Alumni ensemble, the Calidore String Quartet, performed the Beethoven string quartet cycle as part of Beethoven 250 this October.
Since performances and classes began just a few short months ago, Colburn has been alive with activity. The School celebrated Beethoven’s birthday early with a weeklong festival, welcomed renowned guest artists to work alongside students, presented performances that garnered rave reviews, and applauded the impressive accomplishments of students in all units.
Inspired by the LA Times recap of the top classical music stories from 2019, we’ve assembled some of our favorite Colburn stories from the season so far:
“Even apart from the frisson of the competition circuit, it’s clear that Zhou has the goods essential for his demanding field: virtuoso technique, musical intelligence, style, and personality. And he commands the discipline to pursue his goals.” Read the full story
“You can easily tell Colburn is a student orchestra by the players’ youth. You can’t tell so easily if you close your eyes. Salonen sought out, and got, myriad Wagnerian sound worlds. Those peculiar Wagnerian tubas tell you about strangeness as much as Stravinsky’s music did.” Read the full story
“This quartet, formed by students at Colburn nine years ago and now taking the world by storm, is astonishing. Its performances of two of late Beethoven quartets Wednesday, some of the most utterly profound chamber music in existence, were shockingly deep. I’ve never heard a quartet so young get so inside this ultimately inscrutable music.” Read the full story
“Kanneh-Mason and his sister hope to provide some inspiration themselves while in Los Angeles. On Monday Sheku gave a master class at Colburn, and Isata held a Q&A with the conservatory’s students. Kardan suspects those budding musicians will treat them as rock stars. But if the students are hoping for Buckingham Palace gossip, they’re likely to be disappointed.” Read the full story
“Every now and again I have the opportunity to work with ballet students, and in doing so come across a child with unusual maturity and work ethic, or a teacher with an uncommon gift for unlocking a student’s idea of their own possibility… what a gift it is to be here @colburnschool witnessing teachers who are helping connect the inner power of young adults with their physical bodies…” Read the full post
“Jazmín Morales sees being a “cultural translator” as part of her job as manager of the Center for Innovation and Community Impact… ‘I learned how to navigate in both the worlds of Western classical music and Mexican folk music. Now I find myself moving between the two worlds and bringing them into convergence.'” Read the full story