Who We Are
The Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach traces its roots to the University’s Department of Music, founded in 1951. It has trained performers and music educators for decades.
In March 2008, the department was renamed the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music in recognition of a transformative endowment from the estate of Robert "Bob" Cole, a Long Beach real estate investor and lifelong music enthusiast. This gift—the largest in CSULB’s history at the time—helped establish a major conservatory dedicated to high-level musical instruction and support for students through scholarships and awards.
Under our mission "to provide an exceptional education and world-class performance opportunities to a diverse community of students," the conservatory has grown into a vibrant center for performance and study, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in areas ranging from classical performance and composition to jazz and music education. Its ensembles and faculty are recognized for excellence regionally, nationally, and internationally. The conservatory plays an active role in the cultural life of the university and the greater Long Beach community through concerts, collaborations, and outreach.