Colburn to Launch 2026-27 Season With Star Guest Conductors and Artists

Colburn, the world-renowned institute for music and dance, today announced its 2026–27 season of orchestral, chamber, recital and dance performances showcasing the exceptional artistry of Colburn students, many of whom are on the cusp of launching professional careers.

Presented on the Colburn campus and throughout Los Angeles, performances are free of charge or offered at low cost, reflecting Colburn's commitment to expanding access to the arts for audiences across Los Angeles. 

The 2026–27 season marks Colburn's final season before the opening of its transformational 100,000-square-foot campus expansion designed by Frank Gehry which will significantly increase Colburn's 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 fall 2027, the expansion will create the largest concentration of Gehry-designed buildings in the world.

“As Colburn prepares to open its Frank Gehry-designed campus expansion in September 2027, we are poised to enter an inspiring new chapter in our history and reach an important milestone in our evolution on Grand Avenue,” said President and CEO Sel Kardan. “The 2026-27 season continues to showcase our extraordinary students and faculty and welcome acclaimed guest artists from around the world. Our campus expansion will embody the same spirit of excellence, curiosity, and creativity that defines the Colburn experience today.”

Colburn's signature performances return in the 2026-27 season, including the Colburn Orchestra series, featuring the flagship ensemble of Colburn's Conservatory of Music, and the Colburn Chamber Players series, an exploration of chamber music in all its forms, with students performing alongside esteemed faculty and celebrated guest artists. Through Colburn Presents, acclaimed ensembles, soloists, and chamber musicians take the stage for special performances. Music Restored: The Ziering-Conlon Center for Exiled and Suppressed Composers continues its important work shining a light on composers whose lives and careers were destroyed or disrupted by the Nazi regime. The season also features performances by students of the Trudl Zipper Dance Institute, from tap and ballet to jazz and hip-hop.

Distinguished conductors leading the Colburn Orchestra include Mexican conductor, Grammy-winner, and North Carolina Symphony Music Director Carlos Miguel Prieto; British conductor and Music of the Baroque music director Dame Jane Glover; French conductor and Music Director of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra Ludovic Morlot; Director of Conducting Studies, Distinguished Visiting Faculty at Julliard and former music director of St. Louis Symphony Orchestra David Robertson; Grammy-winner and Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra JoAnn Falletta; and Music Director of the Colburn Orchestra, Yehuda Gilad.

Salonen Fellow Mert Yalniz will share the podium with Prieto in October to conduct the Colburn Orchestra at The Soraya in a program of Arturo Márquez, Kevin Puts, and Manuel De Falla. Yalniz joined Colburn's Conservatory of Music's Negaunee Conducting Program in 2024. Led by Esa-Pekka Salonen, who holds the Maestro Ernst H. Katz Chair of Conducting Studies, the pre-professional program offers a unique opportunity for a select group of students, known as Salonen Fellows, to refine their craft and prepare for careers on the world's most prestigious stages under Salonen's guidance.

Esteemed faculty and guest artists appearing on the Colburn Chamber Players series include Brentano Quartet cellist Nina Lee; internationally in-demand pianist Jonathan Biss; Professor of Chamber Music for the Colburn Conservatory and renowned violist Jonathan Brown; leading violist and Richard D. Colburn Viola Chair Tatjana Masurenko; Colburn violin and chamber music faculty and former first violin of the world-renowned Tokyo String Quartet Martin Beaver; horn faculty and Principal Horn of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Andrew Bain; percussion faculty and Principal Percussionist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Matthew Howard; Principal Oboe of the San Francisco Symphony and Colburn faculty Eugene Izotov; and Piano Faculty and Carol Colburn Grigor Piano Chair Fabio Bidini.

Colburn Presents showcases performances by some of today's most celebrated soloists, chamber musicians, and ensembles, including a recital by guitarist and Winner of the 2025 Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artists Competition Virgile Barthe; an immersive performance by cellist Karen Ouzounian and composer/pianist Lembit Beecher; a ViolaPlus recital; a holiday performance by Canadian Brass; a concert featuring Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center; a performance by the Adrian Dunn Singers; a presentation by the Galvin Cello Quartet; an exploration of contemporary music with Esa-Pekka Salonen; a recital by Trio Azura; a recital by pianist Jonathan Biss; and performances by cellist Jaemin Han with pianist and Colburn alumnus David Fung;  violinist Yu-Chien (Benny) Tsang with pianist Orion Weiss; and violinist and Colburn alumna Geneva Lewis with pianist Joshua Mhoon.

A special immersive musical experience, Mayrig: A Mother's Voice, by Karen Ouzounian and Lembit Beecher, explores themes of family, memory, resilience, and identity through the human voice. The work weaves together recordings of Ouzounian's mother and grandmother, Armenian melodies from Anatolia, songs and stories from their post-genocide Lebanese home, and music by Armenian singer-songwriter Charles Aznavour. In collaboration with Ravinia Festival's Steans Institute.

2026–27 Season Highlights

Colburn Orchestra

The flagship ensemble of Colburn's Conservatory of Music performs throughout Southern California.

• 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.

Colburn Chamber Players 

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

• 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.

Colburn Presents

• 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).

Music Restored: The Ziering-Conlon Center for Exiled and Suppressed Composers 

Music Restored: The Ziering-Conlon Center for Exiled and Suppressed Composers is a unique Colburn resource that encourages greater awareness and more frequent performances of music by composers whose careers and lives were tragically cut short by the Nazi regime in Europe. 

• 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.

Music Restored is made possible through the generous support of Marilyn Ziering and the Emma and Adam Zhu Foundation, alongside the many donors who are inspired by this important work.

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
  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.

Community School of the Performing Arts

Students join together to perform in both chamber and larger ensemble settings at the Community School, where students of all ages and skill levels are welcome.

• 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.

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

Event Tickets

Tickets are on sale August 5, 2026. 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 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. 

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