72 trumpets blast Cleveland’s failing institute of music
NewsThe following letter was sent to CIM by 72 ex-students of the departing Michael Sachs.
December 4, 2023
Board of Trustees
Cleveland Institute of Music
11021 East Blvd
Cleveland, OH 44106
Subject: From the Students of Michael Sachs
Dear Members of the Board,
In recent months, the Cleveland Institute of Music has lost credibility in the world of elite
music education. All alumni have been concerned about the institution’s path, and now, after the
terrible and avoidable resignation of Michael Sachs, it is clear to us that CIM is in crisis.
We are Cleveland Institute of Music alumni and current and former students of Michael
Sachs. We represent over 30 years of achievement at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the
global reach of Michael’s pedagogy. Collectively, we perform with the world’s top ensembles,
teach at top music programs, run some of the country’s most notable ensembles, and serve as
industry leaders in fields outside of music.
Michael has been the heartbeat of the brass department for decades and is an
irreplaceable asset to the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has molded the culture of your
world-renowned institution, which is largely based on the unique and ample access to him and
the Cleveland Orchestra. Michael’s renown as an educator, his enormous reach as an author, the
reputation of his students, his incredible sound, and his unique insight into one of the world’s
greatest ensembles inspired us all to pack up and chase our hopes and dreams in Cleveland’s
University Circle.
The fact that Michael’s character and intentions at CIM are being questioned is
unfathomable. Michael has a proven record of helping his students balance the incredible
demands of life as a performer with the well-being, mental health, and conditioning required to
lead a happy life. By following his example, his students learn that being ethical, finely tuned
collaborators and listeners on and off stage are all pieces to the picture of success. The
accomplishments of his students are a testament to the efficacy of his work at CIM.
We implore you, as board members entrusted with steering our beloved institution, to
examine closely the priorities of CIM and the recent events that have disrupted decades of
achievement. We write to you with hope and optimism that there is a path in which CIM’s
relationship with Michael and his students can be restored. We all want to remain proud alumni
of the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Sincerely,
Alberto Gutierrez, 1990
Colorado Music Festival, General
Manager
Mike Cox, MM 1991
Symphony of the Redwoods, Fort
Bragg California, Principal
Trumpet
David Duro, 1991
SUNY Fredonia, Adjunct Lecturer
of Trumpet
Susan Sievert Messersmith, PS
1992
Charleston Southern University,
Adjunct Trumpet Instructor
Charleston Symphony Orchestra,
Former Second Trumpet
Mary Thornton, MM 1993
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi,
Professor of Trumpet
Heather Zweifel, BM 1993
Michigan State University – Asst.
Professor of Trumpet
Burning River Brass, Co-Founder
and Trumpet
Bryan Appleby-Wineberg,
MM 1994
Rowan University, Professor of
Trumpet, Head of Brass,
Chair-Department of Music
Jonathan Fields, MM 1994
Fort Worth Symphony, Former
Second Trumpet
Dawn Weber, BM 1994
University of Missouri–St. Louis,
Trumpet Instructor and Jazz
Director
Kevin Lyons, BM 1995
Miami City Ballet Orchestra,
Atlanta Ballet Orchestra,
Greenville Symphony Orchestra,
and Nu-Deco Ensemble, Principal
Trumpet
Scott Sabo, BM 1995
Chris Kiradjieff, MM 1996
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra,
Third/Utility Trumpet
Christopher Bubolz, MM 1997
Benjamin Wright, BM 1997
Boston Symphony Orchestra,
Second Trumpet
New England Conservatory,
Faculty
Isaac Pulford, BM 1998
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra,
Second Trumpet and Personnel
Manager
Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra,
Former Second Trumpet
Teppei Suzuki, BM 1998
RENTARO Chamber Orchestra
KYUSHU (Japan), Principal
Trumpet
Elizabeth University of Music,
Trumpet Faculty
Donald Burks, MM 1999
Stephen Chapdelaine,
MM 2000
Anant Patel, 2000
Emergency Medicine Physician
Fort Worth Civic Orchestra,
Trumpet
Jonathan Rattay, MM 2000
United States Air Force Heritage of
America Band
Adam Luftman, BM 2001
San Francisco Opera and Ballet
Orchestras, Principal Trumpet
San Francisco Conservatory of
Music, Head-Brass Department
Loren Toplitz, MM 2001
Akron Symphony Orchestra, Third
Trumpet
Lancaster Festival Orchestra,
Second Trumpet
Firelands Symphony Orchestra,
Principal Trumpet
Cleveland Institute of Music –
Trumpet Faculty, Joint Music
Program and Preparatory
Cleveland Institute of Music Alumni
Association – Past President
David Costello, BM 2002
Peter Miller, MM 2002
West Australian Symphony
Orchestra,
Second Trumpet
Shaun Abraham, MM 2003
Dallas Winds, Trumpet
John Freeman, BM 2003, MM
2005
San Francisco Chamber Orchestra,
Principal Trumpet
Derrick Stauffer, MM 2003
Morten Hetland, MM 2004
Malmö Opera (Sweden), Principal
Trumpet
From the Students of Michael Sachs — page 2
Emma Kail, MM 2004
Grand Teton Music Festival,
Executive Director
Kansas City Symphony,
Former General Manager
Sarah Viens, BM 2004
Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra
and Symphony Tacoma, Principal
Trumpet
William Day, BM 2005
Metropolitan Opera, Associate
Musician – Trumpet
New York Philharmonic, Extra
musician – Trumpet
Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra,
Former Second Trumpet
John Armstrong, BM 2006,
MM 2008
Michael Attaway, MM 2006
The Covenant School, Director of
Fine Arts
Erik Hasselquist, AD 2007
Eric Brown, MM 2008
Joseph Conners, BM 2008,
MM 2009
Colin Sieg, BM 2008
Odyssey Space Research/NASA,
Software Engineer
Cheonho Yoon, PS 2008
Yomiuri Nippon Symphony
Orchestra (Japan), Trumpet
Alexander Pride, BM 2009
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra,
Second Trumpet
Malachy Rodriguez,
MM 2009
Adam Zinatelli, 2009
Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra,
Principal Trumpet
Mark Maliniak, MM 2010
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra,
Acting Assoc. Principal Trumpet
Conrad Jones, BM 2011
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra,
Principal Trumpet
Kyle Dobbeck, MM 2012
Office of Medical Education at The
George Washington University,
Assistant Director
Dr. Leah J. Hodge, MM 2012
Scottsdale Symphonic Orchestra
and North Valley Symphony,
Principal Trumpet
Nina Bell, MM 2013
Marc Sutton, MM 2013
SSrgt Ryan Columbare,
MM 2014
United States Army, US Army
School of Music Instructor
Gillian Gollamudi, MM 2014
Michael Terrasi, BM 2014
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra,
Extra Musician – Trumpet
Dominic Favia, BM 2015
Michael Harper, MM 2016
National Symphony Orchestra,
Assistant Principal Trumpet
James Stinson, MM 2016
Metric Coffee Co., Education –
Project and Account Manager
Charles Miller, MM 2017
Justin Rowan, MM 2017
Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra,
Former Principal Trumpet
Paul Torrisi, MM 2017
Utah Symphony, Second Trumpet
Kevin Karabell, MM 2018
Jacksonville Symphony, Principal
Trumpet
Garrett Lindholm, MM 2018
Lansing Symphony Orchestra and
Erie Philharmonic, Former Second
Trumpet
Amy Thomas, MM 2019
US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum
Corps, DC
Luis Clebsch, BM 2020, MM
2022
Daniel Gelman, MM 2020
Jamie Gorski, BM 2020
Luke Hamilton, BM 2020
Johnathon Pitts, PS 2020
Joseph Keller, 2022
Emma Kosht, BM 2023
Adam Warnke, MM 2023
Longmont Symphony Orchestra,
Second Trumpet
Alisa Crüger-Cain, BM 2024
Current CIM student
Jeremy Bryant, BM 2025
NYO USA 2020
Current CIM student
Sebastian Cole, MM 2025
Current CIM student
Elijah Leonard, BM 2026
Current CIM student
Jamie Walton Jr., BM 2026
Current CIM student
I studied briefly with Mr Sachs in the late 90s and found him to be a great inspiration as I began my career. He was one of the best things at CIM.
Full letter here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aJ3HA7kUTo1czXhXzM5OvG178Tw6VB6T/view?usp=sharing
76 trombones is also a significant number
Just wait until the 110 cornets write a letter
ONE viola player is enough to give someone a migraine.
You’re safe, Fred. To get a migraine you need a head.
I disliked this comment to try and get the like/dislike tally to 7:6
Michael Sachs is a genius.As a player and a teacher. And a wonderful mensch.
The situation there just keeps getting worse and worse. I can’t recall any other American music school ever experiencing such a meltdown.
Just today CIM sent out an email to alumni bragging that applications had surpassed last year by quite a bit….
…you know, things you don’t have to say if they’re ACTUALLY true….
I mourn the institution that served me so well.
Maybe it is now considered a safety school, if their claim is true.
Safety in that “who would want to go there with all the drama?” I know someone who applied this year, and it is at the bottom of a lengthy list of schools.
Have heard that there is supposedly reason to believe that the school will still be viable, but who knows.
The person I know who put an app there had started it before knowing about the mud fight environment. Eventually completed it because it was half done already and at this point they should be desperate for students. Safety choice.
What was in the email that he is accused of supposedly writing?
yeah, even one sentence before reprinting the letter and the FULL list of signatories would’ve been enough
Careful. Do not attack the institution. Blame the inept leadership. CIM is a great school, always has been and will be in the future. Focus the blame carefully, not generally.
No doubt he is a world class player and teacher and it’s a loss for all parties. “Avoidable resignation” though? So to be clear, he wasn’t fired and chose to leave. I feel this lacks context. From what I understand he refused to accept that some colleagues(not administration) were troubled by comments he made and instead of addressing them when asked about them he resigned publicly, smeared the institution and ignored requests to communicate. Curtis came very quickly after, was it already in the plans? It’s wonderful to see students supporting their teacher but this comes across as leveraged.
Hahahaha holy shit susan. close your laptop and take a walk…
Maybe read this….
https://www.clevescene.com/news/in-letter-to-school-current-students-and-alumni-say-cleveland-institute-of-music-is-in-crisis-43244434
Oh Captain My Captain!
Who is/are the scab(s) foolish enough to accept employment teaching the trumpet students there now. Tisk Tisk.
I have taught brass instruments and brass pedagogy at 14 colleges and universities. Admistration rarely understands what is going on in the studios and doesn’t value anything but enrollment numbers. They are businesses first and educational institutions second. Most of the people making important decisions are not musicians but are administrative bureaucrats.
Anyone who has ever known Sachs knows he would never deal under the table and fabricate an excuse like this to leave his students and take another job. And, cim prez has not, to anyone’s knowledge, ever reached out to Sachs since his resignation.