Viva Las Vegas, Polish Nuns, Piano and Ballet add up to an Influential Institution.
Article by Kristian DePue
Photography by Jeff Grady & Colorado Springs Conservatory
Originally published in Colorado Springs Lifestyle
After spending summers at the Aspen Music Festival, the talented Linda Weise fell in love with the mountains — and eventually transplanted to the Centennial State in 1992. As a trained opera singer, Weise could live anywhere as long as she was near an airport. Initially, she considered Denver, but drove down Interstate 25 to explore southern Colorado.
“I stopped in Colorado Springs and there was a symphony concert that night,” Weise says. “I attended the performance and thought, ‘A city this size that has an orchestra that good has so much potential.’”
After moving to the region of “purple mountain majesties,” she performed a few gigs and was quickly approached by parents to teach their children. She began instructing out of a house, but soon founded the Colorado Springs Conservatory in ‘94 with 14 students.
In the 28 years since, the Conservatory has grown into an integral element of Colorado Springs’ culture—and nationally recognized. The Conservatory provides premiere training in the performance arts. Now, more than 40 mentors motivate and challenge students in film scoring, instrumental music, theory, theater, recording and much, much more.
