CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Institute of Music is tuning up for a big weekend.
On Oct. 3–4, the conservatory will celebrate the grand reopening of Kulas Hall, its signature performance space, following a nearly two-year, $22 million renovation that transformed the venue into a state-of-the-art hall with world-class acoustics, new technology and a sleek new look.
The celebration begins Friday, Oct. 3, with a 7 p.m. ribbon-cutting followed by a free concert at 7:30 p.m. The CIM Orchestra, led by guest conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto, music director of the North Carolina Symphony, will inaugurate the hall. The program includes segments from “Woodland Songs,” a recent commission by Chickasaw composer and CIM alumnus Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, accompanied by soloists from the Voice Department. CIM artist-in-residence Gabriela Montero will also play her “Latin” Piano Concerto No. 1.
On Saturday, Oct. 4, CIM will host a free “Day of Music” from noon to 6 p.m., with performances throughout the building. Highlights include a piano showcase curated by international competition winner and CIM faculty member Antonio Pompa-Baldi, the University of Akron Steel Drum Band, the Jordan Choir from Cleveland’s Church of the Covenant, and a program by violinist John McLaughlin Williams and pianist Dianna White-Gould of The Music Settlement performing works by African American composers with ties to Northeast Ohio. Food trucks, local vendors and family-friendly activities will add to the festival atmosphere.
Grammy Award-winning guitarist and CIM faculty member Jason Vieaux caps the evening with a solo classical guitar recital at 7:30 p.m.
Free seating passes for both nights are available at cim.edu/events.
“Kulas Hall represents a bold investment in the future of music,” said Paul W. Hogle, CIM’s president and CEO, in a statement. “By offering a space with world-class acoustics, we’re giving our students the same caliber of performance environment they will encounter on the world’s finest stages.”
Located inside CIM’s main building, built in 1961, Kulas Hall has hosted student recitals, orchestral rehearsals and concerts by partners such as Apollo’s Fire, Piano Cleveland and ChamberFest Cleveland. But for decades, the space was plagued by uneven sound that left musicians struggling to hear themselves and one another. The renovation raised the ceiling, expanded the hall’s volume and introduced new acoustic panels, seating and technology.
Designed by Cleveland-based J. Kurtz Architects and Chicago’s Threshold Acoustics, the refreshed hall replaces its bright, visually busy midcentury look with a darker, more elegant design that puts the focus on the stage. Seating was reduced to 460 to improve comfort and accessibility. The space now features ADA-compliant aisles, updated lighting and multi-camera livestream capability.
Hogle said the project not only enhances the training and artistry of CIM’s students but also strengthens the conservatory’s appeal to aspiring musicians. With its updated design and improved acoustics, he said, Kulas Hall will once again serve as a centerpiece for students, faculty and audiences in Cleveland.