CIM vs CCM vs IU

[dbrainiak914]

So I got into all these schools and I have to decide in eight days!  I'm leaning toward IU & CIM, but that choice shifts all the time.

I can study with Auer or Haguenauer at IU, Chertock at CCM, and CIM is an interesting story.  I got into Shevchenko's studio, and I hear she's an awesome player, but she does lessons every other week at best (lives in FL, plus is having children), and I'm not so crazy about that.  So I talked to the admissions director about swithching and he said he could get me in with Shapiro, but Shapiro has seemed pretty noncommittal in his emails about taking me and I doubt I can get a lesson with him in time.  To be honest, I had lessons with the three other teachers and I wasn't really crazy about them.  Ahhh what to do!  IU is certainly an option but I have always wanted a smaller school atmosphere.  I live in Cincinnati and am pretty sick of CCM (I go there 1-2 times every single week).  What do you know about Shapiro?  You think it's worth it to do rare lessons with Shevchenko?  Which school is better, IU or CIM?  Also, I heard that CIM is kind of hom,ophobic; is this true?

[mike_lang]

Although I attend IU and might be slightly biased, I believe IU to be one of the best music schools in the country.  There are three piano concerto competitions every year, 15ish piano faculty (among them, Pressler, Naoumoff, Watts, Cohen...), hundreds of the best singers to accompany, roughly a thousand recitals/concerts given annually, the largest music library in the country (the world, too, I believe) and besides that, we just received a 40 million dollar donation renaming the School of Music!  With Auer and Haguenauer you will be able to get weekly lessons, if that is a central concern.

If you have any specific questions, let me know.

Best,
Michael

[csy]

How about Babayan at Cleveland?
I think it really depends on the teacher whom you are studying with....

[lazlo]

CIM is a really serious school for really serious musicians. And no doubt the teachers are world class. But I must say, it is one of the most depressing places I have ever been... It's in sort of a strange area in Cleveland, where there's basically not much around it at all. And the practice rooms are in a basement, and resemble in every sense of my imagination, a prison. The walls are all gray cinderblcok. They're these little cubicles with square windows. A lot of the pianos have problems (i.e. notes not working)... I met some nice people there, but just to share my impression.

[dbrainiak914]

Okay, so Shapiro is actually full at CIM, but they've moved me into OLGA RADOSAVLJEVICH's studio.  *gulp*  From what I hear, she is very "honest" as in mean, brash, and in-your-face, but she gets results like no one else.  Hmmmm... thoughts?

[thalberg]

Hi....

I spent six years at CIM.  I studied with both Shapiro and "Miss Olga," as she is known.  I have a friend who had some lessons with Shevchenko, and lots of my friends studied with Babayan.

Shapiro is a nice guy, but you are not missing out on anything very special by not studying with him.  This opinion is pretty widely held.  It hurts me to say it because I do like him personally.  If you want to know specifics about my experience, PM me...I did study with him.  On the more positive side, he is quite a musical genius.  Just doesn't transmit his knowledge very well.

Miss Olga is fabulous.  You will learn a ton from her.  Sure, she is mean and likes to make you feel bad, but seriously it's all like a great big joke.  In her heart, she's really very patient and good and kind.  Her teaching is fascinating--she's figured out the physical end of things and gets great results, and in terms of sound, there's no one better.  She kind of "feeds" you her interpretation, but she's so incredibly musical that it's really worth it.  You'll learn a lot.  I wouldn't hesitate to study with her.  Plus, she's old and not in good health.  She won't have the energy to beat you up too much.

Shevchenko--great player, but a young teacher.  My friend who had lessons with her was not benefitted tremendously.

The above comment about CIM being depressing is only partly true.  They just built a huge beautiful addition.  The school is kind of in the ghetto--you will struggle with crime in nearby areas and will occasionally fear for your life or at least your wallet.

Is CIM better than IU?  Well, the strings department is amazing there at CIM. So chamber music is wonderful to participate in.  Voice department there sucks.  The piano area--there's great people and sucky people.  It really runs the gamut.

The string players are the kings of the school.  At IU, I think pianists get more respect.  But Babayan's studio gets lots of respect.  Miss Olga occasionally has some students do really well on the graduate level--most of her works of art are younger than college age.  I wish I'd have had more time with her, though.

Overall, I think IU is probably a better piano school.  But Bloomington is a tough place for a musician to live--I have friends there, and they can't find any way to support themselves, as the surrounding areas are saturated with musicians and college/graduate age people who take up all the jobs.

I loved living in Cleveland.  Though it's a ghetto, it's also a huge city where CIM is only 400 people.  You can support yourself with no problem.  And University Circle is really cool to live in--so convenient, with fun things to do and places to go.  Millions of great concerts within walking distance, and rent in Cleveland is super cheap.

PM me if you want to talk more.  I have masters and doctorate in piano from there, and I just graduated less than two years ago.  I can tell you anything you want to know.