Elizabeth Cotton performs as soloist, choral accompanist, and collaborative artist in the Los Angeles area. She is a staff accompanist at The Master’s University in Santa Clarita. As a faculty member at Pasadena Conservatory, she was featured in PCM’s film collaboration with the Los Angeles Holocaust Museum titled Alice’s Piano (as Elizabeth Zacharias) as well as on the Conservatory’s concert series Mansions and Music. She accompanied soprano Elif Savas on a cd recording of favorite opera arias titled Recital. She was a prize winner in the Arizona Contemporary Music Society’s soloist competition, finalist in the Klatzkin Competition, and member of the ASU New Music Ensemble. Her many years choral accompanying experience include appointments as accompanist for University of Arizona Community Chorus, University of Arizona Symphonic Choir, Saint Monica Academy in Montrose, Pasadena Covenant Church, and Catalina Foothills Church in Tucson. Mrs. Cotton was a member of Chroma, a group which performed classical concerts for children.

A devoted music educator since 1996, Mrs. Cotton has been a member of the Pasadena Conservatory of Music faculty in both the piano and early childhood departments for over twenty years. She taught Pre-K through 3rd grade general music at the Hovsepian School in Pasadena. Prior to joining the PCM faculty, Mrs. Cotton maintained a private piano studio, served as an early childhood music educator in music schools and preschools throughout the Los Angeles and Phoenix areas, was a graduate teaching assistant in the Arizona State University Piano Preparatory and Conservatory division, and was a teaching assistant and accompanist at Interlochen Center for the Arts.

Mrs. Cotton earned a Master of Music degree in piano performance and pedagogy from Arizona State University, where she studied piano pedagogy under the influential and nationally recognized pedagogue Dr. Jan Meyer Thompson. She completed a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance, Magna cum Laude, at the University of Arizona. While at UA, she also studied voice and sang in the Chamber Choir under Maurice Skones. Her principal piano teachers were Jan Thompson and Rex Woods, with further training in collaborative piano with Paula Fan and Eckart Sellheim. She completed Orff Schulwerk Level I and Level II at California State University Los Angeles. Additionally, Mrs. Cotton has been trained as an early childhood music educator by her mentor Sally Guerrero, James Harding, Soilie Perkio, and Lynn Kleiner of Music Rhapsody.

As a clinician, Mrs. Cotton spoke on a panel at the Music Teacher’s National Association Convention in March 2004. Her master’s degree thesis and lecture recital topic was “Teaching Technique Through Elementary and Intermediate Etudes.” She then presented on this topic at the 2004 Arizona State Music Teachers’ Convention. She has served as a board member and committee chair for Music Teachers’ Association Pasadena branch, vice president of East Valley Music Teachers’ Association, Honors Recital chair of East Valley Music Teachers’ Association, president of ASU MTNA student chapter, and board member of UA MTNA student chapter. She has adjudicated numerous competitions, festivals, and evaluations. Her students have performed frequently in recitals, competitions, and festivals, and received recognition as medalists and scholarship winners.