Register for Youth and Adult Classes

Registration for the 2026–27 school year is open. Whether your passion is dance or music, Colburn offers training for every age and level. Explore our programs to find your path.

Community School of Performing Arts

Music and drama education for everyone, from age seven months to adults, at every level of ability. Study piano, strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and voice, with instruction that builds musicianship through private lessons, ensembles, chamber music, and music theory.

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Dance: Youth & Adult Programs

Part of the Trudl Zipper Dance Institute, led by Artistic Director Janie Taylor, Colburn’s dance programs develop students of all ages and abilities across ballet, modern, and tap. For dancers ages 14–17 seeking pre-professional training, the audition-based Dance Academy offers a rigorous path open to students nationwide.

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Delos And Colburn School Launch New Recording Partnership

Emma Johnson

A proud graduate of Seven Lakes High School in Katy, Texas, Ms. Johnson went on to study conducting with Dr. Shawn Smith and bassoon with Dr. Christian Smith at Brigham Young University. During her five years at BYU, two experiences proved particularly formative: touring Spain and Portugal with the BYU Wind Symphony in May 2023, and performing in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony at the Tabernacle at Temple Square in Salt Lake City. She graduated from BYU in April 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a minor in Family Life. 

Ms. Johnson then relocated to Southern California to pursue her master’s degree at California State University-Fullerton, where she studied instrumental conducting with Dr. Dustin Barr and attained her teaching credential under the guidance of Dr. Gregory Whitmore, all while performing bassoon in the University Wind Symphony and the University Symphony Orchestra.  

Ms. Johnson recently made her international conducting debut in Spain conducting the CSUF Wind Ensemble. She continually seeks opportunities to expand her knowledge through workshops and masterclasses, and is excited to bring that knowledge into the classroom to share with her students.

Colburn Announces 2026–27 Season

Guest conductors include Jane Glover, JoAnn Falletta, Ludovic Morlot, Carlos Miguel Prieto, and David Robertson

Featured guest artists include Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Canadian Brass, Galvin Cello Quartet, pianists Jonathan Biss, David Fung, Donald Vega, and Orion Weiss, cellists Jaemin Han and Nina Lee, violinists Geneva Lewis and Benny Tseng, and classical guitarist Virgil Barthe

Colburn Chamber Players showcases exceptional faculty, young artists and guests.

Song festivals curated by James Conlon highlight renowned guest artists and rising stars

Photo credits:  Abby Mahler, Dance Academy students; Brian Feinzimer, Colburn Orchestra conducted by Mert Yalniz

• • Sunday, October 4, 2026: Rhythms and Revelry: Manuel de Falla’s Three-Cornered Hat
    Carlos Miguel Prieto, Conductor | Mert Yalniz, Conductor and Salonen Fellow | Edric Salazar, Marimba | Guadalupe Paz, Mezzo-Soprano
    At The Soraya, Northridge

    MÁRQUEZ Danzón No. 2
    KEVIN PUTS Marimba Concerto
    FALLA The Three-Cornered Hat

    The Colburn Orchestra season kicks off with an afternoon of storytelling and surprising soundscapes. Opening the concert is the rhythmic Danzón No. 2 by Mexican composer Arturo Márquez followed by Kevin Puts’s Mozart-inspired concerto for which the marimba takes center stage. Closing the concert is Manuel de Falla’s Three-Cornered Hat, a comic tale of romance, trickery, and comeuppance. Please click here for tickets.

  • Friday, October 23, 2026: Classical Reflections: From Mozart to Ravel 
    Dame Jane Glover, Conductor | Shenghao Wang, Bassoon
    At Colburn’s Zipper Hall

    RAVEL Le tombeau de Couperin
    CRUSELL Concertino in B-Flat Major for Bassoon and Orchestra
    MOZART Symphony No. 38 in D Major

    In this time-traveling exploration of Classical-era music, Ravel’s Le tombeau de Couperin blends 18th-Century melodies with 20th-Century rhythms in a woodwind-rich tribute to those lost in World War I. A late-Classical bassoon concertino by Bernard Crusell then showcases the instrument’s warm sound and impressive versatility. Finally, Mozart’s quintessentially classical Symphony No. 38 closes the concert with a flourish.

  • Saturday, November 21, 2026: Symphonic Euphoria: Prokofiev, Messiaen, and Scriabin 
    Ludovic Morlot, Conductor | Jakob Taylor, Cello 
    At Walt Disney Concert Hall

    PROKOFIEV Sinfonia Concertante
    MESSIAEN Les Offrandes oubliées
    SCRIABIN The Poem of Ecstasy (Le Poème de l’extase)

    This program of sweeping drama, vivid colors, and transcendent melodies begins with Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante, a spirited masterwork celebrating the cello’s lyricism and range. Messiaen then takes the audience on an impassioned spiritual journey in Les Offrandes oubliées before the concert closes with the ethereal grandeur of Scriabin’s The Poem of Ecstasy.

  • Saturday, January 30, 2027: Expressive Soundscapes: Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10
    Yehuda Gilad, Conductor | Mert Yalniz, Conductor and Salonen Fellow | Dawid Kasprzak, Violin  
    At Ambassador Auditorium, Pasadena

    MOZART Overture to The Marriage of Figaro
    KARŁOWICZ Violin Concerto in A Major
    SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 10 in E Minor

    This emotionally charged concert begins with the jubilant melodies and exhilarating orchestration of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro Overture. The mood then turns wistful and richly Romantic in a rarely performed violin concerto by Mieczysław Karłowicz. The tone shifts for a final time as Shostakovich’s poignant 10th Symphony brims with turmoil and tension until its propulsive conclusion.

  • Friday, February 26, 2027: Front and Center: Emerging Artists with the Colburn Orchestra
    Mert Yalniz, Conductor 
    At Colburn’s Zipper Hall

    Under the baton of Salonen Fellow Mert Yalniz, the Colburn Orchestra spotlights the next generation of virtuoso soloists in a program of vibrant and varied concerto works. The talent demonstrated by the conservatory-trained musicians in this ensemble—soloists and conductors included—indicates that the future of classical music is bright.

  • Saturday, March 20, 2027: A Symphony of Soloists: Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra   
    David Robertson, Conductor | Steven Lu, Violin 
    At Ambassador Auditorium, Pasadena

    BARTOK Concerto for Orchestra
    ELGAR Violin Concerto in B Minor

    This concert of two weighty masterworks explores the ever-evolving relationship between soloist and orchestra. In Concerto for Orchestra, Bartok treats each orchestral section as a virtuosic soloist, passing the spotlight between instruments while in Elgar’s Violin Concerto, a single musician soars above the ensemble, amplified by the supporting orchestration.

  • Saturday, April 17, 2027: Orchestral Choreography: Ravel, Prokofiev, Turina, and Strauss
    JoAnn Falletta, Conductor | Yu-Wei Lee, Piano
    At UCLA’s Royce Hall

    TURINA Danzas fantásticas
    PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major
    STRAUSS “Dance of the Seven Veils” from Salome
    RAVEL Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2

    Movement is the central theme for this exhilarating concert of programmatic works. Turina’s Danzas fantásticas incorporates Spanish dance melodies. The sensual “Dance of the Seven Veils” from Strauss’s opera Salome depicts a frantic final dance while Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé ballet suite illustrates a happier ending. Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 rounds out the program with its dance-like drive and infectious rhythms.

    The Colburn Orchestra is generously underwritten by Eva and Marc Stern.

• • Sunday, September 27, 2026: Passion and Phantasy: Britten, Mendelssohn, and More
    Featuring Eugene Izotov, Oboe; Fabio Bidini, Piano; Martin Beaver, Violin; and Jonathan Brown, Viola

    BRITTEN Phantasy Quartet
    SCHUMANN Piano Trio No. 3 In G Minor
    BALCH musica spoila
    MENDELSSOHN String Quartet No. 2

    The season opens with Britten’s Phantasy Quartet, announcing a bold voice with striking inventiveness. The performance continues with Schumann’s Piano Trio No. 3, moving from restless intensity to wit and power, followed by Balch’s musica spolia, a work conjuring the mischief of childhood. Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 2 closes the concert with passionate, love-infused lyricism.

  • Sunday, November 8, 2026: Shades of Sound: From Mozart to Shostakovich, with Nina Lee, Cello
    Featuring Nina Lee, Cello; Andrew Bain, Horn; and Matthew Howard, Percussion

    MOZART Piano Quartet in E-Flat Major
    NIELSEN Wind Quintet
    Andy AKIHO Aluminius for String Quartet and Vibraphone
    SHOSTAKOVICH String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor

    Cellist Nina Lee of the acclaimed Brentano Quartet brings a “bold, wholly convincing” presence to a dynamic program spanning eras. Mozart’s Piano Quartet in E-flat, one of the first ever written for the form, opens the performance with grace and wit. Nielsen’s Wind Quintet charms with offbeat character, Akiho’s Aluminous electrifies with rhythm and color, and Shostakovich’s haunting and unforgettable String Quartet No. 8 closes the concert.

  • Sunday, February 21, 2027: Echoes of Beethoven, with Jonathan Biss, Piano 
    Featuring Jonathan Biss, Piano and Tatjana Masurenko, Viola

    BEETHOVEN Quintet for Piano and Winds
    SUSLIN Crossing Beyond for Viola, Cello and Double Bass
    BEETHOVEN Piano Trio in B-flat Major, “Archduke”

    Described by San Francisco Classical Voice as “a pianist whose probing, incisive, and deeply considered performances are consistently challenging and rewarding,” Jonathan Biss brings a career-defining relationship with Beethoven to the Colburn stage, where he will be joined by Conservatory students. The spirited Quintet for Piano and Winds showcases Beethoven’s inventive interplay, while the towering “Archduke” Trio brings the program to a commanding close. Between them, Viktor Suslin’s Crossing Beyond introduces a contemporary perspective in quiet conversation with the past.

  • Sunday, April 4, 2027: Music at the Edge: The Worlds of Stravinsky, Smetana, Ortiz, and Ravel
    Featuring Jim Wilt, Trumpet; Clive Greensmith, Cello; Demarre McGill, Flute; Jonathan Brown, Viola

    STRAVINSKY Octet
    SMETANA Piano Trio in G Minor
    Gabriela ORTIZ Exilios for Flute and String Quartet
    RAVEL String Quartet in F Major

    Across four works and more than a century, this program traces the alchemy at chamber music’s heart: the transformation of lived experience into something that outlasts it. Stravinsky dazzles with wit and invention; Smetana devastates with loss made audible; Gabriela Ortiz gives exile a voice that burns with color and urgency; and Ravel crowns the evening in shimmering, irresistible light.

• • Friday, September 18, 2026, Strings Across Centuries: Guitarist Virgile Barthe Live | Thayer Hall
    BUXTEHUDE Suite in E Minor
    SCARLATTI Three Sonatas
    MICHAEL ABELS Yarn 
    MENDELSSOHN Selections from Lieder ohne Worte (Songs without Words)
    NICHOLAS MAW Music of Memory

    Winner of the 2025 Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artists Competition, French guitarist Virgile Barthe is a rising classical guitar star. Blending traditional technique with fresh, modern interpretations, his performances are compelling and distinctive. This concert program traces a vivid journey across centuries and styles, from Baroque elegance to contemporary works that expand the instrument’s expressive palette and highlight its evolving voice across time.

  • Friday, October 2, 2026, Benny Tseng and Orion Weiss: The Passion and Poetry of Brahms’s Violin Sonatas | Thayer Hall
    BRAHMS Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Major
    BRAHMS Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major
    BRAHMS Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor

    Acclaimed violinist Yu-Chien (Benny) Tseng, winner of the International Tchaikovsky Competition, takes the stage with sought-after pianist Orion Weiss to perform all three Brahms violin sonatas, bringing exceptional artistry to these lyrical works. In collaboration with Olympia Philharmonia.

  • Sunday, October 18, 2026, Mayrig: A Mother’s Voice | Thayer Hall
    Karen Ouzounian, Cello
    Lembit Beecher, Piano and Electronics
    Maiya Papach, Viola
    Ara Dinkjian, Oud
    Maxwell Winningham, Double Bass
    Charles Berberian, Visual Artist

    An immersive program centered on the human voice, Mayrig (“mother” in Armenian) pulses with passion and celebration, resilience and rage. Created by Karen Ouzounian and Lembit Beecher, Mayrig weaves recordings of Ouzounian’s mother and grandmother with Armenian melodies from their ancestral Anatolia; songs and stories drawn from their post-genocide Lebanese home; and the beloved music of French and Armenian singer-songwriter Charles Aznavour. In collaboration with Ravinia Festival’s Steans Institute.

  • Saturday, November 14, 2026, The Sound of Swing: Big Band Gary Greene, Esq. and His Big Band of Barristers | Zipper Hall
    The Golden Era of big band music is headed to Zipper Hall. Gary Greene, Esq. and His Big Band of Barristers, an award-winning group of law-minded musicians, give an electrifying performance filled with infectious swing rhythms and bold jazz tunes
  • Sunday, November 15, 2026, ViolaPlus: The Viola Unchained| Thayer Hall
    DENISOV Three Pictures after Paul Klee for Viola and Ensemble
    BRIDGE Three Songs for Voice, Viola and Piano
    SCHUMANN Sonata No. 1 in A Minor for Violin and Piano (arranged by Tatjana
    Masurenko)
    FRANÇAIX String Trio
    KORCHMAR Paraphrase on the Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 for Two Violas

    Enjoy an afternoon of chamber music masterworks in which the rich, dark sound of the viola plays a central role. Directed by renowned violist and Colburn faculty member Tatjana Masurenko, ViolaPlus returns with another rousing program featuring Tatjana herself, Colburn students and faculty, and special guests.

  • Thursday & Saturday, December 3 & 5, 2026, Fall Art Song Festival | Thayer Hall
    In this 2-day exploration curated by James Conlon, renowned guest artists and Colburn faculty examine the interplay of singer and instrumentalist in vocal chamber music. The weekend includes a lecture by Professor of Chamber Music Jonathan Brown and an intimate recital showcasing the lyricism and passion of this dynamic genre.
  • Monday, December 7, 2026, Canadian Brass Holiday Extravaganza | Zipper Hall
    Following their sold-out 2025 performance, Canadian Brass returns to Zipper Hall for more holiday hijinks, joined this year by Colburn Conservatory students. A beloved tradition for music lovers of all ages, the Grammy-winning ensemble’s joyful seasonal celebration features festive favorites delivered with an “unbeatable blend of virtuosity, spontaneity, and humor” (Washington Post).
  • Wednesday, January 30, 2027, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center: Masters of the Piano Quartet | Zipper Hall
    Wu Han, Piano
    Arnaud Sussmann, Violin
    Matthew Lipman, Viola
    David Finckel, Cello

    MAHLER Quartet in A Minor for Piano and Strings
    BRAHMS Quartet in C Minor for Piano and Strings
    SCHUMANN Quartet in E-Flat Major for Piano and Strings

    This program includes landmark piano quartets hailing from the Romantic era: Schumann contributing the first great piano quartet of the 19th century, Brahms stoking the fire to create new heights of passion, and the young Gustav Mahler dipping his toe into the chamber music genre only once with this surprisingly powerful single-movement work.

  • Monday-Sunday, February 1-7, 2027, Spring Art Song Festival | Zipper Hall
    Legendary collaborative pianist and prominent Schubert scholar Graham Johnson joins forces with James Conlon to co-curate a week of events spotlighting Schubert’s vocal music. This immersive festival includes memorable performances, informative lectures, and engaging master classes.
  • Wednesday, February 17, 2027, Jonathan Biss, Piano: Beethoven and Beyond | Thayer Hall
    BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata No. 27 in E Minor
    TYSHAWN SOREY For Anthony Braxton
    BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata No. 30 in E Major
    SAARIAHO Arabesques et Adages
    BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, “Waldstein”

    Join globally acclaimed pianist Jonathan Biss for an evening of Beethoven and beyond. Praised for his “impeccable taste and formidable technique” (The New Yorker), Biss is a leading scholar and interpreter of Beethoven’s piano music who will bring to life a program spanning the composer’s middle and late sonatas. Works by Tyshawn Sorey and Kaija Saariaho offer modern contrasts, creating a compelling dialogue across centuries.

  • Saturday, February 27, 2027, Adrian Dunn Singers | Zipper Hall
    Adrian Dunn, Colburn’s Director of Choral Programs, leads a joyous musical celebration of Black History Month featuring acapella spirituals and original compositions for chorus. The program will be performed by the Adrian Dunn Singers, an all-Black professional ensemble founded by Dunn and dedicated to transforming classical music and the music industry at large.
  • Monday, March 1, 2027, The Language of Jazz: Donald Vega Trio | Zipper Hall
    Grammy-nominated jazz pianist and Colburn alumnus Donald Vega—“one of the most exciting pianists on the scene today” (BeBop Spoken Here)—brings his Latin-infused jazz compositions to the Colburn stage. Joined by his Trio, he’ll treat audiences to a night of sparkling swing rhythms, inventive improvisation, and vivid musical storytelling.
  • Tuesday March 9, 2027, Jaemin Han, Cello and David Fung, Piano | Zipper Hall
    RACHMANINOFF Vocalise 
    PROKOFIEV Cello Concerto
    MILHAUD Elégie
    CHOPIN Cello Sonata

    At just 20, rising star cellist Jaemin Han brings joy and spontaneity to a program that highlights the cello’s unique voice. He is joined by pianist and Colburn alumnus David Fung, praised by The Washington Post for his “poetic and exquisitely sculpted interpretations.” Together, they create a richly expressive musical dialogue full of nuance and warmth.

  • Friday, April 9, 2027, A Night at the Opera with the Galvin Cello Quartet | Thayer Hall
    Sydney Lee, Cello
    Haddon Kay, Cello
    Luiz Fernando Venturelli, Cello
    James Baik, Cello

    MOZART Overture to The Marriage of Figaro
    MASSENET “Meditation” from Thaïs
    BEETHOVEN Twelve Variations on a Theme from Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus
    PAGANINI Variations on a Theme of Rossini
    CLARA SCHUMANN Selections from Six Lieder
    STRAUSS SR. Jelačić Marsch
    BIZET Suite from Carmen 
    BELLINI “Casta Diva” from Norma
    BRITTEN The Salley Gardens
    STRAUSS JR. Overture to Die Fledermaus

    “A Night at the Opera” puts a fresh, playful spin on operatic favorites, using just four cellos to bring big drama to an intimate setting. Iconic works such as Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and Bizet’s Carmen are reimagined alongside lyrical and virtuosic showpieces. Remarkable solo artists on their own, as a quartet the Galvin Cello Quartet delivers a program that’s vibrant, engaging, and full of unexpected charm.

  • Saturday, April 10, 2027, Contemporary Voices with Esa-Pekka Salonen | Zipper Hall
    Esa-Pekka Salonen, Conductor
    Mert Yalniz, Conductor and Salonen Fellow

    In a rare Zipper Hall appearance, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Maestro Ernst H. Katz Chair of Conducting Studies, curates and conducts an exploration of dynamic and daring contemporary music. Salonen, who will be joined by Salonen Conducting Fellow Mert Yalniz, will lead Colburn’s talented Conservatory musicians in electrifying contemporary masterworks from the 20th century and beyond.

  • Wednesday, April 14, 2027, Trio Azura: Ensemble-in-Residence Finale | Zipper Hall
    Duncan McDougall, Violin
    Yejin Hong, Cellos
    Yanfeng Tony Bai, Piano

    CARTER PANN, Colburn commission, world premiere

    The award-winning Trio Azura gives their final performance as Colburn Ensemble-in-Residence. Hailed for their “intelligence and imagination” and “profound emotion” (Gramophone), the ensemble has captivated audiences since forming at the School in 2022. Now award-winning YCA Jacobs Fellows, they conclude their residency with a program of striking artistry, seamless chemistry, and expressive depth, including the world premiere of a Colburn commission by composer Carter Pann.

  • Sunday, May 16, 2027, Geneva Lewis, Violin and Joshua Mhoon, Piano in Recital | Thayer Hall
    RAVEL Violin Sonata No. 1
    ANTHEIL Violin Sonata
    POULENC Violin Sonata
    STRAUSS Sonata for Violin and Piano in E-Flat Major

    Joined by pianist Joshua Mhoon, violinist and Colburn alumna Geneva Lewis makes a triumphant return to the Colburn stage with a program spanning from Mozart to the 21st century. An emerging talent praised for the “remarkable mastery of her instrument” (CVNC), Lewis has been hailed as “clearly one to watch” (Musical America).

• • Friday, October 30, 2026, Music Restored and Exilarte in Concert | Thayer Hall
    Music Restored: The Ziering-Conlon Center for Exiled and Suppressed Composers at Colburn welcomes musicians and scholars from the Exilarte Center, a renowned program at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. Colburn Conservatory students join artists from Exilarte for a series of performances that feature the music of Viennese composers exiled to Los Angeles. This artistic collaboration honors composers silenced as “degenerate” under the Third Reich, bringing their string quartet music to life with urgency and care.
  • Thursday, April 22, 2027, Music Restored | Thayer Hall
    ULLMANN String Quartet No. 3
    FITELBERG Quartet for Strings, No. 6
    WEINBERG String Quartet No. 5

    Presented as part of Music Restored: The Ziering-Conlon Center for Exiled and Suppressed Composers, this performance shines a light on extraordinary chamber works silenced by the Nazi regime. Through this powerful live performance by musicians from Colburn these works will be restored to the concert stage, honoring artists whose voices and careers were tragically interrupted by history.

    Arrive early to enjoy a pre-concert talk with James Conlon and Adam Millstein.

• • See the Music, Hear the Dance
    Sunday, November 1, 2026
    An evening of conversation and performance exploring the relationship between music and movement in the work of Christopher Wheeldon. Artistic Director Janie Taylor is joined by Jason Fowler — former New York City Ballet dancer and stager of Wheeldon’s works — for a discussion spanning his career as performer and guardian of these ballets. Polyphonia, Wheeldon’s breakthrough work set to music by György Ligeti, comes to life in excerpts performed by artists from LA Ballet.
  • Colburn Winter Dance Celebration
    Saturday, December 12, 2026
    Colburn’s Tap, Modern Dance, Ballet, and Dance Academy students dazzle in their December performance featuring new choreography and beloved masterworks.
  • TapFest
    Saturday, February 20, 2027
    Stars from the world of tap dance are joined by Colburn Dance students and faculty for an inspired performance showcasing the dynamism and vitality of the art form.
  • Counterpointe
    Date to be announced
    Music Academy and Dance Academy students perform celebrated choreography paired with musical masterworks. The performance will also feature original works created by Dance Academy artists that showcase the improvisation and composition skills essential for a professional career in dance.
  • TapWorks, featuring Jazz and Hip Hop
    Saturday, May 22, 2027
    Colburn’s talented tap, hip hop, and jazz students show off their skills in this vibrant spring showcase.
  • Colburn Spring Dance Festival
    Saturday, May 29, 2027
    Colburn Dance students of all ages close the year with a celebratory program featuring new choreography and beloved masterworks.

• • Honors Recital
    Sunday, December 13, 2026 & Sunday, May 16, 2027
    Selected through a rigorous and competitive audition process, top students from the Community School take the stage in a recital showcasing solo and chamber music.

• • Academy Virtuosi
    Sunday, December 13, 2026 & Sunday, April 18, 2027
    This conductorless chamber orchestra comprised of talented young musicians brings to life rich programs of orchestral works.

• • The diploma- and degree-granting Conservatory of Music is distinguished by a unique all-scholarship model, renowned faculty, and outstanding performance opportunities. It prepares the very highest level of collegiate musicians for professional careers.
  • The Music Academy is a highly selective training program for gifted young pre-collegiate musicians, designed to prepare students for conservatory study and performing careers at the highest levels of achievement. This residential program balances performance, musical instruction, and academics.
  • The Community School of Performing Arts welcomes students of all ages, from seven months old to adults. It offers more than 120 classes each year in orchestral instruments, piano, guitar, voice, jazz, music theory, drama, and ensembles including orchestra, choir, and chamber music.
  • The Trudl Zipper Dance Institute develops performers of all levels, from aspiring professionals in the Dance Academy to beginners starting in Youth Dance. Students of all levels receive training in ballet, tap, and modern genres as part of a comprehensive dance education.
  • Created to serve all units of the School, the Center for Innovation and Community Impact empowers the musical and dance leaders of tomorrow by nurturing students’ passion and ability to serve their communities, preparing them for sustainable careers, and embracing the development of new ideas. The Center embodies Colburn’s commitment to developing young artists with the curiosity, skills, and commitment to make a difference in their field.

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Colburn Announces New Executive Position and Members of the Board of Directors  

Dalyn Matsumura Joins Colburn as General Manager and Vice President, Events and Facilities

Justin Anthony, Peter Chang, Kirsten Sarkisian, Cathy Stone, and Tim Ward Joined the Board of Directors in 2025-26

(Wednesday, June 3, 2026, Los Angeles) – As Colburn anticipates the opening of its Frank Gehry-designed campus expansion in fall 2027, which will feature transformative new spaces for performance and dance education, it announces the appointment of Dalyn Matsumura as General Manager and Vice President, Events and Facilities and the addition of five new board members who bring enduring support for the performing arts: Justin Anthony, Peter Chang, Kirsten Sarkisian, Cathy Stone, and Tim Ward.

An internationally renowned performing arts school located in Downtown L.A.’s Grand Avenue Cultural District, the Colburn School provides exceptional music and dance education to students at all levels of development, from children as young as 7 months old to those about to embark on professional careers. The School’s transformational 100,000-square-foot expansion is located adjacent to the School’s existing campus and will significantly increase its world-class training and performance facilities for music and dance. At its heart will be the 1,000-seat Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall, a much-needed in-the-round mid-sized performance space. When completed in 2027, the expansion will create the largest concentration of Gehry-designed buildings in the world.

Dalyn Matsumura, Colburn’s General Manager and Vice President, Events and Facilities, has nearly three decades of experience in operations across the entertainment and live events industry. Prior to Colburn, Dalyn held senior leadership roles at Goldenvoice (AEG), where she oversaw budget planning, daily operations, and financial management as Vice President and Regional General Manager and Vice President, Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall and New Building Design. She also managed artist relations for the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals. Her professional expertise spans event operations leadership, venue and capital project management, contract negotiation, and business development.

Justin Antony is Instagram’s head of creators and emerging talent partnerships. Antony joined Meta’s creator partnerships team in 2016 and is known for leading Instagram’s efforts around video initiatives such as IGTV and supporting creator development across the platform. In his role, Antony focuses on identifying emerging talent, nurturing early-stage creators, and helping them build a strong presence on Instagram. Before joining Meta, Antony held leadership roles at Nickelodeon and Viacom. At Nickelodeon, he oversaw social media strategy for a global audience of more than 300 million, led partnerships across major digital platforms, and drove significant growth for the network’s YouTube presence. In his talent-focused roles, he developed multi-platform strategies for high-profile actors, partnered with international teams at Viacom/MTV, and supervised music initiatives for artists tied to Nickelodeon’s television properties. In college, Justin studied bassoon and minored in music; he now plays classical guitar. His 4.5 year old son, Leo, takes piano lessons in Colburn’s Community School of Performing Arts.

Peter Chang began his career as a financial consultant and real estate appraiser at Arthur Andersen and worked as an investment banker in the real estate group at Merrill Lynch and Insignia Financial. Currently, Peter works at GreenLake Asset Management where he manages the firm’s loan and investment portfolio and leads its investment mandate. He has a B.S. from Cornell University and an MBA from Columbia Business School. Peter and his wife, Betty Hsu, are both actively involved in multiple areas of the Colburn School. They have two daughters who attend Colburn’s Community School of Performing Arts; one is currently enrolled in Chamber Music Ensembles while the other is enrolled in Colburn’s Adaptive Music Lessons program.

Kirsten Sarkisian is an attorney, fashion industry executive, and active supporter of the Colburn School. She earned her B.A. in Art History and French from USC, studied at La Sorbonne, and began a career in fashion, before earning her Juris Doctor from U.C. Hastings. After practicing law for several years at Buchalter Nemer, she decided to return to fashion, developed a business plan, and launched her own fashion brand. Just before the pandemic, she retired her business and turned her focus to her family and supporting the performing arts. In 2024, Kirsten served as co-chair of Colburn’s gala committee, helping to bring together the community in support of the school. She is also a Colburn parent: her daughter, Ramsey, trained at Colburn’s Trudl Zipper Dance Institute, then was accepted to and took a leave of absence from Phillips Academy Andover to attend Colburn’s Dance Academy. Kirsten was involved with Los Angeles Ballet, where she served as a board member and co-chaired its gala for a number of years. She is currently a board member of The Blue Ribbon and a member of the Library Council.

Cathy Stone is a lifelong classical music lover. She has been involved with Bravo! Vail Music Festival since it began in the mid-1980s, joining the board at its beginning and serving as a member of the Executive Committee for a good portion of that time. Her husband, Howard, a lifelong Jazz lover, created the Vail Jazz Foundation, an organization dedicated to the perpetuation of Jazz music through the presentation of performances and educational programs. With their combined dedication to music education, they created the Jazz Goes to School program for all the Eagle County Schools in Vail, and in 1995, The Vail Jazz Workshop was born. The Workshop is a ten-day intensive for high school-aged musicians with some of the greatest names in Jazz as the instructors. That program continues. Many of the most renowned Jazz artists are alumni of this program, which continues to be run by the famous bassist John Clayton and his equally renowned instructors. Cathy’s passion for music education has led her to the Colburn School. She is totally committed to its programs, from the Community School, to the Conservatory, from grade schools to graduate degrees. She looks forward t attending rehearsals, chamber music, and orchestra concerts, and serving on the Board with its illustrious members.

Tim Ward is a Senior Partner in McKinsey’s Southern California office. He has more than 25 years of consulting experience. Since joining McKinsey in 2004, his work has spanned a wide range of topics for governments, health insurers, healthcare providers, higher-education institutions, and not-for-profit organizations. Tim leads McKinsey’s global public sector practice, and he previously served for five years as the managing partner of the Southern California office. Tim is a Trustee of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and serves on the Executive Committee of the CEO Leadership Alliance – Orange County. Tim has lived and worked in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. He holds an M.A. in philosophy, politics, and economics from University College, Oxford where he was awarded the university’s Hicks and Webb Medley Prize in economics.

Chaired by Andrew Millstein, the Colburn Board of Directors supports the School’s mission to provide the highest quality music and dance education at all levels of development and provide access to the performing arts.

Please click here for a complete list of members of Colburn School’s Board of Directors.

About Colburn School

A performing arts institution located in the heart of Los Angeles, the COLBURN SCHOOL trains students from beginners to those about to embark on professional careers. The academic units of the School provide a complete spectrum of music and dance education united by a single philosophy: that all who desire to study music or dance should have access to top-level instruction.

• • The diploma- and degree-granting Conservatory of Music is distinguished by a unique all-scholarship model, renowned faculty, and outstanding performance opportunities. It prepares the very highest level of collegiate musicians for professional careers.
  • The Music Academy is a highly selective training program for gifted young pre-collegiate musicians, designed to prepare students for conservatory study and performing careers at the highest levels of achievement. This residential program balances performance, musical instruction, and academics.
  • The Community School of Performing Arts welcomes students of all ages, from seven months old to adults. It offers over 120 classes each year in orchestral instruments, piano, guitar, voice, jazz, music theory, drama, and ensembles including orchestra, choir, and chamber music.
  • The Trudl Zipper Dance Institute develops performers of all levels, from aspiring professionals in the Dance Academy to beginners starting in Youth Dance. Students of all levels receive training in ballet, tap, and modern genres as part of a comprehensive dance education.
  • Created to serve all units of the School, the Center for Innovation and Community Impact empowers the musical and dance leaders of tomorrow by nurturing students’ passion and ability to serve their communities, preparing them for sustainable careers, and embracing the development of new ideas. The Center embodies Colburn’s commitment to developing young artists with the curiosity, skills, and commitment to make a difference in their field.

Each year, more than 2,000 students from around the world come to Colburn to benefit from the renowned faculty, exceptional facilities, and focus on excellence that unites the community.

In 2024, the Colburn School broke ground on a transformational campus expansion designed by Frank Gehry. Located across the street from the School’s existing campus at the intersection of Olive and Second Streets, the building will enable the School to expand its mission of presenting programs for the public. Gehry’s design includes a 1,000-seat in-the-round concert hall named for Terri and Jerry Kohl, five professional-sized dance studios including a 100-seat studio theater, and gardens that bring fresh air and green spaces to the downtown landscape. The expansion will more than double the facilities for the School’s Trudl Zipper Dance Institute, creating one of the most comprehensive dance education complexes in Southern California.

Social Media
Facebook.com/colburnschool
Instagram and Twitter: @ColburnSchool
TikTok: @thecolburnschool
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/colburnschoollosangeles

 

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Colburn Orchestra Makes Ojai Festival Debut With Two Performances Under the Baton of Festival Music Director and Colburn Faculty Esa-Pekka Salonen

Salonen Fellows Mert Yalniz and Aleksandra Melaniuk Conduct Saturday Evening Concert

Colburn Alumna Leila Josefowicz Joins Colburn Orchestra for Finale Concert

Colburn Alumna Geneva Lewis Gives U.S. Premiere of Salonen’s New Work for Violin and Cello

LA Dance Project Presents World Premiere of New Work Choreographed by Janie Taylor, Colburn’s Artistic Director, Trudl Zipper Dance Institute

June 11 – 14, 2026

ojaifestival.org

(Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Los Angeles) – Colburn School takes center stage at this year’s landmark 80th Ojai Music Festival, with performances spanning the festival’s programming. In its Ojai Festival debut, the Colburn Orchestra will perform twice, including the festival’s finale under the baton of Festival Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, who leads the Negaunee Conducting Program and holds the Maestro Ernst H. Katz Chair of Conducting Studies at Colburn. This performance will also feature Colburn alumna Geneva Lewis and Leila Josefowicz. Salonen Fellows Mert Yalniz and Aleksandra Melaniuk share the podium with Salonen in Saturday night’s concert featuring the LA Phil New Music Group alongside Lewis, who appears in five events throughout the festival, including the opening-night U.S. premiere of Salonen’s new work for violin and cello. LA Dance Project will also give the world premiere of a festival-commissioned work choreographed by Janie Taylor, Artistic Director of Colburn’s Trudl Zipper Dance Institute. Together, these performances showcase Colburn’s far-reaching impact across music, dance, and the broader artistic landscape.

On Friday, June 12, Salonen leads the Colburn Orchestra in Steven Stucky’s Colburn Variations, a work honoring the students, faculty, and staff of Colburn, as well as its founder, Richard D. Colburn. The program continues with Salonen’s kinēma, a lyrical, cinematic work, featuring clarinetist Anthony McGill. Witold Lutosławski’s Grave, (Metamorphoses for cello and strings) featuring cellist Jay Campbell follows, and the concert concludes with Schoenberg’s first large-scale work and one of his most popular, Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night).

For the Festival’s finale concert on Sunday, June 14, the Colburn Orchestra is joined by an array of celebrated guest artists: violinists and Colburn alumna Geneva Lewis and Leila Josefowicz, soprano Bridget Esler, tenor Eric Finbarr Carey, and baritone Abdiel González. J.S. Bach’s Prelude from Partita No. 3 in E major for violin, BWV 1006 opens the concert, followed by Salonen’s FOG, a dreamlike fantasy around the Bach Partita that pays homage to Frank Gehry—the name is both a play on the architect’s initials (Frank Owen Gehry) and Gehry’s sailboat, Foggy. The work is also inspired by the historic moment when music was first played in Walt Disney Concert Hall during Salonen’s tenure as the LA Phil’s Music Director. FOG received its world premiere at Colburn in February 2019, conducted by Salonen at a special concert celebrating Gehry’s 90th birthday. György Ligeti’s Violin Concerto and Stravinsky’s Pulcinella (complete ballet) close out the concert.

Geneva Lewis, who has been praised as “clearly one to watch” by Musical America, performs in three other programs: Sunday’s Morning Meditation (June 14), Friday morning’s Reflection (June 12), and Thursday evening’s Quartet for the End of Time (June 11) which will feature Lewis in the U.S. premiere of Salonen’s new work for violin and cello.

Both Geneva Lewis and Leila Josefowicz are alumni of Colburn’s Community School of Performing Arts, a dynamic training ground that has helped shape generations of world-class artists through high-quality arts education for students of all ages and skill levels. Lewis studied with Colburn faculty violinist Aimée Kreston and Josefowicz studied with Jascha Heifetz Distinguished Violin Chair Robert Lipsett.

On Saturday, June 13, Salonen Fellows Mert Yalniz and Aleksandra Melaniuk join Salonen to lead the LA Phil New Music Group and violinist Geneva Lewis in a program of Gabriella Smith, Salonen, Magnus Lindberg, Anna Thorvaldsdottir and John Adams. Salonen joined the Colburn faculty in September 2018 to establish and lead the Negaunee Conducting Program, a pre-professional conducting program that supports a small, select group of students, known as Salonen Fellows. For the past three years, under Salonen’s guidance, Yalniz and Melaniuk have gained significant real-world podium experience, including working with Salonen at the San Francisco Symphony, and served as preparatory conductors for the Colburn Orchestra. They also conduct the Zipper Outreach Orchestra, Colburn’s performing ensemble for its community engagement activities, and have appeared on stages at The Soraya, UCLA’s Royce Hall, and the Fred Kavli Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks.

On the afternoon of Friday, June 12, LA Dance Project will give the world premiere of a festival-commissioned work featuring choreography by Janie Taylor, Artistic Director of Colburn’s Trudl Zipper Dance Institute. Created in response to four works from Luciano Berio’s Sequenza series, the program brings together choreography by Taylor, Jobel Medina, and Madeline Hollander. With live music performed by festival artists, the work highlights the close interplay between dancer and musician, while exploring the unexpected sonic landscape of Berio’s writing and his use of extended techniques through dance. A second performance will take place on the afternoon of Saturday, June 13.

To purchase tickets and view the festival schedule, please visit ojaifestival.org.

About Esa-Pekka Salonen

About Mert Yalniz

About Aleksandra Melaniuk

About Geneva Lewis

About Janie Taylor

About Colburn School

A performing arts institution located in the heart of Los Angeles, the COLBURN SCHOOL trains students from beginners to those about to embark on professional careers. The academic units of the School provide a complete spectrum of music and dance education united by a single philosophy: that all who desire to study music or dance should have access to top-level instruction.

• The diploma- and degree-granting Conservatory of Music is distinguished by a unique all-scholarship model, renowned faculty, and outstanding performance opportunities. It prepares the very highest level of collegiate musicians for professional careers.
• The Music Academy is a highly selective training program for gifted young pre-collegiate musicians, designed to prepare students for conservatory study and performing careers at the highest levels of achievement. This residential program balances performance, musical instruction, and academics.
• The Community School of Performing Arts welcomes students of all ages, from seven months old to adults. It offers more than 120 classes each year in orchestral instruments, piano, guitar, voice, jazz, music theory, drama, and ensembles including orchestra, choir, and chamber music.
• The Trudl Zipper Dance Institute develops performers of all levels, from aspiring professionals in the Dance Academy to beginners starting in Youth Dance. Students of all levels receive training in ballet, tap, and modern genres as part of a comprehensive dance education.
• Created to serve all units of the School, the Center for Innovation and Community Impact empowers the musical and dance leaders of tomorrow by nurturing students’ passion and ability to serve their communities, preparing them for sustainable careers, and embracing the development of new ideas. The Center embodies Colburn’s commitment to developing young artists with the curiosity, skills, and commitment to make a difference in their field.

Each year, more than 2,000 students from around the world come to Colburn to benefit from the renowned faculty, exceptional facilities, and focus on excellence that unites the community.

In 2024, the Colburn School broke ground on a transformational campus expansion designed by Frank Gehry. Located across the street from the School’s existing campus at the intersection of Olive and Second Streets, the building will enable the School to expand its mission of presenting programs for the public. Gehry’s design includes a 1,000-seat in-the-round concert hall named for Terri and Jerry Kohl, five professional-sized dance studios including a 100-seat studio theater, and gardens that bring fresh air and green spaces to the downtown landscape. The expansion will more than double the facilities for the School’s Trudl Zipper Dance Institute, creating one of the most comprehensive dance education complexes in Southern California.

Social Media
Facebook.com/colburnschool
Instagram and Twitter: @ColburnSchool
TikTok: @thecolburnschool
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/colburnschoollosangeles

About Ojai Music Festival

The Ojai Music Festival represents an ideal of adventurous, open-minded, and open-hearted programming in the most beautiful and welcoming settings, with audiences and artists to match its aspirations. Now in its 80th year, the Festival remains a creative laboratory for thought-provoking musical experiences, bringing together innovative artists and curious audiences in an intimate, idyllic outdoor setting. Each Festival’s narrative is guided by a different Music Director, whose distinctive perspectives shape programming—ensuring energized festivals year after year. Throughout each year, the Ojai Music Festival contributes to Southern California’s cultural landscape with in-person and online programming as well as robust educational offerings that serve thousands of public-school students and seniors. The organization’s apex is the world-renowned Festival, which takes place over four days in Ojai, a breathtaking valley 75 miles from Los Angeles, which is a perennial platform for the fresh and unexpected. During the immersive experience, a mingling of the most curious take part in concerts, symposia, free community events, and social gatherings. The intimate Festival weekend, considered a highlight of the international summer music season, welcomes up to 5,000 patrons and reaches exponentially more audiences worldwide through streaming and broadcasts of concerts and discussions throughout the year.

Since its founding in 1947, the Ojai Music Festival has presented expansive programming in unusual ways with an eclectic mix of new and rarely performed music, as well as refreshing juxtapositions of musical styles. Through its signature structure of the Artistic Director appointing a different Music Director each year, Ojai has presented a “who’s who” of music including Mitsuko Uchida, Rhiannon Giddens, American Modern Opera Company (AMOC*), Vijay Iyer, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, and Barbara Hannigan in recent years; throughout its history, featured artists have included Aaron Copland, Igor Stravinsky, Michael Tilson Thomas, Kent Nagano, Pierre Boulez, John Adams, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Robert Spano, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, David Robertson, Eighth Blackbird, George Benjamin, Dawn Upshaw, Leif Ove Andsnes, Mark Morris, Jeremy Denk, Steven Schick, Matthias Pintscher, and Peter Sellars.

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Performances at Colburn

The performing arts bring people together, creating a sense of belonging and shared experience. These experiences expose performers and audiences to different worldviews, strengthen social bonds, and add beauty to the world. At Colburn, performance is core to the educational experience, teaching skills that can’t be learned anywhere else.  

We present over 350 performances each year, featuring students from the Colburn Conservatory, Music Academy, Community School of Performing Arts, and Trudl Zipper Dance Institute, as well as celebrated guest artists from the world of music and dance. Many of these performances are free or low cost so that they are as accessible as possible to our community.  

Please explore our range performances and we hope to welcome you to Colburn soon! 

Cello Choir

Duration

Weekly on Wednesdays, 7:00 – 7:50 pm

Prerequisites

Participants must study privately and are required to have finished Joanne Martin, I Can Read Music, Volume 1 (or an equivalent reading book) prior to audition. No previous orchestral experience is necessary.

Minimum Age Requirement

3rd grade; must be eight years old by September 1, 2026

Recommended Minimum Level of Playing

Scherzo by Webster (Suzuki Vol. 3)

Audition Information

In-person auditions for the 2026–2027 academic year will be held on Saturday June 6, 2026. Upon completion of the application form, a link will be provided to schedule an audition time.

Cello Choir Application

Audition Requirements

1. 1. Two scales. A two-octave G Major scale AND a two-octave D Major scale. The scales should be memorized and played slurred, 2 quarter notes per bow at a moderate tempo. (Quarter note = 72)
   2. A polished solo piece. Choose 2 to 3 minutes that represent your technical skill and musicianship.
   3. Audition excerpt. Budapesto, C. Cheney – play bracketed portion only.
   4. Sight Reading. A series of sight-reading examples will be presented at your audition.

Audition Excerpts

Cello Choir Application Form

Cello Choir Application Form

Summer Saturdays

Existing students can join us for four Saturdays beginning June 20 to keep up their training over the summer, and new students are welcome to register for this four-week program to try out classes before registering for the fall semester. Classes include Creative Dance, Ballet, Modern, Tap, Jazz, and Hip Hop for all age groups.

Registration is open now.

If you have any queries, please contact dance@colburnschool.edu

Register Below:

Colburn Orchestra Returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall in a program of Strauss, Bruch, and Moussa Led by  Conductor Earl Lee