THE COLBURN SCHOOL
los angeles
Performance by the Colburn Orchestra in Walt Disney Concert Hall.
investing in education
An internationally renowned performing arts school in the cultural heart of Los Angeles, the Colburn School has provided the highest quality music and dance education to students at all levels for over 70 years, from early childhood to graduate degree collegiate training and adult learning.
units of the colburn school
Community School of Performing Arts
Private lessons, group instruction, and ensembles in classical music, jazz, drama, theory, and early childhood for approximately 1,700 students of all ability levels and ages.
Conservatory of Music
A degree and diploma granting collegiate program for the highest level of approximately 130 classical instrumental performers, all of whom receive 100% tuition, room, and board scholarship.
Music Academy
A highly selective, pre-college program to prepare approximately 50 gifted young musicians from around the world for future success as professional musicians.
Trudl Zipper Dance Institute
A comprehensive dance program for approximately 250 ballet, modern, and tap dancers, including a pre-professional Dance Academy for 20 ballet dancers as they launch professional careers.
Center for Innovation and Community Impact
A cross-campus center that develops community partnerships and promotes creative thinking among all students to equip them with the tools needed to build sustainable and relevant careers in our rapidly shifting cultural landscape.
over 8,900 young artists engage in colburn programs annually
1,700 Community School of Performing Arts
130 Conservatory of Music
50 Music Academy
250 Trudl Zipper Dance Institute
6,800 Center for Innovation and Community Impact
cultivating community
Students come from around Los Angeles and across the globe to Colburn, where they discover the joy and discipline of the performing arts and are united by the pursuit of excellence.
Dance Academy students in rehearsal.
colburn students
Colburn students range in age from seven months to adults and come from across Los Angeles and around the world. The student body is highly diverse—69% of the student body in the Community School of Performing Arts are BIPOC.
school student body
geographic distribution of students
22 Countries represented by Colburn students
273
Zip codes represented by Los Angeles-based students
Community School string students perform in Zipper Hall.
removing barriers to access
Each year, the Colburn School provides full scholarships to hundreds of students, with varying levels of scholarships to nearly 50% of the student population, allowing students to reach their full potential regardless of their ability to pay. Whether a student is a beginner or soon to be a professional, removing financial burdens creates opportunities for artistic brilliance and personal fulfillment.
Jumpstart string students perform on Grand Avenue.
scholarship support
Philanthropist, businessman, and musician Richard D. Colburn established a revolutionary Conservatory model in the American and global music world—where all students receive full scholarships for tuition, room, and board. Philanthropists from all around the world follow his lead in making all units of the Colburn School accessible for families and young artists through unmatched levels of scholarship assistance for all students who need it. Thanks to the generosity of individuals and foundations both locally and nationally, Colburn offers merit and need-based scholarships to students in all units.
in a typical year:
45% of students receive scholarships
326
Students receive full scholarships
$15.2 million
Scholarship program administered in across all units
100% of Conservatory students receive full-tuition scholarships
70% of Colburn’s scholarship program is funded through endowment, which ensures stable, reliable scholarships year after year
Performances by a Community School guitar student (above) and the Colburn Sinfonietta.
unifying through excellence
Excellence is the hallmark of the Colburn School—200 faculty teach 27 disciplines to 8,500 students, supported by 147 staff. Students learn their artistic craft based in discipline, commitment, self-worth, and collaboration. Combined with exceptional facilities, the Colburn School provides the ideal learning environment where students transform passion and dedication into excellence in all that they do—on and off stage.
A Conservatory student performs in Colburn's Jascha Heifetz Studio.
student success
With guidance from Colburn’s remarkable faculty, students leave Colburn ready to excel in the next phase of their lives and careers, with the skills and desire to make a difference.
85% of Conservatory students go on to work as professional musicians in their field as studio musicians, chamber musicians, teachers, and community entrepreneurs in music, and 35% as orchestra musicians.
50% of Community School students pursue performing arts degrees at colleges, universities, and conservatories after high school graduation.
89% of Dance Academy students further their training or advance into professional careers after graduation.
92% of Music Academy students pursue degrees at music schools or conservatories after graduation.
SPACES TO LEARN, PERFORM, AND GROW
The Colburn campus houses more than 420,000 square feet of performance halls, rehearsal areas, practice rooms, and studios, as well as administrative offices, a residence hall, and a public café.
Tap Fest performance in Zipper Hall.
elevating the performing arts
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. Performances on campus, in the community, and online develop the next generation of audiences.
Trudl Zipper Dance Institute's Spring Dance Festival.
artists and audiences
Colburn has a rich history of providing access to excellent musical and dance performances—85% of Colburn performances are free and open to the public. These no-cost shows are made possible with the philanthropic support of our donors and sponsors. This opens the door for anyone in Los Angeles to experience the transformative impact of the performing arts.
315 Free performances
35 Paid performances audience access
180 Guest presenters in our halls
30,000 Audience members attend performances each year
A Music Academy student performs in a master class in Zipper Hall.
building our future
Born out of a desire to serve both the community and the School, and further elevate the student experience, Colburn is building a transformational new addition to the campus. The Colburn Center, designed by Frank Gehry, will dramatically increase the school’s world-class training and performance facilities.
Rendering of the Colburn Center, viewed from 2nd and Hill Streets.
the colburn center
A state-of-the-art performance venue to host over 500 performances each year by artists, organizations, and audiences who have historically not had access to such spaces. Special endowment funds will offer subsidized access to the spaces for students and community arts organizations and partners.
An intimate 1,000-seat concert hall with a 70-musician orchestral pit and removable sprung dance floor.
A sophisticated 100-seat dance studio theater where young dancers can propel themselves from practice through performance.
Colburn’s current annual audience of 30,000 is expected to more than triple, growing to 100,000 people each year.
A study center and artist lounge where dancers can place themselves in the context of dance history to develop their own artistic voice.
Four oversized dance studios, one of which is a specialized tap studio, where students and artists can grow to their fullest potential.
Over 14,000 square feet of uplifting green spaces that bring fresh air and a fresh perspective to downtown Los Angeles.
When complete, the Colburn Center will give Los Angeles the largest concentration of Gehrydesigned buildings in the world.
Mathew/Mathew
Los Angeles, California 90012
colburnschool.edu