The Conservatory came into being in 1995 through a grant from the Jarvis family. It fosters art in Napa Valley with monthly first-Saturday performances, such as It's a Grand Night for Singers, with local notables, including Caroline Altman. La Traviata, performed by the Royal Opera House of London, ran on film here, giving the complete opera experience in two parts, with intermission. The Art Film series shows on Saturday nights on a state-of-the-art HD screen.
Live performances and productions take center stage in the conservatory's 220-seat theater; ticket prices are in the $10 to $20 range. Twenty years running, the conservatory started the annual Holiday Choral Ensemble, featuring Bay Area Choirs, in 1999.