As music conservatory students graduate to uncertain career paths, conservatories themselves are looking to bolster their industry connections to smooth a way for their students. Colburn Conservatory of Music and Music Academy took a step in that direction this week, announcing on Monday a partnership between the school and Delos, the main U.S. recording label of Outhere Music.
The tangible benefit of the agreement for the conservatory will be a series of recordings, the “Colburn Collection.” Released by Delos, the recordings will feature top student players and ensembles. The first four have already been scheduled for release, and they are:
Trio Azura (Duncan McDougall, violin; Yejin Hong, cello; Yanfeng Tony Bai, piano), Storytellers. Music by John Harbison, Jennifer Higdon, and Charles Ives (Sept. 18, 2026)- Trio Caspar (Andrea Caputo, clarinet; Jason Moon, violin; Bogang Hwang, piano). Music by Paul Schoenfeld, Libby Larsen, Igor Stravinsky, and Robert Schumann (November, 2026)
- James Baik, cello; Bogang Hwang, piano. Music by Luigi Boccherini, Claude Debussy, Benjamin Britten, and Felix Mendelssohn (2027)
- Ray Ushikubo, violin, The Golden Age of Hollywood. Music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Miklós Rózsa, Max Steiner, and Franz Waxman (2027)
All of these young artists are competition prizewinners with impressive resumes. They’re undoubtedly headed for big careers. The unanswered question is whether the benefits of the deal will extend beyond the favored few stars to the rest of the musicians at Colburn. Certainly the partnership will burnish Colburn’s reputation.
Sel Kardan, the president and CEO of The Colburn School, hailed the deal, saying “Professional recordings play a vital role in bridging the gap between rigorous training and a sustainable, fulfilling career, while allowing artists to share their deep love for music and their craft.”
For his part, Founder and President of Outhere Music Charles Adriaenssen said, “One of our missions is to support young talents, and there is no better partner to identify and nurture them than Colburn. Moreover, our work is based on shared values and deep respect. In a few years, we’ll look back with pride as our young artists gain international acclaim!”
As a label, Delos has a strong track record of walking the walk, as far as American music is concerned. Its recent albums include the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s complete Ring des Nibelungen conducted by Fabio Luisi, the Isidore String Quartet’s Adorations, pianist Min Kwon’s America/ Beautiful (five CDs worth of new American music), Windsync’s Nadia, and further back, Edmund Dédé’s opera Morgiane.
Meanwhile, the Colburn School is building a large, Frank Gehry-designed, expansion to its campus, which, among other things, will allow the conservatory to present more concerts to the public as well as expanded community offerings. The school has attempted to address the music career problem in several ways, most notably its Center for Innovation and Community Impact. In the Colburn School’s words, the Center “empowers the musical and dance leaders of tomorrow by nurturing students’ passion and ability to serve their communities, preparing them for sustainable careers.”
With the partnership, Colburn also announced that the musicians of the first four Colburn Collection recordings would appear together in concert on Nov. 23.
