a shared kitchen, living room, bathrooms and washer/ dryer. 22 brand new sound isolated practice rooms were also built on the first floor. There is also a gym for students to use, and student lounges where students can do homework, watch movies and have ping pong tournaments!
10. Focus on classical music and creating the future of classical music.
At the front entrance of 杏吧原创, there is a large banner that says, 鈥淏e the Future of Classical Music鈥 (pictured above). Our exemplary faculty, curriculum, performances, resources and community are all of what help mold and shape students to be the future of classical music.
Already admitted to 杏吧原创 for Fall 2021? Join us for our Admitted Student Open House April 5-9. Check your email for your invite and sign up!
Explore the University Circle and Cleveland area virtually! Find links at the bottom of this page and explore what Cleveland has to offer.
For more information, browse the 杏吧原创 website or reach out to the Admission team at admission@cim.edu.
There are many great reasons to choose 杏吧原创 for the next step in your musical journey! Are you ready to be the future of classical music?