The Colburn School Breaks Ground on Frank Gehry-Designed Campus Expansion
LOS ANGELES — Today the Colburn School broke ground on the Colburn Center, a $335 million 100,000-square-foot expansion designed by Frank Gehry. The new building will be located in downtown Los Angeles, adjacent to Colburn’s Grand Avenue campus, and will dramatically increase the school’s training and performance facilities.
Left to right: Sel Kardan, Carol Colburn Grigor, Andrew Millstein, Jerry Kohl, Terri Kohl, Maeesha Merchant, Toby Mayman, Merle Mullin, and Terry Greene at Colburn Center's groundbreaking ceremony. Photo by Loreen Sarkis.
The completed project will join Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall and The Grand complex to create the largest concentration in the world of buildings designed by that architect. The adjacent area also includes LA cultural institutions such as The Music Center, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and The Broad.
"The Colburn Center will be a game-changer, stepping up everything we do for the school’s own community, for our peer organizations that make the LA artistic ecosystem so vibrant, and for the public that we look forward to welcoming," said Sel Kardan, President and CEO of the Colburn School. "At Colburn, making performances accessible to LA audiences is as much a part of our core mission as making first-rate music and dance education available to everyone. These are the same values we see in the wonderful design by Frank Gehry: artistic excellence at the highest level, combined with a deep love for the dynamism and diversity that animate life in a great city."
Kardan read the following statement on behalf of Gehry: "This is a long time coming, and I am so grateful for everyone who helped make it possible. For me, this building is very special. It adds significant opportunity for growth in music, music education, and collaboration inside of Colburn and with the other arts institutions in LA. I really believe it will unlock untold riches in the cultural community here in LA and I am honored to be a part of it."
"Frank Gehry is a Los Angeles icon and a dear friend, and I am delighted that Colburn is moving forward with their Gehry-designed expansion," said LA County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, who represents the First District which includes downtown Los Angeles. "This is another initiative that complements LA County's significant investment to uplift cultural institutions along Grand Avenue...we are truly creating a world-class hub for cultural, art, innovation, and entertainment. I look forward to a new Colburn Center that is inclusive for all Angelenos."
LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis presents a proclamation to Colburn President and CEO Sel Kardan and Board Chair Andrew Millstein at Friday's groundbreaking ceremony.
Besides Kardan and Solis, the groundbreaking event also brought together Deputy Mayor Jacqueline Hamilton, Chairman of the Colburn School’s Board of Trustees Andrew Millstein, and lead donors Carol Colburn Grigor, Life Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees who spearheaded the fundraising campaign, and Jerry and Terri Kohl, whose leadership gift will fund a 1,000-seat concert hall in their name.
At the groundbreaking, Kardan announced that the Colburn School’s "Building Our Future" campaign reached $315 Million of its $400 Million Goal.
In attendance were some of the many generous philanthropists who have supported that campaign, including Tom Beckmen, Henry Choi, David Colburn, Jennifer Diener, Richard Fiock, Terry Greene, Stephanie and Greg Guyette, Ann Moore, Merle Mullin, Diane Naegele, and Alyce Williamson, all of whom have made leadership commitments to the project. Also in attendance were LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger; Scott Altman, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale; Ben Cadwallader, Executive Director of Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra; James Conlon, Music Director of LA Opera and Founder and Director of the Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices at the Colburn School; Snehal Desai, Artistic Director of Center Theatre Group; Christopher Koelsch, President and CEO of LA Opera; Jaime Martín, Music Director of Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra; Rachel S. Moore, President and CEO of The Music Center; Meghan Pressman, Managing Director/CEO of Center Theatre Group; Thor Steingraber, Executive and Artistic Director of The Soraya.
"As we reach this milestone, I give my thanks to the far-sighted and profoundly generous donors who have enabled us to move forward with this project of such importance for so many of the people of Los Angeles," board chairman Millstein said. "The Colburn Center will enable us to expand the world-class training and performance opportunities we offer our students and further our mission of democratizing access to the arts."
Madeleine Brand, a former Colburn School parent and the host of KCRW’s "Press Play," served as the event’s Master of Ceremonies. The celebration also featured performances by the Colburn Conservatory of Music Pep Band; students of the school’s Dance Academy and Conservatory, who performed Moving Parts (2012), choreographed by Benjamin Millepied with music by Nico Muhly; a quartet of Conservatory students Michael Remish, Sean Alexander, Anna Seok Young Ahn, and Josh Harris who performed Samuel Scheidt’s Canzon for Four Trumpets (1621); and Community School of Performing Arts students Erre Maqueos and David Zhao, who performed the premiere of Boyde Hood’s Fanfare for a Ceremony (2024).
Performance by the Colburn Conservatory’s Pep Band at Friday's groundbreaking
ceremony.
"On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I wish to express our excitement and enthusiasm at the launch of our project to build the Colburn Center, where education, performance, and community will all come together," said Andrew Millstein, Chairman of the Colburn Board of Directors. "The Colburn Center will enable us to expand the world-class training and performance opportunities we offer our students and further our mission of democratizing access to the arts. As we reach this milestone, I give my thanks to the far-sighted and profoundly generous donors who have enabled us to move forward with this project of such importance for so many of the people of Los Angeles."
Founded in 1950 as a small preparatory school for the University of Southern California, what is now the Colburn School functioned as a community school for its first 30 years. In 1980, Richard D. Colburn stepped in as its benefactor, helping the school to become an independent, not-for-profit institution.
The school was named after Colburn in the late '80s, after which serious plans started taking shape. In 1998, the school moved to its current location on Grand Avenue, and in 2003 the first official class of 15 students were welcomed to the Colburn Conservatory of Music. The expansion has continued to Colburn's infrastructure, programs and student body, with the addition of a 12-story residence, Colburn dance programs, the Colburn Music Academy, the Negaunee Conducting Program and more.
Today Colburn School provides music and dance education for all levels of development, from children as young as seven months old to adults. The school hosts more than 500 performances annually by students, faculty, visiting artists, and guest presenters on campus.
You might also like:
- Colburn School Begins $335 million Frank Gehry-Designed Campus Expansion
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- Anne Akiko Meyers Addresses Music School Graduates at Colburn Commencement
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The Heifetz Studio, and the building in which it is housed, will remain. Right now Robert Lipsett teaches in it.
It’s a gorgeous campus. I can’t think of a music school that has better facilities. I’m so grateful they’ve preserved the Jascha Heifetz Studio by Lloyd Wright!
@Laurie Niles ~ Editor of Violinist.com Immediate Response re Elisabeth Matesky Valid Concern: The Jascha Heifetz Private Violin Studio by Frank Lloyd Wright be Kept As Was/Is whilst The New Colburn School Center of fabled Architect, Frank Gehry's Design is beautifully implemented & for All future Colburn School of Music Violinist/String Cousin Pupil's + Resident Los Angeles Angelino's ~ {#4}
Dear Laurie ~ Thank you for your words about Mr. Heifetz's Frank Lloyd Wright designed and built Private Violin Studio, which was a rare wonderland of The Jascha Heifetz Art & Personae as heard
& beloved by Global Concert Goer Millions from the day of JH fabled Carnegie Hall Violin Recital Debut, October 27, 1917, at aged 16, which was attended by Every Major Violinist and many Pianists, one of whom due his 'Quip' back to Mischa Elman's "It is really hot in here ..." responded with now famed response, "Not for Pianist's!!" by forever fabled Pianist, Leopold Godowsky!!! To be sure, The Heifetz Imprint and fabled Artistry was shared with the Seven of us in ways none of us could ever have fathomed & from our JH VMC 'Day One' which evolved into a sort of Violin Family of Mr. Heifetz, as 'Dad' with 7 enthusiastic 'Kids' w/immense respect for every word & innuendo he inserted when playing a piece for violin and/or
even a Scale or many scales plus violin concert repertoire, aka, the major Violin Concerti and their oft written by famed violinist's Cadenzas. As long as The 4 of us remain on Earth and sharing our very personal up front and carefully observed memories with our own pupil's over decades of the mentoring skills of Mr. Heifetz, it does seem appropriate for each of us, individually, or as "The Original remaining Four Jascha Heifetz Violin Master Class Pupil's" to at some point speak to the many Violinist & String Cousin Pupils studying at The Colburn School, and one must add, before it is too late to do so . . .
I am truly relieved to learn The Heifetz Private Studio is not to be moved or touched or even added to by anyone who did not know or study intensely with Jascha Heifetz. Although now a wee hour in the night of April 9, 2024, in returning to Violinist.com, due to Fwding this Article so well written up by yourself, Laurie, I was and feel heartened to be told The Jascha Heifetz Private Violin Studio {and which I was Mr. Heifetz invited to visit and play my full Violin Recital Concert Repertoire for Mr. Heifetz}, is still in The Colburn School & will remain so! I am sure my late friend, Richard Colburn, Sr., would be and Is delighted wherever he be 'Up There' by this Very Good News!
A Word: Thank you, Nate Robinson, for posting a short 'review' about the very fine facilities at The Colburn School and adding your own gratitude regarding The Jascha Heifetz Private Violin Studio as built and designed by Famed Architect, Frank Lloyd Wright to be preserved and I must add, for many Generations of Students to come to; study in and earned by merit, for the rest of the Twenty First Century and Centuries to come!! I will enjoy both seeing & communicating with you on Facebook if not later Today, Tuesday, 9th April, 2024, then very soon this Week and I do hope you have now been contacted by an Administrator of JHS Society on FB about my request! I look forward to listening & viewing your Four different Videos on YouTube performing 1st Mvt of Lalo's Symhonie Espagnol; the Paganini Perpetual Mobile, & I believe Camille Saint Saens Violin Concerto No. 3 in b minor, which was a "Milstein Special" and which Mr. Milstein was forever returning to playing it with immense joy and violinistic 'worship' in many of our Violin 'Sessions' at his home in London's Chester Square, and especially the Slow & in Milstein's Hands & Soul, gloried Second Movement offered as NM's 'Prayer' ...
~ ~ Thank You's to both, and perhaps I can now sleep easily! ~ ~
.............. Sending Warm Chicago Musical Greetings .............
~ ~ ~ ~ Elisabeth Matesky, ~ 'Liz', JH nickname ~ ~ ~ ~
Fwd ~ dmg {9th of April, anno 2 0 2 4}
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April 8, 2024 at 04:26 PM · As an Original Artist Pupil of Just Seven chosen by Jascha Heifetz, to be in his First International Jascha Heifetz Violin Master Class, which was subsequently Filmed by fabled NYC Producer, Nathan
Kroll, bringing his entire Film Camera and Audio Crew from NYC to Los Angeles to film all Seven of us with Mr. Heifetz, teaching us in our own Individual JH Violin Master Class films, and of our 7 now with just 4 of us left, I must reach out to the Chairman and CEO of the Colburn School, to advise and remind both of them and whom I am deeply concerned may Not Remember my good friend, the late Richard Colburn's huge project with $$$$ Millions of USD then raised to Move Every Brick and Mortar + every inch of the very rare built and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Jascha Heifetz Private Violin Studio in his Beverly Hills Gilcrest Drive home, when purchased by James Woods long after the passing of Mr. Heifetz, (December 10, of 1987}, for the sole purpose of moving the FLW Original Heifetz Private Studio As WAS and to Keep it That Way which took a Full Ten Years to do so, with a Gala Opening of the Heifetz Private Violin Studio in The Colburn School in Mid 1990s with Invitations to each of the Seven of Us ... I remained a friend and very grateful pupil to Mr. Heifetz, although having moved to London, UK, on the Fulbright to RCM, later studying with both Mr. Heifetz's revered Leopold Auer Classmate, Sascha Lasserson, and then with Only Peer of Heifetz, *Nathan Milstein, (spelled with One L!) and for 3.5 Years Privately in Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Milstein's new London Chester Square Townhouse, which Mr. Heifetz, knew of &
heartily approved, telling me so when visiting him and quite a few times for his fabled Malibu Beach House Parties and in a Last Visit on a July Fourth evening speaking about the Concert Artist Mgmt
and 'Industry' of such w/mention of Nathan Milstein, eliciting a JH lovely compliment with great affection. (I am writing a Book so will not Quote Jascha Heifetz's exact words here but suffice to say JH held Nathan Milstein in great affection with much reverence} ...
My Concern is on very solid ground to find out If the Frank Lloyd Wright designed/built Jascha Heifetz Private Violin Studio above mentioned and Dick Colburn, Sr.'s Passion, will Not be Torn Down or even Touched??? I Must do this as Mr. Heifetz's former Original JH VMC Artist Pupil and Friend which mandates an Allegiance to both Great gentlemen mentioned: Jascha Heifetz and Richard Colburn, Sr., with whom I had a warm musical friendship of over 20 some years, even invited by Dick Colburn to stay at his 30 Chester Square in London Townhouse, just down a few doors from the Nathan Milstein's in London, as his Guest for a Prime Wedding taking place in London, on Bastille Day July 14, 1992 ... I kept in very close touch re Attending this Grand Wedding and when next over Summer 1994, his ringing me after our Event then Sponsor staying at The Westbury Hotel inviting me, Impromptu, to 'Come on over, Liz! We're having a party over here!" Still 'On Duty' due Hosting/Arranging a Celebrity Concert Gala & Dinner, I could not go 'round to see my good friend w/an also scheduled visit to Mrs. Nathan Milstein, before flying back to Chicago, yet I retain some cherished letters from him prior to his passing ...
Please, whomever does read this Post {#1} on 8th of April, 2 0 2 4, kindly *Email me with the Bus Email's of both the current Head of The Colburn School and of Frank Gehry, the fabled extraordinary Architect as I Must Share the Richard Colburn Saga and Passion to Re-instate the Original Frank Lloyd Wright Private Heifetz Violin
Studio which was a Sanctuary for Mr. Heifetz & where he always composed & arranged so many of his exquisite transcriptions of fabled Composers for Violin w/Piano, including those of George Gershwin, an admirer of Jascha Heifetz ...
I shall leave off for now, but request Editor of Violinist.com, Laurie Niles, to assist me in this very vital important Inquiry to ensure Richard Colburn's Last Beloved Project to re-instate the Original Frank Lloyd Wright built/designed w/Love private Studio of Jascha Heifetz, remains So! If I do no other thing in my Life, I must try & far beyond one's Best to advocate for Jascha Heifetz's Treasure & to The World of Music and GOAT Violin Playing Legacy reaching into the next 75 yrs Twenty First and Future Centuries ...
Thanking Laurie Niles for her fine Article on the New Frank Gehry Addition to be made to The Colburn School, I remain and with hopeful regards from Chicago, & today when the POTUS will be strolling down our small Street here in Chicago a bit later this afternoon ~
~ ~ ~ ~ Musically yours from Chicago ~ ~ ~ ~
.................. Elisabeth Matesky ..................
Fwd ~ dmg {#1} Re: New Colburn School addition/Save Frank Lloyd Wright Heifetz Private Studio moved to Colburn School
*EM Bus Email: c/o goldenattorney@hotmail.com {Subject: Send Colburn School Emails: CEO/Pres Sel Kardan plus Contact Info re Fabled Architect, Frank Gehry ~ With Thanks from Client, Violin Elisabeth Matesky, Orig Heifetz Violin Master Class Pupil YT: JH VMC-Khachaturian, JH-7, Elisabeth Matesky {Rus vers. Library Master Performers}