Colleen’s ninth-grade band director handed her a trombone… and she hasn’t stopped playing ever since! She’s performed in and directed wind ensembles, concert bands, symphony orchestras, trombone choirs, brass quintets, big bands, jazz combos, dixieland bands, pit orchestras for musicals, marching bands, honor bands in New England and New York, activist street bands, and wild avant-garde pop-up groups.

She manages and promotes a giant trombone celebration every April called International Trombone Week which includes concerts, recitals, massed trombone choirs, chamber ensembles, masterclasses, residencies, premieres of new works for trombone, and more all over the world.

Colleen’s teaching emphasizes solid fundamentals, focused practice, broad listening, creative self-expression--all toward developing stronger and happier musicians.

She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (MA) and a Masters of Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester (NY), and has won fellowships for additional study at Columbia University and Emory University.