Colburn School Launches Center Dedicated to Recovered and Suppressed Composers
Los Angeles, CA – The Colburn School today announced the establishment of Music Restored: The Ziering-Conlon Center for Exiled and Suppressed Composers, a major expansion of its existing initiative to preserve and perform music banned or marginalized during the Nazi era.
The $14.5 million center, led by Artistic Director James Conlon—also Music Director of LA Opera—will focus on the performance, recording, and study of works by composers whose lives and careers were disrupted by the Holocaust. “What began as a personal mission has grown into a shared endeavor with the Colburn School,” said Conlon. “Music Restored: The Ziering-Conlon Center for Exiled and Suppressed Composers reflects the expanded scope and enduring urgency of this work. These composers are not merely historical footnotes; they are vital contributors to our cultural heritage.” The center builds upon the success of the Ziering-Conlon Initiative for Recovered Voices, founded in 2013, which has already presented over 60 performances and produced 26 recordings.
A key component of the expansion is the launch of MusicRestored.org, a new digital platform integrating the archives of The OREL Foundation, a leading resource on music suppressed by the Nazis. The site will host digital archives, performance content, and a new recording series, with inaugural recordings featuring works by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Erwin Schulhoff. This initiative aims to make these historically significant pieces accessible to a wider audience and ensure their continued study and performance. The persecution of artists under the Nazi regime resulted in the loss of countless works, and efforts like these are crucial for reclaiming cultural heritage.
The 2025–26 season will begin November 6, 2025, with a chamber concert in Thayer Hall, and an orchestral concert will follow on March 7, 2026, at Zipper Hall. Colburn School President and CEO Sel Kardan stated, “Thanks to our partnership with James Conlon, this new center ensures that these important works will continue to be performed and remembered.” Further recordings and performances are planned, continuing the center’s mission to bring these silenced voices to light.
