Parties with a Purpose

Colburn’s history is filled with show-stopping performances and exclusive parties with like-minded individuals who support Colburn’s education and on-stage activities and provide access to the best performing arts training regardless of a student’s ability to pay. We invite you to take a moment to peruse the exciting and special events we have lined up this year.


Past Events

Celebrate Colburn Gala 2023

Sunday, April 23

The Celebrate Colburn Gala marks each year with spectacular performance, delectable hospitality, and joyful comradery among patrons, artists, and students. Please join us for this festive evening, during which we are proud to honor Austin Beutner for his work to enhance arts education for children and Stéphane Denève for his special dedication to the next generation of performing artists. This year’s annual Celebrate Colburn Gala will feature the Colburn Orchestra performing in the Walt Disney Concert Hall and a celebration on our beloved campus.

Learn More

Space & Sound

When an architectural space is filled with live performance, the artistry of the experience is palpable. Musicians and dancers must regularly adapt moment-to-moment to their space. In this series, we will study how the nature of space affects the experience of both the artists and the audience.

Be on the lookout for our Space & Sound programs that include live performances with Colburn artists in remarkable architectural spaces. Architects, acousticians, and cultural luminaries join us for a lively and educational conversation with performers and special guests.

Learn More

Joy! A Winter Dance Celebration | Performance and Party

Saturday, December 17

Enjoy a holiday party on the Colburn campus, your home away from home. This festive program of dance and music will support the dance programs you love. Be the first to see brand new choreography by Dean Silas Farley and Colburn faculty members, watch Colburn students from all dance programs perform in Zipper Hall, and mingle with artists, faculty, and families. Keep an eye out for your invitation this fall. A performance-only repeat of Joy! will take place on Sunday, December 18.

Learn More

A Celebration in Honor of Marilyn Ziering

Sunday, February 5

Spend the afternoon with the Colburn School for a special event in honor of Marilyn Ziering, longstanding supporter of the Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices. This fundraiser will highlight the brief history of Recovered Voices projects and will include a stimulating conversation between Maestro James Conlon and guests about how these composers are emblematic of what this initiative has accomplished and what we hope to accomplish in the future.

Learn More

Scroll down to check out a selection of archived events that we’ve put together for you. We are looking forward to welcoming you onto campus this academic year, and while we eagerly await this year’s gala, we hope you enjoy this collection of special memories curated just for you.

Celebrate Colburn Gala 2022

From the welcome reception on the South Plaza to a stunning concert in Zipper Hall to the after party on the Colburn Plaza, our long-awaited and joyful reunion on campus was truly a night to remember. Thank you to all who joined us in person or virtually—we couldn’t have done it without your support! You can revisit the magic of the gala with our photo gallery, enjoy the Strayhorn Suite in its entirety, and watch selections from the performance in the hall. We hope you carry the exuberance of the event with you and that you continue to celebrate the power of a Colburn performing arts education with an additional gift to help ensure nights like this will happen again.

Learn More

Celebrate Colburn Gala 2019

Celebrate Colburn Gala 2018

Celebrate Colburn Gala 2017

For more information about Colburn’s special events, please contact the Philanthropy Office at philanthropy@colburnschool.edu or 310-279-6430.