The Multifaceted Artist – A CIM Education

By: Hosanna Carella

CIM’s Newsroom includes a student-led blog with posts covering a variety of topics, including the CIM admissions process, student life, and interviews with faculty, students and alumni. CIM professional studies violinist Hosanna Carella, who is currently studying with Jan Sloman and Jaime Laredo, is a regular voice on the blog. Hosanna received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at CIM.

Life is like food. The more variety of food you have, the more enjoyable it is likely to be. This also applies to the life of an artist. While there are people that would be perfectly happy playing or singing Mozart for the rest of their lives, there are others that might not find it as enjoyable (sorry, Mozart, no offense). Although the previous statement is a slight exaggeration, diversification and broadening your experiences will help shape you into a well-rounded artist. With that in mind, the place you choose to spend formative years is extremely important. That is why Cleveland and CIM are one in a million and can be just the place for you to expand your skills and grow as a musician and person. Here are just a few reasons to choose CIM:

CIM’s Partnership with Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)

CIM partners with CWRU to provide CIM students the opportunity to take classes that are not solely about music. Students are given the chance to pursue other interests by choosing a variety classes or concentrating on one subject that they can minor or pursue a dual degree in. Some of the most popular subjects that CIM students minor or double major in at CWRU are: business, accounting, marketing, math, among others. Another popular course that CWRU offers is languages. From American Sign Language to German and Russian – it is advantageous to have an additional language in your arsenal when part of the musical world.  

Endless Performance Opportunities at CIM and in Cleveland

Another reason to leave the practice room is the performance opportunities! Severance Hall, home of The Cleveland Orchestra, is literally just down the street from CIM. It is one of the most beautiful and special places on this side of the planet. The CIM Orchestra gives a concert at Severance every semester, which creates a collective atmosphere of excitement and anticipation among the students. Having played on the Severance stage countless times, there is a magnified spirit of collaboration the instant you step on the stage and a clarity of sound that I have not found anywhere else. Additionally, it is a warm hall that does not intimidate, but encourages all musicians to fully express their musical gift as best they can. 

Other performance routes, whether it’s a solo or with a chamber group, can be found through CIM’s community outreach program, organized by the Center for Innovative Musicianship (CIM²) This gives you the chance to perform in retirement centers, libraries, churches and many other places. Whether you want to run through your recital program or play your chamber music piece, there are many places for you to do so. Not only are these valuable performance opportunities, but you will also get to meet people that are incredibly knowledgeable about music and some have musical anecdotes that might surprise you. 

There are also opportunities to perform that will make your bank account happy; Cleveland is brimming with gigs. Whether it’s through regional orchestras, weddings or cocktail hours, there are countless opportunities to perform and make money. 

Campus Groups Advocating for a Diverse Future

CIM is immensely proud of its student body; the faculty and staff care about the community and its future. As artists, not only must we care about the message that we transmit through music, but we must care about the world in which we live. CIM has two wonderful groups that aim to create a better tomorrow: Black Student Union (BSU) and Standing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ). Both groups are open to anyone and everyone at CIM who would like to join and participate in creating a better and more just future for musicians. 

A Welcoming Community 

You will find a caring and welcoming community at CIM. Top level talent motivates every CIM student to excel, but the warmheartedness and dedication of the faculty, staff and students is what makes CIM and Cleveland a second home. 

Thinking about applying to CIM? We’ve extended our application deadline to December 7 at 11:59pm! Feel free to reach out to the Admission team at admission@cim.edu with any questions about how CIM trains our multifaceted artists.