Colburn School Announces April Events

The Colburn School continues its 2017-2018 season with diverse performances that bring together today's most renowned artists with extraordinary Colburn School faculty and students in programs on campus and throughout the community.

Of particular note is the Colburn School's annual gala event, Celebrate Colburn, on Sunday, April 22, at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Michael Tilson Thomas, one of the foremost Mahlerians of today, will lead the Colburn Orchestra in Mahler's Symphony No. 1 in D Major, "Titan." Tilson Thomas announced in October 2017 that he will step down as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony in 2020, after his 25th season. The New York Times noted that "Under his baton, the ensemble secured its place among, and helped redefine the role and repertory of, America's top orchestras."

Following the concert, at a post-concert gala dinner, the Colburn School will honor Tilson Thomas and acclaimed architect Frank Gehry with the Richard D. Colburn award, for their exemplary achievements and contributions to the worlds of classical music and the performing arts in Los Angeles and throughout the world. The Colburn School recently announced that Frank Gehry has been selected to design a campus expansion adjacent to its existing facilities in Downtown Los Angeles. Please visit colburnschool.edu/gala for more information.

The Colburn School will also pay tribute to cellist and faculty member Ronald Leonard and Dean Robert McAllister, both of whom announced plans for retirement. On Monday, April 9, at Colburn School's Zipper Hall, friends from throughout Leonard's career will come together to recognize his incredible contributions to the world of classical music and education, with video tributes and performances from his many students, colleagues, and supporters. Special guests include The Calidore String Quartet, members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic cello section, a mass cello ensemble comprised of over 20 musicians, and Leonard's most recent Colburn School Conservatory and Music Academy students. Colburn School President and CEO Sel Kardan will host this special celebration, and will be joined by Carol Colburn Grigor, Life Chairman Emeritus, Colburn School Board of Directors and Chairman of the Colburn Foundation; Toby Mayman, Founding Executive Director of the Colburn School who welcomed Leonard onto the faculty in 1989; Joseph Thayer, former Dean of Colburn School's Community School of Performing Arts and Executive Director of the Colburn School; and many other friends and colleagues.

On Sunday, April 29, at Colburn School's Zipper Hall, colleagues, students and friends will celebrate Dean Robert McAllister in recognition of his 30 years of contributions towards advancing community arts education. McAllister joined the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts in 2006, bringing more than 34 years of expertise in administration, teaching, and performance to Colburn's community-focused programming and curriculum. Performances will be given by Honors Chamber Ensembles, a special ensemble of Colburn School clarinetists, and Colburn School vocal ensembles. Sel Kardan will join faculty and staff in honoring McAllister's notable tenure.

On Saturday, April 14, professional tap stars Joseph Wiggan, Assata Madison, Melinda Sullivan, Steve Zee, and Sam Weber will perform at Zipper Hall, kicking off Tap Fest, a full day of master classes and workshops for aspiring tappers, taking place on Sunday, April 15 at Colburn School. Tap Fest is open to the general tapping public. Those interested in attending can register and purchase tickets here. (Please select "Dance: Trudl Zipper Dance Institute" the click on "Tap Fest" from the left side menu.)

On Sunday, April 1 and Sunday April 22, Colburn School students perform at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) as part of the Sundays Live concert series. On April 1, honors chamber ensembles from Colburn School's Ed and Mari Edelman Chamber Music Institute perform; and on April 22, Maxim Eshkenazy leads the Colburn Chamber Orchestra. The Ed and Mari Edelman Chamber Music Institute offers one of the most comprehensive and intense pre-college level chamber music learning experiences of any music school in North America. Students are coached weekly by members of Colburn's nationally acclaimed faculty. Begun in 1948, Sundays Live is the longest running live music broadcast in Los Angeles. Fifty Sundays of the year, professional and emerging musicians perform for one hour on the stage of the Leo S. Bing Theater at LACMA. These free programs are streamed live at lacma.org and heard through the week as a podcast on kusc.org. The Colburn School's Community School of Performing Arts has participated regularly in this concert series for decades.

On Sunday, April 8, Colburn Chamber Music Society faculty and world-renowned chamber musicians Martin Beaver and Clive Greensmith perform a program at Zipper Hall. The program includes Haydn's String Quartet in G Major, Op. 77, No. 1; Kurtág's Twelve Microludes for String Quartet (1978); and Dvo?ák's String Sextet, Op. 48. Prior to joining the Colburn School, Martin Beaver and Clive Greensmith were members of the world renowned Tokyo String Quartet. Beaver, one of Canada's violin ambassadors to international concert stages, is on faculty at the Colburn School as Co-Director of the String Chamber Music Studies Program and Professor of Violin. Greensmith, one of the most successful British cellists of his generation, joined the Colburn School in 2013 as a cello faculty member and Co-Director of the String Chamber Music Studies Program

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