Community School

At the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts, we are committed to making music education accessible to everyone who has a passion and curiosity for music at every level of ability. Our world-class teachers share their expertise with students of wide-ranging musical interests and varying ages, from seven months to adults.

Located in sunny Los Angeles, the Community School offers online and in-person music lessons on many instruments—piano, strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and voice. All experience levels welcome, from beginner to advanced.

At the Community School, students join together to perform chamber music and as part of large ensembles. The school also focuses on students’ understanding of music theory. Classes cover the basics of reading pitch and rhythm. As they progress in musicality, students employ more complex analysis skills. We encourage students to combine theory with applied instruction and ensemble activities for a well-rounded educational experience.

Violinist wearing a pink turtleneck smiling with teacher sitting down

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Meet Our Faculty

Walter Simonsen, DMA
Assistant Director, Big Band; Jazz Trumpet Faculty

From the small clubs of Los Angeles, to the recording studios, to the Hollywood Bowl, and even the grass at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Dr. Simonsen’s trumpet and music can be heard pleasing audiences of every size and demographic.

Jerry Kalaf
Percussion Faculty

Active in the recording studios of Los Angeles, Jerry has participated as both a performer and composer in scoring sessions for hundreds of film and television shows.

Michael Yoshimi, DMA
Clarinet Faculty

At 17, Michael made his solo debut performing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the Honolulu Symphony as a winner of their Young Artists Concerto Competition.

Sherry Cadow
Violin Instructor

Sherry Cadow was a student of Louise Behrend at Manhattan School of Music, where she received her B.M. She also studied extensively with Joseph Fuchs at Alfred Summer Chamber Music Institute in Alfred, New York.