I have lived, taught, performed and attended school in many different parts of the nation, but have never been associated with a school of music that is so involved in the musical life of a community on so many different levels.  While there are many fine schools in the "front range," Lamont is demonstrably the center of music education and performance in the Denver metropolitan area, involving so many different genre and constituencies.

In addition to certificate, undergraduate and graduate degrees within the four program areas of Lamont, we are proud to be closely associated with the following community organizations:

• The Colorado Conservatory of Jazz Arts is housed at the Lamont School of Music.  CCJA is a  jazz program from middle and high school students run by Chris and Paul Romaine and featuring instruction in large and small ensembles and jazz improvisation by some of the finest jazz musicians and educators of Colorado (not necessarily associated with Lamont, but not limited from association)
• Creative Music Works, a non-profit presenting organization for cutting edge improvisation, jazz education and preservation and propagation of the jazz heritage.  This organization offers many concerts each year at Lamont and in the community, and DU students are admitted free to all Lamont concerts.  The "flagship" of the organization is the Creative Music Works Orchestra, of which I am proud to say I served as the Artistic Director from 1998 to 2003.  The Orchestra performs mostly repertoire concerts of old and new repertoire, recent concerts include a Centennial Tribute to Duke Ellington, guest artist Maria Schneider conducting her works, and a concert of the music of Charles Mingus.
• The Colorado Youth Symphony Orchestra makes it's home at Lamont.  CYSO is a youth orchestra with a strong educational mission.  The CYSO is presently co-conducted by Lamont Symphony Orchestra conductor Lawrence Golan.
• The Metropolitan Opera holds it's regional auditions at Lamont, and has done so for many years.
• The Friends of Chamber Music, a non-profit chamber music presenting organization, holds most all of their concerts at Lamont.  These concerts feature solo and chamber musicians of international fame and Lamont students are admitted at a highly reduced rate.
• The Denver Young Artists Organization, a talent recognition agency, holds it's prestigious annual scholarship auditions at Lamont and the orchestra now makes it's home at Lamont.
• The Colorado Symphony Orchestra is strongly represented at Lamont.  Many of the orchestra's fine musicians serve as adjunct professors on the Lamont faculty and the CSO holds it's annual summer camp at Lamont, where talented young musicians work closely with the symphony.
• The Rocky Mountain Gamelon Association makes it's home and presents a number of concerts at Lamont.
• Finally, many independent music, dance and theater organizations choose to present their performances in the beautiful Newman Center for the Performing Arts, widely recognized as one of the finest medium-sized music performance facilities in the world.

© Malcolm Lynn Baker, 2003

Malcolm Lynn Baker is the Director of Admission and the Director of the Jazz Studies and Commercial Music Program at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music .