Ray Chen & The Colburn School Present TonicCon, Oct 11-12

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Adrienne Andisheh, Sounding Point
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TJ Sclafani, Sounding Point
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THE COLBURN SCHOOL & TONIC PRESENT
TONICCON 2024

A Two-Day Classical Music Convention
Featuring Performances, Workshops & Master Classes

With Violinist & Tonic Founder Ray Chen,
Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Violinist Margaret Batjer,
Guitarist Erin Young, Violin Pedagogue Robert Lipsett,
and More

Oct 10-11, 2024; Los Angeles, CA

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Colburn School, in partnership with Tonic, founded by violinist and entrepreneur Ray Chen, will host TonicCon on October 10 and 11, 2024, the first ever in-person event bringing together musicians of all levels who have formed a vibrant virtual community on the Tonic app. A classical music convention for musicians and connoisseurs of all ages, TonicCon will feature performances, lectures, and master classes from some of the world’s most exciting musicians, including Chen, pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, violinist and Colburn faculty member Margaret Batjer, guitarist Erin Young, world-renowned violin pedagogue and Colburn faculty member Robert Lipsett, pianist Julio Elizalde, and many more. TonicCon will also feature luthier and technical workshops with Neema Pazagard, the Colburn School’s Director of Piano Technology, and staff from LA Violin Shop.

Launched by Chen and cofounder Rose Xi in February 2023, Tonic was designed to foster connection and community, transforming the often solitary experience of practicing an instrument. In the spirit of the app, TonicCon is a cross between a concert and convention, with two days of events where attendees can sign up to perform, casually mingle and play music together, and attend masterclasses and panels featuring Colburn faculty and guest artists.

"The idea for the Tonic app was born during the pandemic when people had an immense desire to connect,” said Chen. “At its core, music is meant to be shared, and being part of a community makes the practice experience more enjoyable, keeps you motivated, and reminds you of your purpose. It even helps with practice anxiety. Tonic was created for the 99%, opening up the world of classical music for everyone who wants to explore and learn, at any level."

"Rarely do we see something thrive online and blossom even more in person,” said Sel Kardan, President and CEO of the Colburn School. “There's a place for everyone at both Tonic and Colburn, whether you're aiming for the pinnacle or pursuing personal growth. We are excited to host the inaugural TonicCon, and unite the Colburn School community with the inspiring Tonic community that Ray has fostered.”

“The decision to hold the inaugural TonicCon at Colburn School was clear, given the deep history and personal connection that Rose and I have with the institution. And Los Angeles offers an unparalleled cultural scene,” said Ray. “In a sense, TonicCon is about giving back—building on the supportive community that has bolstered my career and now extending that sense of community to others.”

TonicCon attendees will be coming from all around the globe, from Europe, Asia, the U.S. and more, and will experience a plethora of concerts and master classes. The schedule is as follows:

MASTERCLASSES & PERFORMANCES

All masterclasses and performances take place in Zipper Hall, except for the Tonic Stage performances.

ONLY Thursday, October 10, 2024
10:30AM-12:30PM: Violinist and Tonic co-founder Ray Chen will give a violin masterclass, offering insights and suggestions to three young musicians. This masterclass will also be livestreamed.

ONLY Friday, October 11, 2024
10:30AM-12:30PM: Violin pedagogue and the Jascha Heifetz Distinguished Violin Chair at Colburn Robert Lipsett gives a violin masterclass. Known for mentoring multiple winners of the International Tchaikovsky and Queen Elisabeth competitions, Lipsett gives insights that have helped multiple violin superstars through the years.

October 10 & 11, 2024
3:30-5:30PM: Pianist Julio Elizalde will give a piano masterclass, guiding young pianists and giving advice on repertoire, technique, and interpretation.

7-9PM: Ray Chen performs Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with the Colburn Chamber Players, with the Colburn Chamber Players opening the concert with the fourth movement from Josef Suk’s Serenade for Strings. Both nights will also featured hand-selected Tonic members showcasing their talents, performing pieces of their choice.

From 1-2PM and 4-5PM on Thursday, and 11:15AM-12:15PM and 3-4PM on Friday, watch select Tonic members perform on the Tonic Stage.

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CLASSES & DISCUSSIONS

Thursday, October 10, 2024
11:30PM-1:30PM: Students from the Colburn School perform solo and chamber works at the Colburn Performance Forum in Thayer Hall.

12-1:30PM: Guitarist and Colburn faculty member Erin Young gives an open classical guitar class to TonicCon attendees in classroom G240.

12:30PM-1:30PM: A panel of faculty from the Colburn Community School discuss overcoming performance anxiety, offering strategy and guidance for musicians of all levels looking to improve their confidence on stage. Panelists include Strings Chair Henry Gronnier, Chamber Music faculty member Michael Kaufmann, and piano faculty Jeff Lavner, moderated by Susan Cook, the Dean of the Community School. The panel takes place in Mayman Hall.

2-3PM: Get to know the people behind Tonic, when Tonic co-founders Ray Chen and Rose Xi discuss the fascinating history of Tonic and the pivotal decisions that shaped the app to what it is today. This panel discussion will take place in Thayer Hall.

2:30-3:30PM: Violinist and Colburn faculty member Margaret Batjer gives an open violin class to TonicCon attendees in classroom G240.

Friday, October 11, 2024
11AM-12PM: Members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra discuss their lives in the orchestra, from audition to touring, sharing their behind-the-scenes experiences from navigating ultra-competitive auditions to performing with legendary conductors and soloists. This panel discussion takes place in Mayman Hall.

12-1PM: Guitarist and Colburn faculty member Connie Sheu gives an open classical guitar class to TonicCon attendees in classroom G240.

12:30-1:30PM: Discover the secrets to effective practice in this panel featuring faculty from Colburn, along with a special surprise guest from Tonic. Explore strategies to stay focused and present during your practice sessions, avoiding the trap of mindless repetition. This panel will take place in Mayman Hall.

2-3PM: Join Ray Chen and GRAMMY-nominated pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet as they reflect on their combined decades of experience performing, sharing their insights and musings on what it takes to make it in this panel discussion. This panel will take place in Thayer Hall.

2:30-3:30PM: Violinist and Colburn faculty member Martin Beaver gives an open violin class to TonicCon attendees in classroom G240.

4-5PM: Join Laurie Niles, president of ASTA and founder of Violinist.com, as she leads a discussion with Ray Chen on the intersection of pedagogy and technology. Gain insights into how musicians can leverage technology for student recruitment, social media, and professional growth.

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INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS

October 10 & 11, 2024
From 10-11AM on both days of TonicCon, Colburn’s Director of Piano Technology Neema Pazagard will give a piano tech workshop, where workshop attendees will learn how to properly tune and maintain a piano.

From 11:30AM-12:30PM and 1:15-2:15PM on Thursday, and 1:15PM-2:15PM and 4-5PM on Friday, staff from LA Violin Shop will provide a luthier’s guide to professional setup, where attendees can learn how to properly maintain their string instruments and improve instruments to become performance-ready.

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Registration and tickets:
Please download the Tonic app for priority access to purchase tickets. Users who sign up for Tonic and are actively practicing and supporting others will get first access to TonicCon tickets.

General public badges can be purchased at ??tonic-con.com, and range in price from $22-$110. Badges are priced accordingly with the events and perks they allow.

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For Calendar Listings:

Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 7PM
Friday, October 11, 2024 at 7PM

Zipper Hall at The Colburn School,
200 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Ray Chen & The Colburn Chamber Players
Ray Chen, violin
The Colburn Chamber Players
Tonic Soloists: Inés Maro Burgos Babakhanian, violin; Luke Walker, cello; Pei Lin Oisin Pu, piano; Alexandra Cooreman, violin; Aurelia Faidley-Solars, cello; Jiatong Gao, piano

SUK	“IV. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo” from Serenade for Strings in E-flat major, Op. 6
VIVALDI	The Four Seasons
CHOPIN	Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52
J.S. BACH	“Preludio” from Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012
LISZT	“Vallée d’Obermann” from Annees de Pelerinage, Année 1
RAVEL	Tzigane
Marlos NOBRE	Poema III
DE SARASATE	Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25

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About Ray Chen
Violinist and online personality Ray Chen redefines what it means to be a classical musician in the 21st century. With a global reach that enhances and inspires a new classical audience, Ray Chen's remarkable musicianship transmits to millions around the world, reflected through his engagements both online and with the foremost orchestras and concert halls around the world. Beyond the performing arts, his work has also contributed to philanthropy, popular culture and educational technology.

Initially coming to attention via the Yehudi Menuhin (2008) and Queen Elizabeth (2009) Competitions, of which he was First Prize winner, he has built a profile in Europe, Asia, and the USA as well as his native Australia both live and on disc. Signed in 2017 to Decca Classics, the summer of 2017 has seen the recording of the first album of this partnership with the London Philharmonic as a succession to his previous three critically acclaimed albums on SONY, the first of which (“Virtuoso”) received an ECHO Klassik Award. Profiled as “one to watch” by the Strad and Gramophone magazines, his profile has grown to encompass his featuring in the Forbes list of 30 most influential Asians under 30, appearing in the major online TV series Mozart in the Jungle, a multi-year partnership with Giorgio Armani (who designed the cover of his Mozart album with Christoph Eschenbach) and performing at major media events such as France’s Bastille Day (live to 800,000 people), the Nobel Prize Concert in Stockholm (telecast across Europe), and the BBC Proms.

He has appeared with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhausorchester, Munich Philharmonic, Filarmonica della Scala, Orchestra Nazionale della Santa Cecilia, Los Angeles Philharmonic, SWR Symphony, New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Berlin Radio Symphony, and Bavarian Radio Chamber Orchestra. He works with conductors such as Riccardo Chailly, Vladimir Jurowski, Sakari Oramo, Manfred Honeck, Daniele Gatti, Kirill Petrenko, Krystof Urbanski, and Juraj Valcuha.

More recently, Ray Chen co-founded Tonic, an independent startup that aims to motivate musicians and learners around the world to practice their craft together. The innovative app has cultivated a highly engaged and supportive community and is available to download on iOS and Android. Ray Chen’s presence on social media makes him a pioneer in an artist’s interaction with their audience, utilising the new opportunities of modern technology.

His appearances and interactions with music and musicians are instantly disseminated to a new public in a contemporary and relatable way. He is an ambassador for SONY Electronics, a music consultant for Riot Games - the leading esports company best known for League of Legends - and has been featured in Vogue magazine. He released his own design of a violin case for the industry manufacturer GEWA and proudly plays Thomastik Infeld strings. His commitment to music education is paramount, and inspires the younger generation of music students with his series of self-produced videos combining comedy, education and music. Through his online promotions his appearances regularly sell out and draw an entirely new demographic to the concert hall.

Born in Taiwan and raised in Australia, Ray was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music at age 15, where he studied with Aaron Rosand and was supported by Young Concert Artists. He plays the 1714 “Dolphin” Stradivarius violin on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation. This instrument was once owned by the famed violinist, Jascha Heifetz.

About Tonic
In 2020, Ray began working on a project close to his heart. Being involved in and passionate about the development of young musicians, he observed that practice—despite being an essential element of study—was the biggest obstacle in the journey to success. Through his own experience, he found that the best motivators for regular music practice were supportive friends and peers who could relate to and encourage the musician. Ray founded Tonic to address that need, for the benefit of the music community.

Tonic is an innovative music practice platform designed to make classical music accessible, connected and fun for a global community of musicians and learners. Focused on improving the detached experience of practice, Tonic motivates people on their musical journey and gives access to allow everyone to enjoy the best parts of being a musician: to play & share.

In the Tonic app, users can open live Studios for their practice sessions and play for a supportive audience of peers. Users set their own schedule, keep track of practice time to stay on track for their goals and earn Badges and other rewards for their efforts. Tonic also offers community events such as Challenges and Leagues which are supported by partnerships with established brands in the music industry. Social features such as Groups and Studio invitations help users build and maintain deeper friendships through the app.

Tonic began in 2020 as a pandemic passion project, but has since had over 1 million live Studios created. Users in over 130 countries love the platform and contribute to its community with creativity and openness. Built by music lovers for music lovers, it is a home and a haven for those who want to see the joy of music come alive through community. Learn more at jointonic.com.

About The Colburn School
A performing arts institution located in the heart of Los Angeles, the Colburn School trains students from beginners to those about to embark on professional careers. The academic units of the School provide a complete spectrum of music and dance education united by a single philosophy: that all who desire to study music or dance should have access to top-level instruction. Each year, more than 2,000 students from around the world come to Colburn to benefit from the renowned faculty, exceptional facilities, and focus on excellence that unites the community. The school consists of five units:

• The diploma- and degree-granting Conservatory of Music is distinguished by a unique all-scholarship model, renowned faculty, and outstanding performance opportunities. It prepares the very highest level of collegiate musicians for professional careers.
• The Music Academy is a highly selective training program for gifted young pre-collegiate musicians, designed to prepare students for conservatory study and performing careers at the highest levels of achievement. This program offers residential options and balances performance, musical instruction, and academics.
• The Community School of Performing Arts welcomes students of all ages, from seven months old to adults. It offers over 120 classes each year in orchestral instruments, piano, guitar, voice, jazz, music theory, drama, and ensembles including orchestra, choir, and chamber music.
• The Trudl Zipper Dance Institute develops performers of all levels, from aspiring professionals in the Dance Academy to beginners starting in Youth Dance. Students of all levels receive training in ballet, tap, musical theater, and modern genres as part of a comprehensive dance education.
• Created to serve all units of the School, the Center for Innovation and Community Impact empowers the musical and dance leaders of tomorrow by nurturing students’ passion and ability to serve their communities, preparing them for sustainable careers, and embracing the development of new ideas. The Center embodies Colburn’s commitment to developing young artists with the curiosity, skills, and commitment to make a difference in their field.

The Colburn Center, designed by Frank Gehry, is a multi-faceted campus expansion of the Colburn School. Located across the street from the School’s existing campus at the intersection of Olive and Second Streets, the Colburn Center will enable the School to expand its mission of presenting programs for the public. Gehry’s design includes a 1,000-seat in-the-round concert hall named Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall, five professional-sized dance studios including a 100-seat studio theater, and gardens that bring fresh air and green spaces to the downtown landscape. The Colburn School broke ground on the Colburn Center on April 5, 2024. The completed project will join Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall and The Grand complex to create the largest concentration of buildings designed by the architect in the world.

Learn more at colburnschool.edu.