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CLEVELAND — The future of classical music takes the stage this fall at the �۲�ӰԺ, where the artistry of the next generation meets the vision and experience of an exceptional community of CIM faculty, conductors, and guest artists. �����’s 2026 Fall concert season opens in September with a lineup spanning orchestral music, opera, new music, and chamber performances.  

“As we welcome a new academic year, CIM is excited to create opportunities for our students to grow as artists, collaborators, and leaders, both on and off the stage,” said CIM President and CEO Paul W. Hogle. “This season brings together the extraordinary artistry of our students and faculty with new artistic voices and perspectives. We look forward to sharing that energy with our audiences throughout the fall.” 

A New Chapter for the CIM Orchestra 

The CIM Orchestra enters a new era this fall with the appointment of internationally acclaimed conductor Tito Muñoz as Director and Principal Conductor of the CIM Orchestra and Visiting Professor of Orchestral Studies. Muñoz, who served as the orchestra’s Interim Principal Conductor last year, will lead the ensemble in its season-opening performance on September 25, conducting Valerie Coleman’s Fanfare for Uncommon Times, Eduard Tubin’s Double Bass Concerto, and Tchaikovsky’s monumental Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique.” 

The orchestra’s fall season continues October 16, guest-conducted by the dynamic Sarah Ioannides, and reaches the big screen on November 20, when newly appointed Principal Guest Conductor Anthony Parnther leads the orchestra for Film Night. Drawing on his extensive experience as a conductor of film scores, including the 2027 Academy and Grammy Award-winning score to Sinners, Parnther will bring the unforgettable music of the movies vividly to life in concert. 

All visiting artists, including guests with the CIM Orchestra, are generously supported by the Kulas Foundation. 

Opera, Reinvented 

The 2026–27 �۲�ӰԺ Opera Theater season opens a new chapter as well, with Dr. François Germain beginning his inaugural season as Director of �۲�ӰԺ Opera Theater and Voice Ensembles. 

The season launches November 6 and 8 with Daniel Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas, an enchanting tale of love, longing and magical realism. Conducted by longtime �۲�ӰԺ Opera Theater Music Director Harry Davidson and directed by acclaimed stage director Alison Moritz. 

The fall opera season continues with Fall Scenes December 4 and 6, offering audiences a dynamic collection of excerpts from across the operatic repertoire. The performances will be directed by CIM Assistant Professor of Voice Cynthia Skelley-Wohlschlager, with music direction by Germain and John Simmons. 

Meet the Faculty Shaping �����’s Future 

�����’s acclaimed Insiders series puts the spotlight on the musicians and educators at the heart of the conservatory. This fall, the series celebrates both the enduring contributions of �����’s longtime faculty and the arrival of a remarkable new generation of artistic voices. 

The season opens September 13 with Immortal and Living Female Composers, a program spearheaded by CIM pianists Ralitsa Georgieva and Carolyn Gadiel Warner and featuring works by women composers, performed by Georgieva and fellow faculty members including violinist Olga Dubossarskaya Kaler, violist Lisa Boyko, cellist Si-Yan Darren Li, and pianists Gabriela Montero and Daria Rabotkina. 

On September 27, CIM celebrates the 60th birthday of composer and faculty member Keith Fitch with a concert featuring Stephen Tavani, Scott Dixon, Si-Yan Darren Li, John Sebastian Vera, and Shaui Wang, alongside visiting artists. 

On October 29, new faculty member Edwin Huizinga brings his acclaimed ensemble Fire & Grace to Mixon Hall with an exhilarating mix of classical, folk, and contemporary traditions from around the world. November 13 features a concert celebrating �����’s newest faculty members. The program will bring together violinists Igor Pikayzen, Sibbi Bernhardsson, Chad Hoopes and Eun-Song Koh; violists Sheila Browne and Michael Klotz; and cellists Tom Landschoot and Jeffrey Lastrapes. 

Together, these performances showcase the extraordinary range of musicians joining CIM while celebrating the faculty whose artistry, teaching and mentorship continue to shape the conservatory. 

From New Music to the U.S. Army String Quartet 

The fall season extends well beyond the major orchestral and opera stages. 

On October 7, the CIM Virtuosi, �����’s conductorless orchestra led by violinist Todd Phillips, will be joined by acclaimed guitarist Jason Vieaux for a special performance featuring Vivaldi's Guitar Concerto in D Major.  

�����’s New Music Ensemble presents a program on October 11 featuring CIM violist Sheila Browne and guest composer Melinda Wagner, followed by a November 15 composition department recital featuring works by CIM student composers. 

On November 4,  experience the precision, artistry, and musical excellence of the U.S. Army String Quartet in a performance that blends timeless masterworks with the unmatched discipline of one of America's premier military ensembles. 

Throughout the semester, �����’s halls will also come alive with performances by students from The Academy at CIM, whose extensive calendar includes solo, chamber, and large-ensemble performances by serious young musicians from throughout Northeast Ohio. 

�����’s fall 2026 season begins in September and continues through December, with performances presented in Kulas Hall and Mixon Hall. All visiting artists, including guests with the CIM Orchestra, are generously supported by the Kulas Foundation.  

Most performances are free with tickets required, while select performances require paid admission. 

For the complete fall calendar and tickets, visit cim.edu/events. Tickets for spring 2027 performances will be available at a later date.