We were the first class of the conservatory (now in the top ten worldwide, by some rankings), so there were some difficulties. I stayed out of the fray, and just worked on soaking up as much of the work as I could. The higher elements, mainly the classical elements (and listening to those concerts and rehearsals were a small part of that), have leavened the other things over the intervening times. Conservatory is about planting seeds for the coming years. Mix in a few redwoods. Cedars. Eastern pine. The parts of it that have fallen away in the course of the years were lesser things from the beginning. There were one or two very passionate but craven teachers, feminist politics, all the right PC ideas, etc. Those teachings won't even endure, let alone prevail. The more careful work of the art lasts.
Frequently attended his concerts and open rehearsals during the conservatory degree. Post-Szell, Cleveland has consistently been one of those rare Midwestern arts institutions committed to careful, historically meaningful art, despite all its old European implications and entailments. Apparently connected to Bonhoeffer as an in-law, which I hadn't known.
On days in which you survey the employment listings, and absolutely everything about the situation makes it seem like you have about as much business (or interest in) looking for a position as a random method actor who has done a few years of Shakespeare in the park (note the lower case) has of seeking admittance to an elite Hollywood bistro filled with lunching power-brokers assembling projects, and guarded by several layers of criminally conspiritorial types, from the bouncers on though the front of house folks -- on such a day, do not send out the CVs.
Time and tide might not wait, but they do have their turns.