Margaret Batjer Appointed Director of Colburn School’s Music Academy

By Laurie Niles: Violinist Margaret Batjer has been appointed Director of Colburn School’s Music Academy, Colburn announced on Friday. She will also join Colburn's Conservatory of Music Violin Faculty. Batjer, longtime concertmaster of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, has been a member of the Music Academy faculty since 2015. Colburn's Music Academy "prepares high school-age musicians to enter top conservatory programs worldwide and for careers in chamber music, orchestral performance, and as soloists." "We are thrilled to welcome Margaret Batjer as the Director of Colburn School’s Music Academy," said Colburn President and CEO Sel Kardan. "Her multifaceted career, international profile, and long history with the School make her the perfect fit for this pivotal role. She has a deep understanding of what exceptional young artists need at the pre-college stage of their development and her vision will undoubtedly enhance our Music Academy, solidifying its position as the foremost training ground for exceptional pre-collegiate musicians." Batjer will plan performance activities, including chamber music, and oversee the artistic and academic development of students in the Music Academy. She will continue to lead Academy Virtuosi, an elite conductorless chamber orchestra composed of talented young Music Academy musicians which has been featured in performances alongside major artists like Anne Akiko Meyers and Ray Chen. Batjer will also teach a studio of students in both the Music Academy and the School’s Conservatory of Music. "I am honored to assume leadership of Colburn’s world-class Music Academy and to join the exceptional string faculty in the Conservatory of Music,” said Batjer. “It is a privilege to guide and inspire young musicians within such a prestigious institution, known for its commitment to artistic excellence in music education. I look forward to continuing to foster a community where young artists can thrive and fulfill their potential in the world of classical music." Batjer is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Ivan Galamian and David Cerone. She held the position of Adjunct Full Professor of Violin at the USC Thornton School of Music for 20 years and will be resigning in 2026. You might also like:

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