The Colburn School, a prestigious institution for music and dance, has announced its upcoming 2025–26 season, promising an engaging series of orchestral, chamber, recital, and dance performances featuring both budding artists and renowned guest performers from across the globe.
This season’s events will take place on-campus as well as throughout the Los Angeles community, with many performances available either free of charge or at a nominal cost.
As construction progresses on its new expansion designed by Frank Gehry, which is expected to enhance the school’s facilities significantly by its completion in 2027, Colburn continues to uphold its commitment to excellence in arts education and performance.
Among the anticipated highlights of the 2025–26 season are the return of some of Colburn’s signature programs, including performances by the Colburn Orchestra and the introduction of the Colburn Chamber Players. This new initiative will focus on chamber music, providing a platform for collaboration between esteemed faculty, students, celebrated guest artists, and alumni.
The Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices will also make a return, fostering awareness and appreciation for composers whose careers were suppressed during the Nazi regime in Europe. Alongside this, the Colburn Presents series will feature acclaimed soloists, chamber musicians, and ensembles, ensuring a richly diverse array of performances.
The Colburn Orchestra will be guided by a roster of distinguished conductors, including Nicholas McGegan, laureate music director of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale; Carlos Miguel Prieto, a Grammy-winning Mexican conductor and Music Director of the North Carolina Symphony; and Esa-Pekka Salonen, the world-renowned composer and conductor.
Additionally, renowned Music Director Yehuda Gilad will lead the orchestra, along with Kevin John Edusei, former chief conductor of the Munich Symphony Orchestra, and Earl Lee, Music Director of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra and assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
A significant event for the Colburn Orchestra will be its debut at the Ojai Music Festival in June 2026. Under the direction of Esa-Pekka Salonen, who will also serve as the Festival’s 2026 Music Director, the orchestra will perform a program that highlights Salonen’s established association with Los Angeles.
Salonen also holds the prestigious Maestro Ernst H. Katz Chair of Conducting Studies at Colburn and oversees the Conservatory of Music’s Negaunee Conducting Program. This program is designed to train a select group of rising conductors known as Salonen Fellows, who are provided with exceptional opportunities to refine their skills.
Among this year’s Salonen Fellows, Aleksandra Melaniuk and Mert Yalniz will also have the opportunity to conduct the Colburn Orchestra during the season, further emphasizing the school’s commitment to fostering artistic development.
The newly introduced Colburn Chamber Players series will feature celebrated faculty and guest artists. This includes Jonathan Brown, a revered violist and professor of chamber music; Tatjana Masurenko, the Richard D. Colburn Viola Chair; and Margaret Batjer, the director of Colburn’s Music Academy and concertmaster of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO).
The lineup also features Martin Beaver, former first violinist of the internationally acclaimed Tokyo String Quartet, Demarre McGill, an esteemed flutist, and Clive Greensmith, a former cellist of the Tokyo String Quartet who also serves as cello and chamber music faculty.
Rising star violinist Blake Pouliot, alongside MacArthur Genius Grant-winning pianist Jeremy Denk, will also participate in the chamber series.
Colburn Presents will showcase multiple noteworthy performances throughout the season, highlighting esteemed musicians such as pianist Jeremy Denk in recital, the Canadian Brass during a holiday performance, and an intriguing collaboration between the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and the Colburn School.
Other performances include a concert with the Sphinx Virtuosi featuring violinist Randall Goosby, as well as collaborations and recitals showcasing exceptional artists such as Alexandre Dossin, Leonela Alejandro, and Paul Lewis.
Sel Kardan, President and CEO of the Colburn School, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming season, stating, “The Colburn School’s 2025–26 season reflects our deep commitment to excellence in performance and education, while embracing artistic collaboration and innovation.”
He added, “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, and we look forward to welcoming audiences across Los Angeles to experience our vibrant community’s artistry and vision.”
With the upcoming season, The Colburn School is poised to deliver a richly textured tapestry of musical performances, bolstering its role as a vital contributor to the cultural fabric of Los Angeles.
image source from：https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Colburn-School-Reveals-202526-Season-20250606
