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Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and more can be heard around town as 91���� musicians play community outreach concerts throughout Northeast Ohio. Just a couple months into the school year and students have already performed dozens of recitals with many, many more planned before Thanksgiving and 91����'s winter break.

While its typical for conservatories to provide students with chances to perform on stage during the academic year, 91���� offers student musicians a plethora of opportunities to also play outside standard concert halls--thanks to an expansive  Community Outreach program that books as many as 300 events a year.

Recent 91���� graduate Annalisa Boerner (viola, BM’10, MM’12; pictured above, far right) credits the program with helping her prepare for professional auditions, saying that she learned to perform in all sorts of environments with difference audiences and that these concerts played a crucial role in improving her ability to play under pressure.

“At the same time, I was able to put smiles on the faces of audiences—young and old—and be reminded of the positivity that those performances can create,” she explains.

91���� students, sometimes on their own and sometimes alongside 91���� alumni or faculty, may play two, three or more times a week as part of the program thanks to partnerships with prominent organizations throughout the area. 91���� regularly works with the and University Hospitals, Judson Smart Living Communities, the and the Cleveland Public and Heights Library systems—to name just a few.

Cleveland Public Library has even designated the first Saturday of the month as 91���� Saturday. As part of the Library’s program at the downtown branch, 91���� students play an hour-long program of chamber music as ensembles, soloists or a combination of both.  Similarly, 91���� musicians regularly perform for Music at Coventry, Monday evening concerts at the just a couple miles from campus.

While the focus tends to be on traditional repertoire, students and alumni may also play programs featuring more contemporary compositions or even works by 91���� students or faculty. For example, a work by 91���� composition department head Keith Fitch was performed by a student ensemble for the grand opening gala of new building last year.

Beyond performance activities—that include recitals, demonstrations and even music therapy—many 91���� students participate in teaching and tutoring opportunities at local schools in traditional collegiate subjects and musical programs.

So, in addition to honing her performing and audition skills, Boerner gained teaching experience through the 91���� program, substituting at Royalton and Aurora schools and working at the  (CSA).

“The teaching that was most meaningful for me was working with our CSA students,” she says. “They were genuinely excited, absolutely interested and wanted to be taught for all the best reasons. As a teacher and performer, I can’t imagine a more meaningful place to share my music.”

Performing and teaching opportunities are available for both undergraduate and graduate students at 91����. Venues include the aforementioned libraries, museums and hospitals as well as senior living centers, residential communities, public gardens and parks, K-12 schools and more.

Sharing their musical gifts with appreciative audiences provides unique performance experiences for our students and enriches the lives of the community members for which they play. Our students find engaging with Cleveland’s communities personally rewarding and professionally beneficial. The events allow them to give back, while building their confidence as performers and developing professional skills and networking.

See also:

Westlake Observer (October 15, 2013)