The Colburn Community School of Performing Arts operates on a three-term academic calendar consisting of fall, spring, and summer sessions. Students may enroll in group classes or private instruction, both of which require registration and payment prior to attending the first class meeting. The course catalogue is updated at the start of the academic year with course names and fees. Specific class offerings with all necessary class details (instructor, day, time, and location) are posted to our online registration portal at the start of each enrollment period.
For more information, please contact cspa@colburnschool.edu or 213-621-4548.
2025–26 Academic Calendar
Course Catalog
Student and Parent Guide
Attendance records for students are maintained by faculty. Students must make every effort to be on time for all classes and lessons. All classes/lessons will end at the scheduled time so that subsequent classes and lessons remain on time.
Students who arrive late to classes may or may not be allowed to participate; in these cases, faculty will make individual decisions regarding participation.
Students must notify faculty of anticipated absences as a courtesy to the faculty members; however, this does not exempt the student from payment as contracted. There are no make-up lessons for student absences. If a teacher is absent from a scheduled lesson, a make-up lesson shall be scheduled at a mutually convenient time. If the student misses a make-up lesson, there will be no second make-up opportunity. In cases of sudden illness or unexpected leave on the part of the teacher, the School shall make every reasonable attempt to supply an appropriate substitute or make-up class/lesson. The School does not guarantee that a student will receive or be placed with the instructor of their choice.
The School reserves the right to dismiss any student for the following reasons:
The School will primarily communicate with students and parents via email and phone. It is the registrant’s responsibility to ensure that their contact information is accurate in their online registration portal account. Updates can be made online by the registrant or by contacting the Community School office.
Students and parents are responsible for reading all communications from the School, including the monthly newsletter which is sent out on the second Saturday of each month.
Students who are enrolled in individual lessons at the Colburn School may not study the same instrument at another institution, or with another private teacher, without the prior approval of the Dean and their private teacher at Colburn. Students who violate this policy may have their enrollment at the Colburn School terminated with no refund of tuition and fees.
If problems arise (e.g., financial, instructional, personal), it is the responsibility of the parent and/or student to notify the Community School office. Every effort shall be made to respond to individual needs and to resolve problems appropriately.
Changes to class schedules, including time, location, and instructor, may be made at any time with written notice from the School. The School reserves the right to reschedule or cancel classes due to unforeseen circumstances or low enrollment. All changes will be communicated to registered students via email, and updates will be posted to the online registration portal.
The Colburn School is an accredited institution offering instruction in the performing arts; the School does not provide day care services. Parents are responsible for their children, and must provide adequate supervision within the School and on the School grounds.
Delinquency in payment of tuition and fees may result in suspension of a student’s enrollment. Suspended students shall not be allowed to attend classes, rehearsals, or lessons; instruction shall be resumed only upon full payment of any balance due. There will be no credit or make-up for any lessons or classes missed because of suspension.
The policy of the School when assigning, or when necessary, reassigning students to teachers is to try to match the student, parent, and teacher in the most harmonious and productive relationship possible. All changes of teacher assignment require the approval of both the department chair and the Dean. In the event that a teacher leaves the School, students will be re-assigned to a different instructor for the remainder of the academic year. The School cannot guarantee that a student will be placed with their requested instructor. Refunds and/or credits are not provided when there is a change of instructor or a substitute.
Transcripts may be requested by writing to the Community School office; email requests are acceptable, although verification may be required. Only current students, previous students, graduates, or authorized parents/guardians may request transcripts. Students/Alumni who have outstanding charges with the school must settle their account in full before the request for a transcript will be honored.
The registration procedures at The Colburn School are designed to place students in appropriate courses through interviews, auditions, and other screening methods. These procedures help to minimize enrollment in inappropriate courses, and to minimize the need to drop lessons and classes. Registration for group classes and ensembles must be completed during the enrollment period listed on the Academic Calendar. Late enrollments will be permitted pending the instructor’s approval. Students may register for private instruction at any time throughout the year.
A $30 registration fee is applied to all new enrollments beginning August 1 for fall and year-long enrollments, or January 1 for spring enrollments.
If a student is already registered, the first step to adding a course is to complete any placement and audition requirements. Once that is done, the student may register online or complete a Registration Form and return it to the Community School office along with payment. It is the responsibility of the student or parent to obtain the teacher’s signature on the form if they are enrolling outside of the formal registration period.
All students are required to commit to a full year of study for approximately 32 weeks during the fall and spring semester. There are only three exceptions to this rule:
All other exceptions must be approved by the Dean. Students must submit a written request for an exception to the Dean by emailing the Community School office at cspa@colburnschool.edu.
The parent/student must complete and submit the Drop Request Form to drop their enrollment. Submission of the form does not mean that a credit or refund will be provided. The form should be completed in a timely manner once the parent/student decides to withdraw. Under no circumstances will tuition be retroactively refunded or credited.
The student is eligible for a 100% refund of tuition if the form was submitted prior to the first session of the class, lesson, or rehearsal. The first day of the semester for year-long enrollments corresponds to the beginning of the fall semester. The first day of the semester for single-semester classes (Early Childhood and Adult Classes) corresponds to the start date of the respective semester.
Following the first day, students may be eligible for the following:
*September 15 will count as week 3 for Monday classes
*September 22 will count as week 4 for Monday classes
There are NO REFUNDS for summer group classes or lessons following the start date.
All fees for summer camps and intensives are non-refundable.
Informing an instructor of a decision to withdraw, stopping payment, or not attending class does not constitute a withdrawal.
Refunds and credits will not be provided in the case of an instructor reassignment, or if a class is taught by a substitute teacher for any reason.
Deferred payment plans will remain in effect until tuition is paid in full. Withdrawing from lessons or a class does not guarantee cancellation of remaining payments.
If a student withdraws from a class or ensemble, they will be charged the full tuition if their withdrawal results in the class or ensemble being cancelled or disbanded.
Refunds and credits are not given for student absences.
If the student is no longer enrolled in any other classes, all parking decals and key cards must be returned to the School as soon as possible. The items may be returned in person at the cashier window or sent to the Colburn School c/o Accounts Payable. Any refund checks will be withheld until these items are returned.
Exceptional requests for refunds due to a family or medical emergency may be considered. The registrant must submit a drop request along with any appropriate documentation. There is no guarantee that a full refund will be approved due to a family or medical emergency.
The School also considers exceptions to this policy when the circumstances of the drop are based on teacher-student incompatibility.
Drop Request Form
Occasionally a teacher may recommend that a student enroll in a different class than the current one (for example, when a student is more advanced than the rest of the class). It is the parent’s responsibility to complete a Drop/Add form in these circumstances, noting both the class to be dropped and the class to be added. All changes that result in a tuition charge or refund/credit require the teacher’s signature; the signature is not required if the change in class results in no change of fee.
A “refund” is defined as tuition paid that is returned to the student. A “credit” is an amount added back to the student’s online registration account which can be applied towards future tuition.
Refunds and Credits Refunds generally are given for medical or family emergencies only. When completing the Drop/Add form that shows an amount due to the student, the parent/student should indicate whether they wish to have a refund check issued or credit posted to their account. In some cases, only a credit (not a refund) will be allowed.
Discounts Discounts are non-transferable, may not be combined with other promotions unless explicitly stated, and cannot be applied retroactively. Discounts are applicable once per student, and they cannot be applied to pro-rated tuition unless explicitly stated.
Special tuition discounts are available during the Summer Session for students who enroll in lesson packages of 8 or 16 private lessons. If a student registers for a number of lessons other than 8 or 16, the discount will apply only to the first 8 or 16 lessons, and the remaining lessons will be charged at the standard rate. This discount only applies to lesson packages of 8 or 16 lessons with the same instructor on the same instrument.
The Colburn School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, or religious belief in its admission, retention, student aid, scholarship, or other educational policies.
The Colburn School does not tolerate harassment in any form. Parents or students who have cause for complaint should contact any member of the administrative staff. It is a policy of the School that faculty, staff, parents, and students treat each other with courtesy and mutual respect. A professional atmosphere reflects the high expectations of the School, and creates a standard that supports learning and growth. Students have the right to an environment free from discrimination, harassment, and bullying.
Students and parents agree, for the student, the parent, the parent’s spouse, and their respective heirs, assigns, and legal representatives, to indemnify, defend, and hold the Colburn School and its parties harmless from and against any and all damages (except damages caused solely by the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the Colburn School parties) that may be incurred or sustained by the Colburn School parties arising from or related to any injuries to the student, or the student’s acts or omissions
The Colburn School is not responsible for the loss of, or damage to, personal property. Students and parents are advised not to leave items unattended; this includes musical instruments. Practice rooms are not to be used for storage.
Participation in the performing arts may involve physical contact by instructors in the course of teaching, for the purpose of illustrating what is being taught. By enrolling at the School, students and parents consent to such appropriate contact.
NOTE: This policy is specific to students enrolled in the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts and their parents.
The Colburn School issues parking permits as part of Community School of Performing Arts registration. These permits are required to park in the School’s parking structure, and to receive a discount at other locations (as described below). A parking permit does NOT guarantee a parking space.
Lost parking permits may be replaced for a $10 fee.
With a student population of 1,700+ students, parking at the Colburn School is not guaranteed. A limited number of spaces are available to Colburn families on a first come first served basis. Families can receive up to two parking decals upon completing registration. However, a parking decal does not constitute a guaranteed parking space.
Directions to Colburn Parking Lot 1
On a busy day when there is a line of cars waiting to enter the garage, students may be dropped off in front of the school on Grand Avenue. There is a loading area in front of the doors across from the Broad Museum. After dropping off your student, please make your way to Lower Grand and patiently wait in line for a parking space to open in the garage. If you do not wish to wait for a spot to open, offsite parking at a discounted rate is available at Lot #3 on the southwest corner of Olive and 2nd Street. We recommend that you have a validation in-hand when parking in Lot #3 so that you can receive the discounted rate without interruption. Validations can be purchased in the Community School office for $4 each.
Additional affordable local lots are listed here.
Guests who come to campus to enjoy a student performance, dine in the Colburn Café, or any other activity are welcome to park in Colburn’s Lot 3, Athena Parking, located on Second Street between Olive and Hill Streets.
The Colburn School campus is conveniently located near public transportation hubs, and we recommend that visitors consider taking advantage of these services. Several new public transportation options have also recently become available with the opening of the Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill Metro station near the Colburn campus.
The A and E lines serve the Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill station and the B and D lines serve the Civic Center/Grand Park station; all are within easy walking distance of campus. In addition, more than 20 bus lines have stops within three blocks of campus.
We recommend referencing the LA Metro trip planner for routes and schedules.
The Colburn School is not responsible for loss or damage to personal property. The School provides day lockers in which students can place personal belongings on the lower level of the Grand Building and on the second level of the Olive Building. These lockers are coin-operated; the cost is 50 cents per day. Lockers are for day use only, not overnight storage. The School emphasizes that personal belongings should not be left in the practice rooms or lying about the building.
The practice rooms at the Colburn School are shared by Conservatory students and students in the Community School of Performing Arts (CSPA). CSPA students may access Colburn School practice rooms according to the following policy:
Zipper Hall and Thayer Hall are the Colburn School’s two prominent public performance venues. Due to the nature of concerts in these halls, the School has developed specific policies for performances in these spaces. Audience members, whether Colburn School students, parents, faculty, staff, or guests, are asked to abide by these policies, and to understand that they are in place for the benefit of audience and performers alike.
Seating
It is highly recommended that audience members arrive early to secure seating. Ushers will be present at most performances in Thayer Hall and Zipper Hall to hand out programs, guide audience members, and ensure that seating of the audience is efficient and smooth.
Late Seating
Once an event in Zipper Hall or Thayer Hall has begun, late seating, if allowed at all, will occur either after the first movement of the first work, or at the end of the first work during the audience’s applause. Subsequently, latecomers will be seated during applause or at intermission only. Flat-screen monitors in the lobbies are provided so that latecomers may enjoy the performance before being allowed into the halls.
Ushers will seat latecomers quickly and quietly at the appropriate moment. Patrons are asked not to proceed to their assigned seats unless an usher allows seating. The cooperation of our guests is appreciated. Our goal is to provide our artists and audience members with a professional performance, with as little distraction and disruption as possible.
Infants and Children
Formal public concerts (e.g., Distinguished Faculty Recitals, orchestra concerts, guest artist events) are not appropriate for infants. Guests who bring very young children to attend concerts are advised to request seats at the rear of the hall, or to sit near the exits, as the normal movement of very young children is distracting to performers and other guests. This also allows quiet exits when young children are unable to sit quietly for an entire program.
Colburn’s family-style performances (e.g., Suzuki recitals, Children’s Choir concerts, etc.) are more relaxed in atmosphere. However, we encourage parents to remove infants and very young children from the concert halls if they become disruptive. Ushers will request that parents remove very young children if they become a disturbance for other guests.
Laptop Computers and Electronics
Laptop computers are not allowed in Zipper Hall or Thayer Hall during concerts. Guests arriving with laptop computers will be asked to store the computers in their vehicles, but be advised that the Colburn School assumes no responsibility for these items. Cell phones and paging devices should be silenced prior to the start of any performance.
No video taping or photography of classes or lessons may take place without the prior permission of the teacher.
All students and parents (of those students under 18 years of age) give permission to the School to use the student’s image (including sound recording) in promotional materials, marketing brochures, posters, flyers, video and televised publicity, the School website, programs, and performances of the School, without restriction as to changes or alterations. Students and parents waive any right to inspect or approve image(s), sound, or finished versions incorporating images or sound, including any written copy that may appear in connection therewith. Students and parents agree that the Colburn School owns the copyright for these images and sounds, and waive any claims they may have based on any usage of the images or sound (recordings).
Community School students who are currently enrolled in private lessons or a chamber ensemble may book Thayer Hall, Mayman Hall, or Olive Rehearsal Hall for the purpose of making recordings including college applications, summer programs, or further educational opportunities. Students may book up to three hours per semester for recording. Recording sessions must be booked in advance through the Production Coordinator (located in G186). Instructors must book recording sessions in advance through the Production Coordinator.
Additional recording time may be available at the request of the student’s applied private lesson instructor. Requests for additional recording time may be submitted to the Production Coordinator and must be approved by the Dean and Assistant Vice President of Operations and Facilities.
In case of medical emergency, parents authorize the Colburn School to obtain whatever medical treatment for the student that the School deems necessary or advisable, and the parent agrees to bear all costs and expenses related to such medical treatment.
The Colburn School notifies its community of emergency situations through text messages using an alert system called InformaCast. In the event of an emergency, such as a fire, active shooter, or earthquake, messages will inform the community of the nature of the emergency, what to do, and when the situation is clear. Parents and students are strongly encouraged to register with InformaCast. Text “#emergencynotification” to (818) 423-4168 to receive Colburn School emergency alerts from InformaCast. Contact Sandra Gendron, Security Director, at sgendron@colburnschool.edu with any questions about InformaCast.
The Colburn School provides free guest and academic wireless networks for the purpose of accessing the Internet for its students, faculty, employees, contractors/consultants, and guests/patrons. Use of the Colburn School wireless network is governed by all applicable local, state, and federal codes, laws, and regulations. All users are expected to use the network in a legal and responsible manner, consistent with the Colburn School’s code of conduct and the educational and informational purposes for which it is provided.
Students over the age of 18, or their parents, must sign a release form to gain access to the network. For more information on the policy, or to receive a release form, please visit the Community School of Performing Arts Registration Office.
Tuition for classes and private lessons offered are listed on our Registration Portal.
Instrument Rental A limited number of instruments are available for rent. Please contact the Community School of Performing Arts Registration Office for more information.
Registration Fee All students must register prior to the first day of class. Please refer to the academic calendar for a list of dates when registration fees will be automatically charged. A fee may be avoided if registration is submitted in a timely manner according to the dates provided on the academic calendar.
Parking Permit Replacement $10 will be charged to replace lost permits.
Key Card Access/ID Badges
To enhance campus security, each family will be given up to three ID badges to access the building and parking facilities at Colburn. All students must fill out a Card Key Request Form, which can be picked up from the Community School office and submit it to the security desk in the Grand or Olive Building. Proof of registration and payment is required at the time of submission. Key cards will be required to enter buildings, access elevators, and use the library. Please pay attention to posted signs and requests made by security guards to show your key card.
Lost key cards may be replaced for a fee of $25. Please visit the Community School office to pay the replacement fee.
Payment must accompany the registration form. Payment of tuition and fees is expected in full at the time of enrollment unless a deferred payment plan is requested. Upon approval of a deferred payment plan, all payments are due on or before the 15th of the month. All deferred payment plan arrangements must be made directly with the Community School office, and all payments will be handled by the Cashier. The Colburn School accepts cash, checks, e-checks, money orders, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.
Any payments received after the 15th will be automatically assessed a $35 late fee. Subsequent late fees will be charged every month until payment is received.
Deferred payment plans will remain in effect until tuition is paid in full. Withdrawing from a class does not guarantee cancellation of remaining payments. Cancellation of remaining payments is subject to the Dean’s approval.
Cash Payment in cash may be made in person only at the Cashier’s Office.
Checks and Money Orders These should be made out to the Colburn School. The Student ID Number and name should be written on the check or money order. Checks and money orders may be mailed in with the registration form (continuing students only), or may be submitted with the registration form in person at the Community School of Performing Arts Registration Office. A money order may be required if previous checks have resulted in non-sufficient funds.
Visa, MasterCard, and Discover Payment by these credit cards may be made in person or by completing the appropriate payment authorization form or deferred payment plan agreement.
Late Fees $35 will be charged for overdue payments (after the 15th of the month).
Outstanding Balances If an outstanding balance exists from a previous term, the student may not register for a new term until 100% of the outstanding balance is paid in full. If a balance remains unpaid after attempts by School staff to collect payment, then the teacher shall be informed and shall deny the student entrance to the class. If it becomes necessary to engage the services of a collection agency or attorney to effect collection or to settle any dispute in connection with our payment policies, the individual who signs the registration form agrees to pay the collection agency or attorney fees, reasonable expenses, and costs as incurred. The individual who signs the registration form understands and agrees to these terms.
Returned Check Policy
The Colburn School believes that payments are made in good faith. Individuals who repeatedly fail to meet their financial obligations to the School may have their enrollment revoked. The Colburn School has adopted the following procedure in the case of returned checks:
Payment in full at the beginning of each term is encouraged. However, a deferred payment plan is available to help students/parents meet their financial obligations. The terms are as follows:
Semester/Annual Payment Plans For 16 week classes, a four-month payment plan can be arranged from August–November for a one-time fee of $40. For 32 week classes, an extended payment plan can be arranged from August-April for a one-time fee of $80. Payment plans are dependent on the type of enrollment; students who are taking private lessons are required to register for the full 32 weeks. Students/parents who wish to take advantage of this option should complete the Deferred Payment Plan Agreement Form, which is available at the Community School office or can be downloaded in advance by clicking here (Deferred Payment Plan Agreement Form).
Summer Session Payment Plan A two-part payment plan can be arranged for May-July for summer study. The terms of this plan are:
Students beginning instruction after the start of a semester will be charged tuition on a pro-rated basis, as follows. Class fees are not pro-rated for the summer session.
Class Tuition Percentage
Private Instruction Tuition Charges Tuition is pro-rated on a weekly basis. Note that the student must obtain the instructor and the Dean’s permission to register for less than the full year, which is 32 weeks for fall and spring semester. Summer study is optional and students may register for as many as 8 weeks, pending teacher availability.
Institutional policies for the Colburn School are available here.