Lorain City Schools students will soon get a close-up look at the world of chamber music, thanks to support from the district and a collaboration with the 51���� School of Music.

The Cleveland Winds, founded by Dr. Birch Browning, professor of music and director of bands at 51����, is recognized internationally and includes many of the Cleveland area’s top musicians, providing world-class performances.

This new initiative with Lorain City Schools is more than a series of performances—it's about creating a valuable mentorship pipeline.

“The LCS directors wanted to promote chamber music to their students and recently received a $5,000 internal grant to support this initiative,” said Browning. “Knowing that 51���� has a strong and growing chamber music program, they reached out to us with the idea of paying our students to perform for LCS students.”

He added that this is merely the first step in what the Cleveland Winds board and music director envision as a thriving educational outreach effort to support pre-professional collegiate musicians and inspire pre-collegiate students to pursue their performance goals.

The effort is managed by Sam Brown, a new intern pursuing an arts management certificate at 51����. Although it involves many connections, Browning said it’s a win-win-win for everyone involved.

“Students in the 51���� School of Music, under the leadership of junior trombone performance major Logan Hovorka, have formed the 51���� Chamber Music Collective and recently presented their first concert—an hour-long chamber music performance in Drinko Recital Hall,” he said. “The students managed every aspect themselves, from organizing groups and rehearsing to handling logistics such as scheduling and marketing; these are the students who will perform in Lorain City Schools.”

Browning said the partnership offers many benefits, including giving aspiring performers the chance to take advantage of every performance opportunity available.

“Another major benefit is that many members of the Cleveland Winds are professional musicians and educators in the Cleveland area,” he said. “They will not only coach our chamber ensemble members in preparation for these performances but also serve as mentors and professional role models as our students begin planning their own careers.”

Another major benefit of the partnership is that it closely aligns with several priorities in 51����’s new strategic plan, Cleveland State United. These include “experiential and work-based learning” and the goal to “enhance relationships with community partners to expand opportunities for current students.”

“These objectives have long been central to the culture of the School of Music, so we’re excited to see the broader university community embracing this same philosophy,” said Browning. “We’ve always believed in preparing students through real-world experiences and in fostering external partnerships that strengthen our programs, create new opportunities, and attract students who value these kinds of pre-professional experiences.”