Colburn Conservatory of Music Brochure

conservatory of music

a message from the dean

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Colburn School and to thank you for your interest in the Colburn Conservatory of Music.

As you continue on your path to a life in music, your choice of school for advanced training is a critical component in your journey. Faculty, performance opportunities, the surrounding arts community, alumni success, peers who become your collaborators and lifelong colleagues—all of these different elements create the ideal atmosphere for developing your craft to the highest level.

One of the most unique characteristics of the Colburn Conservatory is the financial support provided to every student. All of our students receive full scholarships for tuition, grants for the Colburn Residence Hall, and a meal plan in the Colburn Café. We all know the common saying “time is money.” At Colburn, money is time. Without the financial burdens of paying tuition or taking out loans, students have the freedom to focus fully on their studies. This extraordinary gift of time allows for an incredible capacity to achieve at the highest level, to fully recognize the potential for artistry, craft, and communication in every student.

Enjoy exploring and learning more about the Conservatory! I hope to see you at a performance or receive your application for admission.

Warmly,

Lee Cioppa dean, conservatory of music

conservatory of music

the colburn conservatory of music opened in 2003 with one goal:

to train the very highest level of classical instrumental performers for careers in the 21st century. All students accepted into the Conservatory receive full scholarship support so that they can focus on their craft without financial burden. With world-renowned faculty, outstanding performance opportunities, and unparalleled financial support, the Colburn Conservatory gives young musicians unrivaled opportunity to develop their art.

Alumni Appointments Include:

Atlanta Symphony

Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Boston Symphony Orchestra

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Cleveland Orchestra

Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

Houston Symphony

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Los Angeles Philharmonic

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Minnesota Orchestra

Munich Radio Orchestra

Nashville Symphony

National Symphony Orchestra

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

Student and Alumni Competition Prizes Include:

ARD Munich International Competition

Avery Fisher Prize

Banff International Quartet Competition

Concert Artist Guild

Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition

Ima Hogg Competition

International Beethoven Piano Competition

Irving M. Klein Competition

Jacques Lancelot International Clarinet Competition

Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne

Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

San Francisco Symphony

Seattle Symphony

Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

St. Paul Chamber Orchestra

“The President’s Own”—

United States Marine Band

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition

Montreal International Competition

Naumburg international Competition

Prague Spring International Music Competition

Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition

Sphinx Competition

Stulberg Competition

Tchaikovsky International Competition

Young Concert Artists

faculty

Esa-Pekka Salonen, Conducting faculty, leads the Colburn Orchestra

with only 130 students, the colburn experience offers extensive faculty interaction. Every faculty member has a roster of successful alumni, and as professional musicians themselves, they have a deep understanding of what it takes to thrive in and out of the Conservatory.

Performance Faculty

Ted Atkatz, Percussion and Colburn

Contemporary Ensemble Director

Andrew Bain, Horn

Martin Beaver, Violin

Richard Beene, Bassoon

Fabio Bidini, Carol Colburn Grigor Piano Chair

Yehuda Gilad, Clarinet and Music Director

Clive Greensmith, Cello

Eugene Izotov, Oboe (Guest Faculty 2022–24)

Robert Lipsett, Jascha Heifetz Distinguished Violin Chair

Academic Faculty

Our academic faculty includes noted music and humanities scholars, pedagogues, and composers.

Peter Lloyd, Double Bass

Tatjana Masurenko, Richard D. Colburn Viola Chair

Ian Pritchard, Colburn Baroque Ensemble Director

David Rejano Cantero, Trombone

Esa-Pekka Salonen, Negaunee Conducting Program

Aaron Tindall, Tuba

JoAnn Turovsky, Harp

James Walker, Flute

James Wilt, Trumpet

Department Chairs

Ian Pritchard, Music History and Literature (Interim)

Jordan Nelson, DMA, Theory and Aural Skills

performance opportunities

Colburn Chamber Music Society guest artist Emanuel Ax performs with with former Chamber Ensemble-in-Residence, the Viano String Quartet

colburn students work

side-by-side with world-renowned musicians. Students learn from masters of their craft in performances and master classes, and participate in mock auditions with prominent conductors.

past visiting artists

Conductors

James Conlon

Sir Andrew Davis

Stéphane Denève

Gustavo Dudamel

Guest Artists

Emanuel Ax, Piano

Denis Bouriakov, Flute

Calidore Quartet

Robert Chen, Violin

Roberto Díaz, Violin

Augustin Hadelich, Violin

Catherine Larsen-Maguire

Sir Neville Marriner

Ludovic Morlot

Peter Oundjian

Jon Kimura Parker, Piano

LA Philharmonic Brass

Anne-Marie Mcdermott, Piano

Demarre Mcgill, Flute

Jon Nakamatsu, Piano

Nokuthula Ngwenyama, Viola

Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Artist-in-Residence

Carlos Miguel Prieto

Matthias Pintscher

Michael Tilson Thomas

Xian Zhang

Menahem Pressler, Piano

Quattour Ebene

San Francisco Symphony Brass

Orli Shaham, Piano

Tokyo Quartet

Eliso Virsaladze, Piano

Since 2014, Jean-Yves Thibaudet has served as artist-in-residence at Colburn, working with students in all units.

a key aspect of the conservatory experience is providing students with ample performance opportunities. students have myriad ways to perform while attending colburn.

Faculty members Martin Beaver and Clive Greensmith perform alongside students

Colburn Orchestra

Participation in orchestra is one of the central elements of the programs at the Colburn Conservatory. Concerts are held in halls around the LA area, including Walt Disney Concert Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and the Soraya. Each concert features a student concerto soloist, including the winner of the annual Concerto Competition.

Colburn Chamber Music Society

Students receive an in-depth and professional chamber experience performing on Colburn’s chamber series with renowned guest artists.

Performance Forum

Performance Forum is an opportunity for Conservatory students to perform for their peers and teachers, as well as the Colburn community at large, and takes place on a weekly basis.

Chamber Forum

Chamber Forum features Conservatory students performing works for small ensembles. Participation in chamber music is one of the central elements of the programs in the Conservatory of Music and develops skills of listening and collaboration, as well as an appreciation for the challenges of melding unique individuals into a cohesive group.

Contemporary Ensemble

This ensemble is open to all students who wish to study and perform music of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Baroque Ensemble

This ensemble is dedicated to the performance of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century music. Although the ensemble plays on modern instruments, it is geared towards developing an awareness of and sensitivity to the nuances of historically informed performance practices.

Community Engagement Performances

Conservatory students have extensive paid and unpaid opportunities to perform in the Los Angeles community each academic year. Opportunities range from Center for Innovation and Community Impact curated experiences in retirement homes, hospitals, and homeless shelters to paid gig requests from the community.

Opus 3 artists Simone Porter and Blake Pouliot, alumni of the Colburn Artists program

The Center for Innovation and Community Impact provides Conservatory students with career development training which encompasses career advising, individualized support in creating professional materials, and a robust personal development curriculum including modules on managing finance for creative careers.

Conservatory students gain valuable experience and give back to the LA community through teaching. Students sophomore level and above have access to teacher training coursework and pedagogical opportunities including the Teaching Fellows program funded by the Max H. Gluck Foundation. Teaching Fellows engage with students in the Jumpstart program and also with our partner Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles.

Colburn Artists

Colburn Artists, a unique in-house professional management program, prepares select students to work with industry leaders and artist managers. In this supportive atmosphere which is linked closely with a student’s individual performance studies, each student receives personalized career advice and training. This includes guidance on building relationships with presenters, orchestras, and professional musicians; developing repertoire; interview preparation; and creating a professional image and online presence.

our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (edi)

The Colburn School is dedicated to providing equitable access to excellence in performing arts education. Founded on the core principle of community, Colburn believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion is vital to our collective success. Our commitment is reflected in our artistic programming, community engagement work, partnerships with established leaders in the EDI space, and scholarship support for students at all levels.

Initiatives which serve Conservatory students include the Amplify Series, which celebrates the careers of artists of color through short-term residencies that include master classes, performances, and panel discussions; Social Innovation Grants, which provide financial support for students working towards community engagement projects that benefit the BIPOC community or commissioning projects involving BIPOC composers or choreographers; and opportunities to teach and mentor young musicians in the Jumpstart program and the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles.

For complete information on Colburn’s EDI initiatives, visit colburnschool.edu/edi.

programs of study

bachelor of music

A four-year undergraduate degree program focusing on the development of highly skilled performing musicians, with a complete performance curriculum as well as supporting coursework in music theory, aural skills, music history, and the humanities.

performance diploma

A four-year curriculum designed for the student who has not completed a bachelor’s degree, but whose musical activities require more flexibility than the Bachelor of Music program. This program also supports students who need extra time to solidify their English language skills prior to enrolling in the Bachelor of Music program.

conducting diploma

A three-year program designed for highly skilled young conductors who have not yet completed a baccalaureate degree.

master of music

A two-year postbaccalaureate degree program that includes the complete range of performance requirements as well as supporting music history and music theory coursework.

artist diploma

A two- to four-year post-baccalaureate program for the developing artist, with a focus on repertoire development and recital preparation.

professional studies certificate

A flexible two-year program emphasizing professional activities outside the school, designed for students who seek a period of intensive training in their applied area of study in preparation for entering the profession.

To learn more about the Conservatory of Music, please visit colburnschool.edu/conservatory and for information or inquiries about admissions, please email admissions@colburnschool.edu.

tuition, fees, and financial aid

all students accepted to the colburn conservatory receive full scholarship for tuition, as well as grants for on-campus housing and a meal plan at the Colburn Café.

The Colburn residence hall, with scenic views of downtown Los Angeles and surrounding areas, includes fully furnished two-, three-, and four-bedroom suites. Each residential floor houses up to 25 students and a resident advisor. The Colburn Café serves a variety of cuisines using fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients and features a coffee bar.

For the 2022–23 school year, the value of these scholarships and grants total:

Tuition Scholarship: $55,000

Room Grant: $14,000

Board Grant: $7,000

Total Award: $76,000

With the bulk of the financial responsibility covered by Colburn scholarships, students pay a yearly comprehensive fee of $4,050 for the 22–23 year and must have adequate health insurance, either on their family’s plan or by enrolling in Colburn’s health insurance plan. Additional financial aid is available for students who need assistance covering these costs.

health and wellness

The Colburn School recognizes the importance of health and wellness for artists and provides information and services regarding the maintenance of professional health and the prevention of performance injuries. Students receive education and support through the following services provided by the Wellness Team: The Healthy Musician seminar; a licensed nurse on campus; and access to two psychotherapists, a licensed physical therapist, a licensed massage therapist, as well as additional wellness programs.

a world-class campus in downtown los angeles

situated

in the heart of the cultural center of los angeles, the Colburn School not only provides access to excellence in both music and dance instruction, but access to some of the best venues, art installations, and dining experiences in the country. With so much in close proximity, there’s a wealth of opportunity to discover and explore.

Downtown boasts a walkability score of 97*, the highest in Los Angeles. With an average of 34 restaurants and cafés within a 5-minute walk, you are bound to discover some new favorites. You can explore the Grand Central Market, Little Tokyo, or visit over 60 art galleries in the area, including The Broad and the Museum of Contemporary Art on the same block as Colburn. If you’re looking to experience performances, walk across the street from campus to the Music Center to enjoy the Walt Disney Concert Hall (home of the LA Phil) and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (home to the LA Opera). Find historical landmarks and architectural gems such as the Central Library with its Egyptian design influences and the Bradbury Building with its skylit atrium, both within walking distance. If you’re seeking some outdoor adventures, Los Angeles provides access to beaches, hiking trails, skiing, and more. With so much to see and experience, come join us in downtown Los Angeles. You bring the passion. Together, we'll build your future.

Notice of Nondiscrimination Policy to Students: The Colburn School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, or religious belief in its admission, retention, student aid, scholarship, or other educational policies, and other school-administered programs.

Photos: Courtney Paige Ray, Philip Pirolo, Jamie Tuss, Luis Luque, Jon McKee, Craig T. Mathew

*Source: Walkscore