Elizabeth Cotton has been a devoted music educator since 1996. She was on the Pasadena Conservatory of Music faculty in both the piano and early childhood departments from 2004-2024. 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. She was a graduate teaching assistant in the Arizona State University Piano Preparatory and Conservatory division and a teaching assistant and accompanist at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Mrs. Cotton also taught general music for kindergarten through third grade at the Hovsepian School. During her twenty years at Pasadena Conservatory of Music, in addition to teaching duties, Mrs. Cotton was on the committees that developed the piano syllabus requirements as well as the curriculum for the early childhood program. She specializes in infant and toddler music classes.

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 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. Mrs. Cotton 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, she 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 soloist, Mrs. Cotton was featured in Alice’s Piano (Pasadena Conservatory’s film collaboration with the Los Angeles Holocaust Museum) and on the Conservatory’s concert series Mansions and Music. She performs as soloist, choral accompanist, and collaborative artist in the Los Angeles area. She accompanied soprano Elif Savas on a recording of favorite opera arias titled Recital. Mrs. Cotton was a founding member of Chroma, a group which performs classical concerts for children. She was choral accompanist at Saint Monica Academy from 2020-2024.

Mrs. Cotton 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, and consistently receive State Honors awards in the Certificate of Merit program. As a clinician, she spoke on a panel at the Music Teacher’s National Association Convention in March 2004. Her master’s 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. Mrs. Cotton 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.