Colburn Society Newsletter

Fall 2021

Featured Stories Donor Spotlight: New Scholarship Fund Opens Doors for Young Dancers pages 4–5 A Bustling Hub of Creativity pages 6–7 World of Pianos pages 8–11

Also in this Issue A Message from the President Student and Alumni Accomplishments Happening Now

colburn society newsletter

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Friends, While we are now more than halfway through the fall semester, the joy of being back on campus has not diminished. Our young artists and distinguished faculty have wholeheartedly embraced the opportunity to return to our beautiful facilities—to study, rehearse, and perform. Enrollment has surged back to pre-pandemic levels with our largest and most geographically diverse Music Academy and Dance Academy classes to date, a Conservatory student body from around the globe, and a growing Community School with students from across Southern California. All told, more than 1,600 students are working and growing with renewed enthusiasm this semester.

As we have adjusted to living with the pandemic, we have also focused on the long-term support of our students and faculty, making critical investments in scholarships, programs, instruments, and facilities.

In this newsletter, you’ll read about donors who have joined us in looking to the future and have made significant current and planned commitments to our endowment. These generous gifts have made it possible to offer even more support to our students by increasing scholarship support and expanding our collection of superior instruments, creating vital opportunities for students for decades to come.

State-of-the-art spaces for performance and learning are also critical for students engaged in music and dance, and Colburn has a long tradition of investing in the best and finest facilities. As we plan for the future, we are envisioning new and exciting physical spaces to showcase our young artists and support our artistic community. I look forward to sharing our plans in the coming months.

For now, please enjoy this issue of the Colburn Society newsletter, highlighting the extraordinary generosity of our donor community and its commitment to ensuring that the highest quality education is available to all. I hope you will join us soon for a performance on campus or online through our live streams to witness the power of live performance as our students, faculty, and guest artists take to our stages.

Thank you for your steadfast support and ongoing partnership. Your generosity enables our commitment to our community for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Sel Kardan President and Chief Executive Officer

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new scholarship fund opens doors for young dancers

W

e are pleased to announce the inaugural year of the Beverly, Donald, and David Kobrin Scholarship Fund, an endowment fund created to provide more opportunities for male dancers from underrepresented communities to study at the Colburn School. This extraordinary $1 million commitment was made by David Kobrin in honor of his parents Beverly and Donald, whose vision for equitable access to arts education fuels the fund’s purpose.

Having devoted his career to community service through his work at AmeriCorps and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America since his early thirties, David took his commitment one step further in 1999 when he and his family decided to sponsor scholarships for inner-city youth in Los Angeles. After conducting some research and meeting with various foundations and organizations, David was welcomed into the community by Colburn founding executive director Toby Mayman and dean Joe Thayer, double bass faculty David Young, and piano faculty Jeffrey Lavner. At that time, he began supporting scholarships in the School.

When asked what inspired him to focus his philanthropy on the Trudl Zipper Dance Institute, David shares that he used to be an avid tap dancer as a boy. While he loves music and has enjoyed learning to play the piano in adulthood, the art and athleticism of dance really draws him in. David recalls chatting with former Trudl Zipper Dance Deans Jenifer Ringer and James Fayette at a backyard salon in 2019 and being so moved by their vision of excellence for the dance program at Colburn. And with the recent appointment of our new deans, he remains incredibly optimistic about the future of Colburn dance in Silas Farley and Darleen Callaghan’s hands.

Pictured from the left: Sel Kardan, Silas Farley, and David Kobrin.

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“I have complete confidence that Silas and Darleen will open doors for students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to study at Colburn,” says David. He remembers reading an article about Silas in the New York Times earlier this year and immediately being struck by Silas’s accomplished journey in dance at such a young age. “What’s not to like?” he asks with a smile, as he lists Silas’s incredible achievements to date, while

David Kobrin, tapping with Barbershop Chorus.

also pausing to reflect on the kind of upstanding human being Silas is.

For David, witnessing the growth and progress of scholarship students at Colburn has always been the main impetus behind his giving to the School. Education was of the utmost importance to his late mother, a music teacher, and he is proud to honor both her legacy and his family’s commitment to bettering Los Angeles by ensuring that high-quality arts education remains accessible. We are grateful to David for his generosity, and we look forward to seeing what possibilities await our young dancers as a result

Pictured from the left: David, Beverly, and Donald Kobrin.

of this monumental gift.

“ It’s my family’s hope that the Beverly, Donald, and David Kobrin Scholarship Fund will see its recipients through what Colburn has to offer into their professional careers.”

—David Kobrin David Kobrin, The Tapigami Man.

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A BUSTLING HUB OF CREATIVITY

Maestro James Conlon recording Schulhoff’s Piano Concerto Op.43 with the Colburn Orchestra and soloist Dominic Cheli.

G

rand Avenue: the epicenter of the arts in Los Angeles. It’s the perfect place to come see a concert, and in our case at Colburn, to train in the performing arts. Each year, over 2,000 students walk through Colburn’s campus, eager to refine their technique and prepare for the next step in their artistic journeys.

The end of the fall semester is typically bustling with activity on campus. As students are winding down their studies and gearing up for winter break, many yet are just beginning their applications for the following year’s summer festivals and college programs. In addition to the typical application form, this process often consists of several rounds of prerecorded and live auditions. With increasingly stiff competition, many students rely on the quality of their recordings to bring out the subtle nuances in their playing to give them an edge with their application.

And where can students go for access to the latest recording technology and facilities? You guessed it: the Colburn campus.

Access to these resources was particularly crucial this past year, as virtual engagements were in high

demand due to the pandemic’s restrictions on live performances. Students created crystal-clear recordings and were even able to collaborate through social distancing challenges, thanks to Colburn’s lowlatency video and audio livestreaming capabilities.

“ Recording in Zipper Hall was like a dream. If I could, I would record all future albums at Colburn!”

—Jean-Yves Thibaudet

But it’s not just students who take advantage of the School’s state-of-the-art recording facilities for their projects. Household names grace the Colburn stages to produce large-scale projects of their own.

Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and violinist Anne Akiko Meyers both sought out Zipper Hall to record new albums during the pandemic not only for its pristine acoustics, but also for its recording capabilities.

With our audio/visual and production teams ready to go and our piano technicians available for quick touch-ups in between sessions, Colburn is a onestop shop for professional musicians, students, and presenting partners alike.

Colburn’s intimate performance spaces serve as an

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anchor for partnerships that are mutually rewarding for both our students and our community. Maestro James Conlon, LA Opera Artistic Director and Artistic Director of the Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices at Colburn, has collaborated with our students for many Recovered Voices projects on campus this year. Together with graduate student curator Adam Millstein, Conlon created a groundbreaking series of multi-media presentations and full-length music recordings featuring five of Erwin Schulhoff’s works.

students in an online environment," says Nate Zeisler, Dean for Community Initiatives.

At Colburn, we’re committed to keeping up with the latest in technological advances so that both student and professional artists from our community remain on the cutting edge of innovation. The Colburn campus only feels like home when it's bustling as a hub of creativity, and it goes without saying that none of these activities and initiatives would be possible without the philanthropic support of a robust community of donors at the Colburn School.

We look forward to welcoming more projects this year with our students back on campus, and if you haven’t had the opportunity to visit our campus yet this season, be on the lookout for Jean-Yves Thibaudet’s Carte Blanche—the familiar resonance from Zipper Hall is sure to be music to your ears until your next visit.

Noteworthy performing arts organizations like LA Opera, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO), and NPR’s From the Top have also joined forces with Colburn to continue creating art in the time of the pandemic. LA Opera rehearsed and recorded its virtual production, The Anonymous Lover, in Zipper Hall, safely navigating covid-19 protocols while simultaneously reviving a long-neglected work in the operatic repertoire. In Summer 2020, LACO Concertmaster and Colburn violin faculty Margaret Batjer curated SummerFest, a series of biweekly concerts coordinated by the orchestra’s musicians and recorded in Zipper Hall. And finally, From the Top visited the Colburn campus in Spring 2021 to record a series of performances and interviews with a few of our extraordinary music students.

Partnerships like these are important for not only sharing the incredible talent that we see in our students every day, but also for ensuring that Colburn remains an active and contributing member to our performing arts community both in Los Angeles and beyond.

Jean-Yves Thibaudet's new album Carte Blanche available now.

“ I’m proud of the way that technology allowed us to innovate through the pandemic.”

—Dean Nate Zeisler

“In the Center for Innovation and Community Impact, we were able to move Musical Encounter Interactive from a stage production for over 1,600 children to a short movie titled The Piano starring Conservatory student Sam Glicklich. This program now has the potential to be seen by many more

Tiffany Townsend as Léontine in The Anonymous Lover.

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WORLD OF PIANOS What do Colburn’s practice rooms, faculty studios, performance halls, and dance studios all have in common?

P

ianos. Practically every aspect of

Bösendorfer, faculty and students can

life at Colburn revolves around these versatile instruments. Between the

learn, rehearse, and perform on a piano whose character suits their playing and

staff pianists of the Trudl Zipper Dance

repertoire on any given day. According

Institute, and the faculty and students of

to Neema Pazargad, Director of Piano

the Community School, Music Academy,

Technology at Colburn, there’s simply no

and Conservatory, these instruments are

disadvantage in having access to so many

well-loved and get played—frequently. As

different kinds of pianos.

such, the pianists of the School inevitably

“As pianists, we live in a world where

form a tight-knit community of individuals

you just play whatever instrument is

who otherwise spend much of their

there for you when you get [to a venue],”

rehearsal time alone.

says Neema. “Students at Colburn walk away with that magical experience of

“ The strongest aspect of studying at Colburn is that you have a group of pianists all working towards honing their craft. With the incredible abundance of resources the School has to offer—including playing in great halls with great pianos, surrounded by supportive peers—we’re proud to say that our students maintain a very high level of artistry while building community with each other.”

having played pretty much every top tier instrument and having had the time to get comfortable with it.”

So how exactly does a school like Colburn come to have such a collection of instruments? Our initial fleet of 50 pianos was purchased when the School settled into its new location on Grand Avenue two decades ago. After establishing key relationships with Steinway, Kawai, and

—Jeffrey Lavner, Community School Piano Chair

Fazioli, the School was able to acquire high-

It’s true that the vitality of any piano

end concert instruments for its performance

community depends on the instruments it

halls. Neema makes a point to mention that

has at hand, and thankfully, Colburn has

maintaining these relationships with piano

the excellent fortune of caring for a vast

makers is key to maximizing the longevity

range of wonderful instruments. With a

of each instrument. The Italy-based Fazioli

total of about 170 keyboard instruments on

team, for example, visits our campus

campus, Colburn pianists are presented

regularly, and their check-ins with our piano

with not only a large quantity to choose

technology team keep these one-of-a-kind

from, but also a wide variety of makers.

instruments sounding their best

From Steinway to Yamaha and Fazioli to

throughout the year.

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colburn society newsletter

Colburn Conservatory piano faculty and Carol Colburn Grigor Piano Chair, Fabio Bidini, playing on the Hamburg Steinway in Zipper Hall.

Colburn’s Baldwin Concert Grand, formerly belonging to pianist and Baldwin Artist Earl Wild. The piano was used in many of his most famous recordings up until 2001 and was later donated to the School by Anne Akiko Meyers.

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colburn society newsletter

Since the School's initial piano purchase,

recounts how he and Fabio flew to Hamburg,

the remainder of Colburn's extraordinary

Germany, to hand-select a piano of their choice

collection of pianos is made possible by our

directly from the Steinway & Sons flagship store.

donor community. A perfect example lies

After spending an entire afternoon diligently

with Jerry and Terri Kohl, longtime friends

playing and listening to multiple pianos, they

and supporters of the Colburn School, who

finally chose the one that was to be housed in

purchased Colburn's newest concert grand in

our very own Zipper Hall. Colburn audiences

2019. Presented as a gift to Conservatory of

know this piano for its unique clarity and shine

Music piano faculty Fabio Bidini, this

as heard throughout our students’ recitals and

Hamburg Steinway Concert Grand has a

faculty performances.

particularly unique backstory. Neema

Another special piano that recently made its way into Colburn’s collection is a rare 1877

“ There is a vast array of nuances and moods in the piano repertoire. To reveal the deeper meaning behind each piece, it’s important for a pianist to have a choice in the instrument he or she is playing. The pianos at Colburn each have a unique timbre, and this helps students explore how to utilize each instrument’s strengths to communicate the music to the audience more clearly.”

Steinway Centennial Concert Grand Piano. An extraordinary connection was made generations ago when Colburn luminaries and advisors Herbert and Trudl Zipper met Frederick and Harriet Agens during their time stationed in Manila in the 1940s.They had two daughters, Nancy and Elizabeth. Decades later Nancy's daughter, Rachel, called the Colburn School to tell their story. She spoke of a beautifully ornate

—Fabio Bidini, Conservatory of Music piano faculty

Steinway that was built within a Brazilian rosewood case and owned by her mother, the late Nancy L. Thompson. Rachel remembered her grandmother reminiscing about her friends, the Zippers, and a special performing arts school they had in Los Angeles. This led Rachel to discover the Colburn School's website and reach out to piano faculty Fabio Bidini—and the rest was history! Fabio quickly took action upon learning about this unique instrument and the immense history behind Rachel's connection to Colburn. Within two months, the piano made its way from the east

Professor Fabio Bidini playing on the Hamburg Steinway, just moments after the final decision was made on the piano.

“ I wanted this Steinway, which is stunning and unusual in so many ways, to be housed in a place where it would be both beautifully maintained and played. I was absolutely thrilled to learn that Fabio will have it in his studio for his everyday teaching.”

—Rachel Thompson

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coast, where it was meticulously restored by piano rebuilder Jude Reveley, to Los Angeles.

One of only 100 Centennial Grands ever made, this 1877 instrument is the predecessor to the modern Steinway concert grand. The School is fortunate to now have one as part of its piano collection—for our students to learn not just about the performance practices of the modernday pianist, but also the historical journey that led to the concert grands on stages today.

In further support of our pianists, we are thrilled to announce the Louise Garland Endowment Fund, which was created by the family of Louise Garland to celebrate their mother’s birthday this fall. Her family shared that the Colburn School is one of Louise’s most cherished organizations, and in honor of her love for the piano, the inaugural fund distribution will support a Conservatory scholarship for pianist Sam Glicklich. This scholarship will make it possible for one Conservatory pianist each year to study and live at Colburn free of debt—a benefit of the Colburn School that is unparalleled across the country. This generous gift demonstrates the Garland family’s shared commitment, with us, to supporting access to excellence in the performing arts, and we are grateful to the Garland family for their dedication.

Rachel’s mother, Nancy Thompson, pictured with the 1877 Steinway Centennial Concert Grand Piano.

From the 170 pianos to the faculty and students who play on them and the technicians who keep them in perfect condition, the world of pianos at Colburn is unrivaled. Thank you to all of you, our incredible donors, who have made this possible!

Neema Pazargad, Director of Piano Technology, with Paolo Fazioli, the creator of the Fazioli piano.

To learn more about instrument donations and support for our students, please contact advancement@colburnschool.edu.

did you know?

Colburn’s Zipper Hall housed one of the first Fazioli pianos in Los Angeles.

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STUDENT AND ALUMNI ACCOMPLISHMENTS We invite you to join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our students and alumni as they traverse their performing arts journeys. It is your support that enables us to continue providing exceptional educational experiences for such dedicated and talented individuals.

Please enjoy reading the accolade highlights below.

Anaïs Feller (Music Academy), Fengyang (William) Ju (Music Academy), Angeline Kiang (Music Academy), Kevin Miura (Music Academy), Lindsey Yang (Community School), Nathaniel Yue (Community School).

Community School violist Allison Park received the honor of selection as a 2021 US Presidential Scholar in the Arts.

James Fayette

Colburn students were featured on NPR’s From the Top:

Music Academy violinist Anaïs Feller won first prize in the Instrumental Division of the 2021 La Jolla Symphony and Chorus Young Artists Competition. She also won second prize at the Tibor Junior International Violin Competition in Switzerland.

Dance Academy alumnus Sam Melnikov was promoted to the corps at the New York City Ballet.

Isabella Bertagni (Dance Academy ’21) was accepted into the Professional Division of the Pacific Northwest Ballet.

Anne Akiko Meyers (Community School ’83) premiered Arturo Marquez’s Fandango with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl in August.

Community School student Anthony Gonzalez plays lead actor “Geco” in the new film Blue Miracle that premiered May 27, 2021 on Netflix.

Emma Wernig (Conservatory ’19) released her debut album The Viennese Viola on Champs Hill Records in July. Emma is also an alumna of the Community School and Music Academy and is joined on the album by fellow alumnus Albert Cano Smit (Conservatory ’18) on piano.

Alyssa Katahara (Conservatory ’21) won a one-year position as principal harp with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

From the Top

Joshua Elmore (Conservatory ’22) won principal bassoon of the Fort Worth Symphony.

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Aaron Giglio

Christopher Rogers-Beadle

Clockwise from the top left; Sam Melnikov, Emma Wernig, Joshua Elmore, Angeline Kiang.

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HAPPENING NOW

AT T H E C O L B U R N S C H O O L Colburn Orchestra Watch Maestro Esa-Pekka Salonen conduct Colburn Conservatory of Music’s flagship ensemble performing two powerhouse masterworks, Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with alumnussoloist Hao Zhou and Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6, at The Soraya on

Community School of Performing Arts Before heading into the holidays, join us for our end-of-the-semester performances with the Community School, including the Honors Recital on December 11 in Zipper Hall and Honors Chamber Recital on December 12 in Thayer Hall.

Live from Colburn Can’t make it to campus? Join us online!

Livestreams throughout the season include the Colburn Orchestra, Colburn Chamber Music Society, and performances by students, faculty, and alumni from all units.

Visit colburnschool.edu/livestream for more information.

November 13 at 8 pm.

Colburn Chamber Music Society Celebrated cellist and Colburn faculty member Clive Greensmith takes the stage. A member of the renowned Tokyo String Quartet for 15 years, he appears alongside students from the Conservatory of Music on November 21 at 3 pm in Zipper Hall.

Academy Virtuosi This elite chamber orchestra of the Music Academy brings to life Mahler’s stunning arrangement of Schubert’s Death of the Maiden Quartet in Zipper Hall on December 7 at 6 pm.

Primrose International Viola Competition Co-presented by the Colburn School and the American Viola Society, the Primrose International Viola Competition is one of the most renowned string instrument competitions in the world. Join us as 24 of the finest violists from around the globe come to the Colburn School’s Zipper Hall from December 13–18 for three intensive rounds of exquisite music; open to the public.

Next Up In a series where Colburn alumni share their unique repertory visions through curated programs, come hear To Be Bach or Not to Be Bach, led by Conservatory alumna Kako Miura on violin and Ian Pritchard on harpsichord, on December 9 at 7 pm in Thayer Hall.

Kako Miura, violin, featured on Next Up.

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Celebrated cellist Clive Greensmith performs on the Colburn Chamber Music Society series.

ce

b e l

c

e t a r

l o

Sunday, April 3 Zipper Hall and Colburn Plaza

u b

n r

The pleasure of your company and your philanthropic support are enthusiastically requested for the 2022 Celebrate Colburn Gala.

Join one of classical music’s greatest icons, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, to help kick off the second decade of Colburn’s Music Academy. The students of the Conservatory of Music and Music Academy will demonstrate virtuosity and grace when they take the stage side-by-side with Jean-Yves in the School’s beloved Zipper Hall for an intimate evening unlike any other.

Tables start at $10,000. Single tickets may be available. For more information or to purchase an advance reservation, contact us at advancement@colburnschool.edu.

We are thrilled to be returning to a vibrant and busy campus this year. Thank you for your unwavering support of world-class performing arts education in Los Angeles.

We look forward to seeing you at a concert this season!

Please contact us to learn more. advancement@colburnschool.edu 200 South Grand Avenue Los Angeles, California 90012 colburnschool.edu