The California Branch of the American String Teachers Association-Los Angeles Section (CalASTA-LA) honors the Colburn School for inspiring students toward excellence and making the performing arts an integral part of the Los Angeles community. The association also names Nancy Yamagata a 2026 Outstanding Studio Teacher.
It’s always a privilege to announce Colburn students’ accomplishments, honors, and competition wins, such as the recent Community School of Performing Arts winners at the California Branch of the American String Teachers Association-Los Angeles Section (CalASTA-LA) Bowed Strings Competition. (Read about the winners and other student accomplishments here.)
This year, however, CalASTA-LA also honored the School with its 2026 Distinguished Service Award.
“Over the 70 years since the Colburn School was founded, it has established itself as an institution of excellence… It’s a setting that inspires students to look toward excellence and work to their highest potential,” noted Laurie Niles, CalASTA-LA president, at the awards ceremony held in Zipper Hall last month.
“But Colburn is doing even more for our community, and that is what I’m here to celebrate today. Through its partnerships with Title I schools, Colburn is offering high-quality music education programs, beginning in early childhood and extending through high school,” she continues. “For more than 10 years, the Herbert Zipper Scholars program has provided full scholarships to Community School students in need. And the EXCEL program, with USC, is ensuring that Colburn Conservatory students who are interested in teaching can learn to do so in an immersive setting.
“At ASTA, we want music education to grow and thrive. We are glad to recognize the Colburn School as a partner in this goal,” says Niles.
“It’s an honor to have the Colburn School’s commitment to creating access to excellence acknowledged with this year’s CalASTA-LA Distinguished Service Award,” says Nathaniel Zeisler, DMA, Provost. “This award reflects the dedication of our remarkable faculty and staff whose hard work continues to deliver on the vision of our benefactor Richard D. Colburn along with Herbert Zipper, a founding father of the community arts education movement, that a high-caliber performing arts education should be available to everyone. We continue to seek innovative and rewarding learning opportunities for our students so they value music and the performing arts throughout their lifetimes.”
Additionally, CalASTA-LA bestowed Nancy Yamagata with the 2026 Outstanding Studio Teacher Award. Yamagata is a Community School faculty member and cello coordinator for Colburn’s Suzuki String Program.
“I’m very honored and deeply humbled to receive this recognition from the CalASTA organization,” says Yamagata. “I am truly grateful to all my mentors and colleagues who have expertly guided and supported me over the years, but I want to especially thank the Colburn School, which has become my musical home and sanctuary. It has provided me a nurturing and creative environment in which I was able to grow and thrive.”
CalASTA-LA serves string teachers in schools and private studios across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.