About

Kristen Collins, M.M

Kristen Collins is a trombonist and music educator based in Northern California. Kristen is a graduate of Nazareth College of Rochester, where she received a bachelors of science in Music, with a concentration in Music Education in 2019. At Nazareth College, Kristen studied with Mr. Steven Zugelder. In May of 2021, Kristen graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a masters degree in trombone performance, where she studied with Dr. Benjamin Yates.

During her time at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Kristen served as the graduate assistant for the trombone and low brass studio, where she assisted in teaching low brass methods, trombone, euphonium, and tuba lessons, and coached various chamber ensembles.

Kristen grew up in Syracuse New York, and has operated as a trombonist and music educator in Syracuse NY, Cazenovia NY, Rochester NY, Honeoye Falls NY, New Haven CT, Baton Rouge, LA, Boston MA, Lafayette LA, and Sacramento, CA.

Kristen specializes in performance and instruction of tenor and bass trombone, but can also teach and perform tuba and euphonium. Kristen has had experience teaching students of all ages, from elementary school children to college students. Kristen also specializes in the subject of music history and ethnomusicology, and is currently in the process of researching and writing an article about gender representation in the field of trombone performance. Currently, Kristen lives and works in the Sacramento Valley of California, while also teaching private lessons and building up a trombone studio with students from New York, California, and other areas of the United States

Kristen is also the co-founder and director of the Syracuse Sirens, the first all-women community trombone choir in the CNY area.

Kristen’s teachers include Mr. Michael Walls, Mr. Jason Kammerer, Mr. Joe Colombo, Dr. Bill Harris, Mr. Steven Zugelder (Nazareth College), and Dr. Benjamin Yates (University of Louisiana at Lafayette.)