Community Partnership

Kent State University and The Cleveland Orchestra Community Partnership

Kent State University and the Musical Arts Association (governing body of The Cleveland Orchestra) have been longtime institutional partners since their mutual efforts to create and manage one of the country's finest summer performing arts centers, Blossom Music Center, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. This partnership has helped create a truly unique working relationship between one of the premier orchestral ensembles in the world and a public university. It has served as a model for similar community institutional collaborations.

Through this partnership, the Kent Blossom Music Festival summer professional training program is held in conjunction with The Cleveland Orchestra's summer season at Blossom. The partnership also involves Porthouse Theatre, as well as Eells Art Gallery. For more information about the other Kent Blossom Arts Programs, visit the College of the Arts.

In addition to the Kent Blossom summer programs, the partnership provides unique educational and artistic opportunities during the academic year to be utilized by Kent State University and the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music. Some of the opportunities include access for students to attend The Cleveland Orchestra concerts and select rehearsals, administrative internships with the orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra performances on the KSU campus, access to Severance Music Center for KSU musical events and multiple master class opportunities provided by orchestra musicians at the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music. Since 1999 there have been many free public instrumental master classes on campus, organized through the Kent Blossom Music Festival office, serving some 250 participants.