Student musicians turn backs on president at Cleveland gala night

Student musicians turn backs on president at Cleveland gala night

News

norman lebrecht

March 29, 2024

Members of the student orchestra at Cleveland Institute of Music stood up and turned their backs on the audience as CIM announced a $22 million renovation of its Kulas concert hall. Their protest was aimed at CIM president Paul Hogle.

CIM management, which has sacked two popular profs and ignored an overwhelming no-confidence vote by the teaching faculty, was framing the hall fundraising as a sign of renewed confidence. It was duly reported as such in the local press. But students made their dissatisfaction abundantly clear.

This badly-run institute is facing even stormier days ahead.

Comments

  • I was there says:

    For the record, the students weren’t turning their backs on the donors. They turned their backs specifically on Paul Hogle and sat back down when he was done talking. It was specifically Paul they were protesting.

    • Tricky Sam says:

      Thanks for clarifying this. One would hope that the students would not offend donors, no matter how troubled they might be about something. Like they say: don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

      • Route66 says:

        At $42K a year for undergrad before room/board you’re concerned about how the donors feel? Really?

        • Rick says:

          Going up to 50 next year

          • JC says:

            So much for their ‘Moonshot vision’ of becoming a smaller more agile … tuition free … conservatory.

            They are certainly becoming smaller by reducing staff and consolidating salaries at the upper echelon.

            One could argue they are also becoming more exclusive by pushing out musical professionals who are considered among the elite in their fields -both pedagogically and as musical artists- and alienating those musicians who remain.

            Unfortunately, in a very short period of time, I expect that without change at the top, they will soon find themselves excluded from the list of top conservatories.

            Given what is happening now, I certainly would not send my child there.

        • BB says:

          Did not know it was so high, but protect yourselves

  • Eric Wright says:

    They have been bragging about this new hall reno via email for a few days now. It’s nauseating, given how much they’ve diminished their own institution, and in such short order.

    And where on earth are they able to find the money for this?

    Nonetheless, good on these students. And for those of you who are going to call these students “entitled,” “whiners,” “weak,” or my personal favourite, “woke” because they stood up for themselves, take a good look at yourselves and ask, “why was I too weak to stand up for myself?”

    I’m so angry at this dime-store-Kevin-O’Leary trashing every institution he touches.

  • Cim student says:

    Also worth noting- CIM students in audience who stood up in protest were kicked out of the building.

  • Sheila Miller says:

    The students did not turn their backs on the donors! They turned their backs on one person, the President. Is slipped disc trying to spread misinformation? Please change your post!!!

  • John says:

    You need to do better. Fix this article as it is sloppy reporting and reflects a bias. The students turned their back on the President and not the donors. Once the President stopped speaking, the students turned around and sat back down.

    • Gabriel says:

      The headline of this report announces very clearly that the students turned their backs only on the CIM President alone.

    • Eda says:

      I just reread the article. It says ‘turned their backs on the audience’! BUT it was ‘aimed’ at the President. To be fair to the article’s author it would be hard to turn one’s back on 1 person in the audience. Surely the Donors are intelligent enough not to take umbrage?

  • Moenkhaus says:

    The true diva’s of the music world can always be found in the offices.

  • Achillaman says:

    Paul hogle was a complete disaster in Detroit- so happy we unloaded this loser when we did.

  • Chooch says:

    Hogle and the rest of the muppets on the CIM board are an example of people who are educated beyond the level of their intelligence.

  • Ruby Sanders says:

    Is the administration that bad? If so, why do you think so? What is the purpose of the revolt by the students? What is their dissatisfaction?

  • Zigs says:

    Stupid kids.. You have to pick your battles and this venue was not the time or place. CIM has suffered systemic dysfunction for years.

  • CIM faculty says:

    CIM students also booed Hogle from the audience. They were removed and face disciplinary action.
    Students are wondering “will my teacher be fired next?” It is not a healthy environment.

    • Guest216 says:

      Were they removed by the CIM security guards? Police? And how much force?

      And disciplinary action? Like, are they being arrested? Failing the semester? Any intel there?

      What a travesty Hogle and his cronies are. I feel so bad for the students and faculty.

  • CIM faculty says:

    file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/88/08/8338218E-A423-41D5-A404-C1F01BCC7FED/MOV_7323.mov.3gp

  • Jay says:

    You don’t think that title is a teensy bit misleading, Norm?

  • CA says:

    Could we just get this man out of here??????

  • Guest1 says:

    The board members and donors of CIM are fools. The community of musicians and alumni in Cleveland are a laughing at all you.
    You board members are enablers of this mediocrity here is the list of these fools:
    1. Susan A. Rothmann, PhD- Chair
    2. Katrina Redmond – Treasurer
    3. Bonnie M. Cook (BM ’77) – Secretary
    4. A. Chace Anderson – Trustee
    5. Stephen P. Ban – Trustee
    6. Cynthia Bassett – Trustee
    7. Michael W. Beedles** – Trustee
    8. Daniel J. Brown – Trustee
    9. Ann Buescher – Trustee
    10. Irad Carmi (BM ’87, MM ’88)** – Trustee
    11. Robert Conrad- Trustee
    12. Charles P. Cooley, II – Trustee
    13. Jeffrey M. Davis – Trustee
    14. C. Thomas Harvie – Trustee
    15. Richard J. Hipple – Trustee
    16. Peter T. Kjome (BM ’89) – Trustee
    17. Jeffrey B. Linton- Trustee
    18. Charles S. Marston – Trustee
    19. Jonathan P. Miller, MD** – Trustee
    20. Shawn M. Riley – Trustee
    21. Barbara S. Robinson- Trustee
    22. Elliott L. Schlang – Trustee
    23. Donna M. Sciarappa – Trustee
    24. Kevin Stein – Trustee
    25. Joseph H. Thomas – Trustee
    26. Sanford E. Watson – Trustee
    27. Titus Underwood (BM ’08) – Ex-Officio Trustee
    28. Bruce Hearey – Representing Governing Members
    29. Erika Cho – President, Student Government Association
    30. Anne Jarrad- President, Partners for CIM
    31. Kathryn Brown (AD ’93) – Chair, Faculty Senate
    32. Paul W. Hogle – President | CEO
    33. Richard J. Bogomolny – Trustee Emeritus
    34. Peter J. Brodhead – Trustee Emeritus
    35. Brent M. Buckley – Trustee Emeritus
    36. Rosemary Deioma – Trustee Emeritus
    37. Terrance K. Donley – Trustee Emeritus
    38. John D. Gilliam – Trustee Emeritus
    39. Jeffrey P. Gotschall – Trustee Emeritus

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