Colburn Artists is a unique in-house management program for Colburn students on the cusp of professional careers. Created in order to provide guidance and support during the critical transition from the conservatory environment to a performance career, the Colburn Artists program is designed to prepare students to work with industry leaders and artist managers. In a supportive atmosphere linked closely with their individual performance studies, they receive personalized career advice and training, including guidance on building relationships with presenters, orchestras, and world-class musicians; developing repertoire; interview preparation; and creating a polished image and online presence.
James Baik, Cello
Cellist James Baik has been described as “an undeniable authority,” possessing “a real warmth emerging in lyricism… and displays mixture of sonic mastery and interiority,” by Belgian newspaper Le Soir, after his astounding performance at the 2021 Queen Elisabeth Competition. James was a finalist at the 2019 Stulberg International String Competition and went on to receive the first prize at the prestigious Irving M. Klein International Competition. He made his debut solo appearance in 2015 with the Houston Civic Symphony and the Clear Lake Symphony in Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto No. 1. Highlights from recent and upcoming performances include the Dvořák Cello Concerto with the Colburn Orchestra, under the baton of Sir Andrew Davies at the Walt Disney Concert Hall; Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C Major with the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie; Brahms’s Double Concerto with the Peninsula Symphony; and chamber music performances at the Ravinia Festival, the Music in the Vineyards Festival in Napa Valley and Nevada Chamber Music Festival, where he is an invited guest artist.
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Elias Peter Brown, Conductor
Elias Peter Brown works as a conductor, composer, improviser, and curator, seeking to create meaningful spaces for listening in and out of the concert hall. Described as a conductor with ‘infectious panache,” (Classical Source) and whose “gestures are immediately strong and gentile,” (Klasika Plus), Elias is emerging as one of the most promising talents on the podium.
This season, Brown serves as Salonen Fellow in the Negaunee Conducting Program at Colburn Conservatory and the San Francisco Symphony, where he will assist Esa-Pekka Salonen internationally, including engagements with the Orchestra de Paris, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Colburn Orchestra, and Ensemble Intercontemporain. Additionally, he will lead members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat, conduct a concert of contemporary works with the Zafraan and New Babylon Ensembles on tour, outreach concerts with the Zipper Orchestra, and a performance of concerti with the Colburn Orchestra.
Aleksandra Melaniuk, Conductor
Polish conductor Aleksandra Melaniuk is one of the leading young conductors of her generation. She has worked with the London Symphony Orchestra as a semi-finalist of the 17th Donatella Flick Conducting Competition, and is one of the winners of the 2023 Das Kritische Orchester, led by Forum Dirigieren. Raised between Warsaw and Edinburgh, Melaniuk is currently a Britten-Pears Young Artist for the 2023–24 season and a Salonen Fellow in the Negaunee Conducting Program at Colburn Conservatory and the San Francisco Symphony, where she will assist Esa-Pekka Salonen internationally.
Despite her young age, Melaniuk has already conducted numerous orchestras in Europe, including the Flanders Symphony Orchestra, Stavanger Symfoniorkester, Baltic Sea Philharmonic, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Moravska Filharmonie Olomouc, Lower Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra or the Orchestra of the Grand Theatre in Poznan. She made her professional debut with the Silesian Philharmonic in their ‘For the Young’ concert series.
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Quartet Integra
Described as having “an enormous wealth of colors… and sparkling rhythms,” (All News Press), Quartet Integra are quickly developing a reputation of international prestige. In 2022, the Quartet won Second Prize and the coveted Audience Award at the 2022 ARD International Music Competition, First Prize at the 2021 Bartók World Competition, and First Prize and the Prize of Beethoven and Grand Prix Award at the 2019 Akiyoshidai Music Competition. Upcoming performances include over twenty performances throughout Japan including the Kanazawa, Hukuyama and Takefu International Festivals and at venues such as Tokyo Opera City, Toppan Hall, and Suntory Hall, among others. Additionally, they have performances planned as part of the Discovery Series at the La Jolla Music Society, the California Club in Los Angeles and Thayer and Zipper Halls at the Colburn School.
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Sonarsix
The Sonarsix wind sextet was founded at the Colburn School in Los Angeles in 2022. The ensemble, comprised of flutist Martha Chan, oboist Eder Rivera Acosta, clarinetist Victor Diaz Guerra, bassoonist Chirstopher Chung, hornist Elizabeth Linares Montero, and pianist Bogang Hwang, cover in total six nationalities and nine spoken languages. A mere months after its founding, the sextet was a Bronze Medalist at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Members of Sonarsix have performed concerti with the Copenhagen Philharmonic, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Pasadena Symphony, and the Colburn Orchestra, among others. Individually, they’ve appeared at the Verbier, Pacific, Lucerne, and Marlboro Music Festivals, as well as Music from Angel Fire, and the Seoul National University International Chamber Music Festival.
Hailed by the Herald-Tribune for his “dazzling pianism verging on the impossible, effortless technical command and authority with a sense of poetry and refinement that belies his years,” Indian-American pianist Vijay Venkatesh has been recognized on three continents as a pianist with profound musicianship, sparkling pianism and an innate sense of partnership. Vijay has rapidly established a major international reputation as top prizewinner in the San Jose, Seattle, Zimmerli, World Piano, and Waring International Piano Competitions. Highlights of Vijay’s performance season include debuts with the Pasadena Symphony, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Bangor Symphony, Ashland Symphony, LaGrange Symphony, South Coast Symphony, and at Le Salon Musiques in Chopin’s Concerto in F Minor. Additionally, he appears this season at the Crystal Theatre, Camerata Musica, DaCamera Society, Irvine Performing Arts Center, L’ermitage Foundation, Muzewest, Ridgecrest Chamber Music Society, South Bay Chamber Music Society, and a debut in Mexico for ProMusica San Miguel de Allende.
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Ross Jamie Collins (2019-2023) | HarrisonParrott Iceland Symphony Orchestra Conductor-in-Residence, Los Angeles Philharmonic Dudamel Fellow Molly Turner (2021-2023) | New World Symphony Conducting Fellow Aubree Oliverson, Violin (2019–2022) | Askonas Holt Viano String Quartet (2018–2021) | Opus 3 Artists Faktura Piano Trio (2017–2019) Rodolfo Leone, Piano (2017–2019) | MKI Artists Blake Pouliot, Violin (2015–2018) | Opus 3 Artists Ray Ushikubo, Piano/Violin (2012–2018) William Hagen, Violin (2014–2017) | MKI Artists Simone Porter, Violin (2012–2015) | Opus 3 Artists Calidore String Quartet (2012–2014) | IMG Artists Sang Yoon Kim, Clarinet (2012–2014) Nigel Armstrong, Violin (2012–2013)
Buy the Calidore String Quartet’s debut album produced by the Colburn School
To find out how to be a part of the Colburn Artists program, speak with your applied faculty.
For further information about the Colburn Artists program and to inquire about artist availability, please contact Nick Gianopoulos at ngianopoulos@colburnschool.edu.