Colburn School Announces 2025–26 Season

Season Packages Available Now

Single tickets ($10-$75) and reservations for FREE events on sale June 26 

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Los Angeles, CA (Thursday, June 5, 2025) – The Colburn School, the globally renowned institute for music and dance, today announced its 2025–26 season. Showcasing remarkable young artists alongside esteemed faculty and celebrated guest artists from around the world, Colburn presents an array of outstanding orchestral, chamber, recital, and dance performances. These events take place both on campus and across the Los Angeles community and are offered for free or at low cost. The season is announced as construction continues on the highly anticipated Frank Gehry-designed campus expansion, which will dramatically increase Colburn’s world-class facilities for performance and learning upon its opening in 2027.

The 2025–26 season marks the return of Colburn’s signature programs, including performances by the Colburn Orchestra, and the launch of the Colburn Chamber Players, a new initiative exploring chamber music in performances with esteemed faculty, students, celebrated guest performers, and alumni. The Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices—dedicated to raising awareness of composers whose lives and careers were suppressed or cut short during the Nazi regime in Europe—returns this season, alongside the Colburn Presents series, welcoming acclaimed soloists, chamber musicians, and ensembles.

Distinguished conductors leading the Colburn Orchestra include Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale Music Director Laureate Nicholas McGegan; Mexican conductor, Grammy winner, and North Carolina Symphony Music Director Carlos Miguel Prieto; German conductor and former Munich Symphony Orchestra Chief Conductor Kevin John Edusei; world-renowned composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen; Music Director of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra and Assistant Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra Earl Lee; and Music Director of the Colburn Orchestra, Yehuda Gilad.

In June 2026, the Colburn Orchestra will make its Ojai Music Festival debut in multiple concerts led by Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Festival’s 2026 Music Director, in a program that celebrates his longstanding ties to Los Angeles. Salonen holds the Maestro Ernst H. Katz Chair of Conducting Studies at the Colburn School and leads the Conservatory of Music’s Negaunee Conducting Program. This program provides an exceptional training ground for a select group of rising conductors, known as Salonen Fellows, offering them the chance to hone their skills and prepare for careers on the world’s leading stages. Salonen Fellows Aleksandra Melaniuk and Mert Yalniz will also conduct the Colburn Orchestra this season.

Celebrated faculty and guest artists appearing on the new Colburn Chamber Players series include Professor of Chamber Music for the Colburn Conservatory and renowned violist Jonathan Brown; leading violist and Richard D. Colburn Viola Chair Tatjana Masurenko; Director of Colburn’s Music Academy and concertmaster of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) Margaret Batjer; former first violin of the world-renowned Tokyo String Quartet and violin and chamber music faculty at Colburn Martin Beaver; esteemed flutist and Conservatory and Music Academy faculty member for 2025–26 and 2026–27 Demarre McGill; former cellist of the Tokyo String Quartet and cello and chamber music faculty Clive Greensmith; rising star violinist and Colburn alum Blake Pouliot; and MacArthur Genius Grant-winning pianist Jeremy Denk.

Colburn Presents showcases performances by some of today’s most celebrated soloists, chamber musicians, and ensembles, including a recital by pianist Jeremy Denk; a holiday performance by Canadian Brass; a collaboration between Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and the Colburn School; a concert featuring the Sphinx Virtuosi and violinist Randall Goosby; a Viola Plus recital; appearances by pianist Alexandre Dossin, guitarist Leonela Alejandro, and pianist Paul Lewis.

“The Colburn School’s 2025–26 season reflects our deep commitment to excellence in performance and education, while embracing artistic collaboration and innovation,” said President and CEO Sel Kardan. “From the return of beloved programs like Recovered Voices and Colburn Presents to the launch of new initiatives such as the Colburn Chamber Players, this season offers meaningful opportunities for our students to work alongside world-class faculty and guest artists. We look forward to welcoming audiences across Los Angeles to experience the artistry and vision of our vibrant community.”

2025–26 Season Highlights

Colburn Orchestra

The flagship ensemble of Colburn’s Conservatory of Music presents concerts throughout Southern California.

  • Saturday, September 27, 2025: Nicholas McGegan, Conductor | Minkyung Chu, Clarinet
    At Colburn’s Zipper HallBACH Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major
    MOZART Clarinet Concerto in A Major
    HAYDN Symphony No. 100 in G Major, “Military”

    The season kicks off with three iconic orchestral works from classical music’s founding fathers. Opening the program is Bach’s beloved Orchestral Suite No. 3, which features one of the Baroque era’s most famous melodies: “Air on a G String.” Next, the rich sound of the clarinet takes centerstage in a lyrical concerto by Mozart, his only one written for the instrument. Ending the concert with a bang are the percussive marches and trumpet fanfares of Haydn’s energetic “Military” Symphony.

  • Sunday, October 26, 2025: Carlos Miguel Prieto, Conductor  | Mert Yalniz, Conductor | Zi Yang Low, Violin
    At Northridge’s The SorayaRAVEL Alborada del gracioso
    DVOŘÁK Violin Concerto in A Major
    SCHOENBERG Pelleas und Melisande

    The first half of this program takes audiences on an immersive European adventure. The charming orchestration of Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso is infused with the sounds of Spain while the spirited Bohemian melodies of Dvořák’s Violin Concerto paint a vibrant picture of the Czech countryside. The concert culminates in a moody tone poem by Schoenberg that depicts a tragic tale of forbidden love.
  • Saturday, December 6, 2025: Kevin John Edusei, Conductor | Sieun Park, Cello
    At The WallisBLOCH Schelomo: Rhapsodie Hébraïque
    SMETANA Má vlast (“My Country”)

    Led by renowned German conductor Kevin John Edusei, the Colburn Orchestra returns to The Wallis with a lavish program spotlighting the rich cultural heritages of its composers. The concert opens with Ernest Bloch’s Jewish-inspired masterpiece Schelomo, an intense and poignant rhapsody that casts the cello as King Solomon and the orchestra as a world full of temptation. Bedřich Smetana’s Má vlast (“My Country”) then invites the audience on a journey through Bohemia’s countryside and lore in a rousing, atmospheric love letter to his Czech homeland.

  • Saturday, January 24, 2026: Esa-Pekka Salonen, Conductor | Aleksandra Melaniuk, Conductor | Mert Yalniz, Conductor
    At UCLA’s Royce HallLISZT Les Préludes
    MERT YALNIZ New Work (World Premiere)
    BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major

    Under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen, Colburn’s Maestro Ernst H. Katz Chair of Conducting Studies, the Colburn Orchestra brings to life Bruckner’s sweeping “Romantic” Symphony: a vivid narrative of medieval knights, the enchantment of nature, and the thrilling drama of forest hunts. Joining him on the program are Salonen Conducting Fellows Aleksandra Melaniuk and Mert Yalniz, with Yalniz conducting the world premiere of his own orchestral composition. Lizst’s bold and playful symphonic poem Les Préludes opens the concert.

  • Friday, February 27, 2026: Aleksandra Melaniuk, Conductor | Mert Yalniz, Conductor
    At Colburn’s Zipper HallUnder the batons of Salonen Conducting Fellows Mert Yalniz and Aleksandra Melaniuk, the Colburn Orchestra spotlights the next generation of virtuoso soloists in a program of vibrant and varied concerto works.
  • Sunday, March 29, 2026: Earl Lee, Conductor | Eunice Lee, Violin
    At Walt Disney Concert HallSAMY MOUSSA Elysium
    BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor
    STRAUSS Also sprach Zarathustra

    Following last season’s powerful performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, the Colburn Orchestra and conductor Earl Lee return to Walt Disney Concert Hall with another larger-than-life program. Two atmospheric works—Samy Moussa’s 2021 work Elysium and Richard Strauss’s famous symphonic poem Also sprach Zarathustra, best known for its use in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey—bookend the concert with soaring melodies and theatrical tone shifts. In between, the lush orchestration and sparkling virtuosity of Max Bruch’s violin concerto provide a break from the musical theatrics.

  • Sunday, April 19, 2026: Yehuda Gilad, Conductor | Aleksandra Melaniuk, Conductor | HyeJin Park, Piano
    At Kavli TheatreBACEWICZ Overture
    BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major
    RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 2 in E Minor

    After a fiery overture by Polish composer Grażyna Bacewicz, this concert centers on two of classical music’s greatest voices. While at its core an elegant and charming Classical-era composition, Beethoven’s second piano concerto includes delightful and innovative surprises that harken to his later Romantic roots. Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2, on the other hand, is Romantic through and through, teeming with beautiful melodies, luscious orchestral colors, and vivid emotions.

  • June 11–14, 2026: Esa-Pekka Salonen, Conductor | 80th Ojai Music Festival 

    The Colburn Orchestra makes its Ojai Music Festival debut in multiple concerts led by Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Festival’s 2026 Music Director, in a program that celebrates his longstanding ties to Los Angeles. Concert details to be announced.The Colburn Orchestra is generously underwritten by Eva and Marc Stern.

Colburn Chamber Players

The Colburn Chamber Players series offers an exploration of chamber music in all its forms, bringing together beloved Colburn faculty, outstanding students, celebrated guest artists, and accomplished alumni in a unique meeting of generations.

  • Sunday, October 12, 2025
    Featuring Jonathan Brown and Tatjana Masurenko, Viola; and Margaret Batjer, ViolinBACH Art of the Fugue, No. 1
    GYÖRGY KURTÁG Aus der Ferne III
    BACH Art of the Fugue, No. 7
    SHULAMIT RAN Bach-Shards
    BACH Art of the Fugue, No. 10
    GUBAIDULINA Reflections on the Theme B-A-C-H
    BACH Art of the Fugue, No. 14
    FANNY MENDELSSOHN Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano
    SCHUMANN Märchenbilder (Fairy Tale Pictures) for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano
    GYÖRGY KURTÁG Hommage a R. Schumann for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano
    BEETHOVEN Grosse Fuge for String Quartet

    This intimate afternoon concert explores the delicate balance of voices found in chamber music. The centerpiece of the program is Bach’s The Art of the Fugue, in which each instrument’s interpretation of the theme is expertly woven together into a kaleidoscopic masterwork. Interspersed between these dazzling dialogues are short pieces exploring Bach’s music through a contemporary lens. The second half of the concert continues the conversation between past and present when Schumann’s imaginative “Fairy Tale Pictures” is paired with György Kurtág’s late 20th century response—a work using the same instrumentation and heavily referencing Schumann’s compositional style. Beethoven’s complex Grosse Fuge closes the performance.

  • Sunday, November 23, 2025
    Featuring Martin Beaver, Violin; Demarre McGill, Flute; and Clive Greensmith, CelloHAYDN String Quartet Op. 76, No. 2
    LIGETI Six Bagatelles for Wind Quintet
    BRAHMS String Quintet No. 1 in F Major

    This program features vibrant chamber works rooted in the rich Austro-Hungarian musical tradition. First, Haydn’s “Quinten” string quartet masterfully darts from major to minor as each movement transforms and embellishes the central theme. The winds then take center stage for Ligeti’s whimsical Six Bagatelles, a piece saturated with Hungarian folk melodies, before two violins, two violas, and a cello close out the concert with Brahms’s radiant and warm String Quintet No. 1.

  • Sunday, February 8, 2026
    Featuring Blake Pouliot, Violin and Jonathan Brown, ViolaMOZART Adagio and Fugue for Violin, Viola, and Bass
    FRANCK Piano Quintet in F Minor
    TAKEMITSU Bryce for Flute, Harp, Marimba, and Percussion
    DEBUSSY String Quartet in G Minor

    This colorful program highlighting a variety of music styles features the work of two influential French composers. César Franck’s expressive and fiery piano quintet will be performed alongside Claude Debussy’s only string quartet, an avant-garde tapestry of textures infused with the compositional stylings of Franck. Special guest Blake Pouliot, a Colburn alumnus beloved for his “immaculate, at once refined and impassioned” playing (ArtsATL), joins Colburn students for both works. Rounding out the program is a fugal masterwork by Mozart showcasing the bass and an innovative contemporary work by Tōru Takemitsu that blends Eastern and Western sounds.

  • Sunday, April 26, 2026
    Featuring Jeremy Denk, Piano and Andrew Bain, HornMOZART Quintet in E-Flat Major for Piano and Winds
    VALERIE COLEMAN Tzigane for Wind Quintet
    ELGAR Quintet in A Minor for Piano and String Quartet

    Jeremy Denk, a MacArthur Genius Grant-winning pianist that “you want to hear no matter what he performs” (New York Times), joins Colburn faculty and students in this program of electric quintets. Opening the concert is Mozart’s Quintet for Piano and Winds, a work that masterfully balances the piano against oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon in what the composer described as “the best thing I have written in my life.” Edward Elgar’s Piano Quintet, composed in 1918 in the shadow of World War I, starts on an eerie tone before modulating towards a brighter, more symphonic end. In between these masterworks is Valerie Coleman’s Tzigane, a passionate journey through woodwind virtuosity inspired by Ravel’s similarly named Hungarian rhapsody for violin.

Colburn Presents

  • Thursday, October 2, 2025, Alexandre Dossin, Piano | Thayer Hall
    WALKER Prelude and Caprice
    WALKER Variations on a Kentucky Folk Song
    WALKER Piano Sonata No. 2
    WALKER Spatials
    WALKER Spektra
    WALKER Piano Sonata No. 3
    WALKER Guido’s Hand
    WALKER Piano Sonata No. 5Composer, pianist, and organist George Walker, the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music, has a robust catalogue of brilliant and technically challenging pieces that are rarely performed. After falling in love with Walker’s music at first listen, Steinway Artist Alexandre Dossin began a passion project to record the composer’s complete collection of piano works. Hear these soulful interpretations of Walker’s music as Dossin plays selections from his critically acclaimed albums.
  • Saturday & Sunday, October 18–19, 2025, Art Song Festival | Thayer Hall & Zipper Hall
    Curated by James Conlon with special guests
  • Sunday, October 19, 2025, Leonela Alejandro, Guitar | Zipper Hall
    CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO Tre Preludi Mediterranei
    PAULO BELLINATI Coco de Alagoas (Commissioned by the Augustine Foundation)
    PAULO BELLINATI Um Amor de Valsa 
    RONALDO MIRANDA Appassionata   
    TAKEMITSU Equinox         
    EGURBIDA Vals en la menor   
    SORROCHE SORROCHE Romanza
    ERNESTO CORDERO Pregunta
    REINHARDT Nuages (arr. Roland Dyens)
    LEO BROUWER Variations on a Theme by Django ReinhardtDelight in the endearingly powerful and energetic stage presence of Puerto Rican guitarist Leonela Alejandro, winner of the 2024 Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition, as she performs solo guitar works featuring Brazilian beats, laidback jazz club vibes, and everything in between.
  • Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Viano Quartet CD Release Party | Thayer Hall
    Performance and Q&A with the artists
  • Sunday, November 16, 2025, Viola Plus | Thayer Hall
    Enjoy an evening of chamber music masterworks in which the rich, dark sound of the viola plays a central role. Directed by renowned violist Tatjana Masurenko, Viola Plus returns with another rousing program featuring Tatjana herself, Colburn faculty and students, and special guests.
  • Tuesday, December 9, 2025, Canadian Brass Holiday Extravaganza | Zipper Hall
    This holiday season, the Canadian Brass will be decking the halls in DTLA. A beloved tradition for 50 years and counting, the Grammy-winning ensemble’s joyful holiday program is a must-see for music lovers of all ages. This showstopping concert is filled with playful arrangements of festive favorites, heartwarming holiday hijinks, and bold brass sounds. Experience Canadian Brass’s “unbeatable blend of virtuosity, spontaneity, and humor” (Washington Post) as they celebrate the season in LA’s favorite hall for chamber music.
  • Sunday, February 15, 2026, Paul Lewis, Piano| Zipper Hall
    MOZART Piano Sonata No. 10 in C Major
    POULENC Improvisations Nos. 7-12
    DEBUSSY L’Isle Joyeuse
    POULENC Improvisations Nos. 1-6 & 13-15
    MOZART Piano Sonata No. 14 in C MinorThis intimate concert by award-winning pianist Paul Lewis, who’s been praised for his “impeccable technique and subtle artistry” (Boston Classical Review), features a series of Mozart and Poulenc pairings. The first half of this charming program includes Mozart’s buoyant 10th piano sonata as well as excerpts from Poulenc’s Improvisations, a series of 15 short and diverse solo piano tunes. After intermission, Lewis performs the remaining Improvisations before concluding with Mozart’s turbulent Piano Sonata No. 14. L’isle Joyeuse (“Joyous Island”) by Claude Debussy divides the Mozart/Poulenc double feature.
  • Sunday, February 22, 2026, Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and Colburn School Collaboration | Thayer Hall
    Featuring Gary Hoffman, CelloFAURE Piano Quintet No. 1, Op. 89
    MESSIAEN Quatuor pour la fin du Temps

    Cellist Gary Hoffman and students from the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium perform alongside musicians from Colburn.

  • Sunday, March 15, 2026, “Visions of Peace” Sphinx Virtuosi | Zipper Hall
    Randall Goosby, ViolinJOSÉ WHITE La Bella Cubana
    CLARICE ASSAD Perpetual Motion
    CLARICE ASSAD Danca Brasileira
    JESSIE MONTGOMERY New Commission (NWS/Carnegie Co-Commission TBD)
    WILLIAM GRANT STILL Suite for Violin
    QUENTON BLACHE A Vision for Peace (NWS/Carnegie Co-Commission TBD)
    PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 7 “Stalingrad”
    GINASTERA Finale from Concerto for Strings, Op. 33
    PONCE Estrellita

    In a unique convergence of musical voices, the Sphinx Virtuosi and acclaimed violinist Randall Goosby invite audiences into a realm where music becomes an emissary of peace and unity. The program explores peace while remembering the conflict of past and present and recognizing the repeated history and the resilience of the human spirit. From William Grant Still, celebrated as the “Dean of African American Composers,” to Jose White’s stirring Cuban melodies, every note resonates with collective aspirations for harmony and understanding without borders. This is a collection of new voices, those that have already shaped our canon and those that we hope will continue to be celebrated long after our time together.

  • Friday, April 24, 2026, Jeremy Denk, Piano | Thayer Hall
    BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata No. 32MacArthur Genius Grant-winning pianist Jeremy Denk is considered “among the most entertaining of concert pianists… insightful in his interpretations, entertaining to watch, and engaging in his stage banter” (Star Tribune). Experience his talent and charm firsthand as he leads a dynamic exploration of Beethoven’s last sonata, written at the height of his deafness. Part performance and part discussion, this engaging examination of Piano Sonata No. 32 will delve into the work’s boundary-pushing orchestration, innovative musical structure, and vivid emotions.

Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices

The Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices at Colburn brings to life important repertory by composers whose careers and lives were disrupted and destroyed during the years of the Nazi regime in Europe.

  • Thursday, November 6, 2025, Adam Millstein, Violin and Dominic Cheli, Piano | Thayer Hall 

    KAPRÁLOVÁ Elegy
    JANÁČEK Violin Sonata
    SCHULHOFF Sonata for Solo Violin, WV 83
    MARTINŮ Violin Sonata No. 2, H. 208

  • Saturday, March 7, 2026 | James Conlon, Conductor | Zipper Hall 

    DVOŘÁK Nocturne in B Major
    KAPRÁLOVÁ Partita for Piano and Strings
    MARTINŮ Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano, and TimpaniJames Conlon, one of today’s most versatile and respected conductors, leads the RVC Ensemble (Recovered Voices at Colburn Ensemble) in a love letter to Bohemian melodies. The program begins with a piece from the godfather of Czech music himself, Dvořák’s  serene Nocturne in B Major is a short lyrical work with hypnotic orchestration. The concert then turns to two 20th century Czech composers whose personal and professional relationship often inspired each other’s work. In her tragically short career, Vítězslava Kaprálová wrote nearly 50 compositions brimming with humor, energy, and warmth—one of her most inspired works being the spirited piano concerto on this program. The concert concludes with an orchestral tour de force by Bohuslav Martinů, Kaprálová’s mentor, friend, and lover.

The Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices is made possible through the generous support of Marilyn Ziering alongside the many donors who are inspired by this incredibly important work at Colburn School.

Trudl Zipper Dance Institute

The Trudl Zipper Dance Institute is dedicated to developing the talent and ambitions of its students, from beginners starting in Youth Dance to aspiring professionals in the Dance Academy.

  • See the Music, Hear the Dance
    Saturday, November 1, 2025
    Trudl Zipper Dance Institute Artistic Director Janie Taylor is joined by New York City Ballet principal dancer Sara Mearns for an evening that illuminates the creative process. The pair, alongside Colburn’s exceptional Dance Academy students, will dance and discuss Sonata for Saras, a piece they created together from different cities and premiered on the L.A. Dance Project digital platform. Talented young artists from the Colburn Conservatory will perform the accompanying music: Sonata for Piano and Clarinet by Olga Harris.
  • Colburn Winter Dance Celebration
    Saturday, December 13, 2025
    Performers from Colburn’s dance programs will dazzle in this end-of-semester showcase featuring new choreography and beloved masterworks.
  • Tap Fest
    Saturday, February 21, 2026
    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.

Community School of the Performing Arts

Students join together to perform in both chamber and larger ensemble settings at the Community School, where all experience levels from beginner to advanced are welcome.

  • Honors Recitals
    Sunday, December 14, 2025 & Sunday, May 17, 2026
    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.

Music Academy

Colburn’s Music Academy provides pre-college training essential for exceptional young performers who want to dedicate themselves to music with an eye on becoming a professional.

  • Academy Virtuosi
    Sunday, December 14, 2025
    Directed by Margaret Batjer, concertmaster of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and director of Colburn’s Music Academy, this conductorless chamber orchestra is comprised of talented young musicians ages 12-18. The Academy Virtuosi has performed with renowned violinists Ray Chen and Anne Akiko Meyers; was featured on Unite for Ukraine, a benefit concert presented by North America’s top music programs and conservatories; and has coached side-by-side with the Sphinx Virtuosi.

Event Tickets
For all Colburn School events, reservations and tickets can be secured at colburnschool.edu/calendar. The Colburn School box office can be reached at boxoffice@colburnschool.edu or (213) 621-1050.

About the 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 the Frank Gehry-designed Colburn Center, a multi-faceted campus expansion of the Colburn School. 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.

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