Colleen's artistic resume

Colleen started her musical journey at the University of Saskatchewan, where she received the Murray Adaskin Composition Scholarship while earning her Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance, focusing on bassoon and composition. Guided by mentors Linda C. Smith, Abigail Richardson, Gyula Csapó, David R. Scott, Bill Richards, Elizabeth Raum, Dr. Monte Keene Pishney-Floyd, and Jared Spears, she honed her craft with passion and dedication.

Colleen's pursuit of excellence in arts management led her to earn a diploma with great distinction, equipping her with skills to promote her creations and uplift the arts community.

Her works have been performed during a 40-school tour across Saskatchewan and Manitoba, at notable events such as DrumScapes, Prairie New Music Festival, and CBC Ambience's The Prairie Beat. Colleen’s compositions were also featured at PAVED Arts, World Conference of the International Society of Music Educators in Tampa Bay, Northern Saskatchewan International Children’s Festival, Lakeland College Conservatory of Music, CMC/SOCAN Project - New Music In New Places, Saskatoon Composer Performance Society, and the Saskatoon Chamber Orchestra's first annual New Music Reading Session at its New Music Festival.

Colleen has had the privilege of collaborating with visionary figures such as contemporary music specialist conductor Gary Kulesha, the Composers’ Orchestra under Michael Schulte, and the Canadian Contemporary Music Workshop in Toronto, where she had a featured concert in the Composer Now: Face To Face series at The Music Gallery. She recently celebrated a milestone with her wind ensemble work performed by the North Saskatchewan Wind Symphony.

Colleen's music is deeply rooted in contemporary classical compositions, inspired by the challenge of imitating unique sound sources. She masterfully recreates these sounds using a blend of traditional orchestral instruments and unconventional ones. Colleen’s compositions often feature musical notation for non-traditional instruments, showcasing innovative uses of classic sounds.

Driven by the allure of unique sound sources, Colleen endeavors to recreate those sounds or craft useful musical notation for unconventional instruments—such as a push lawn mower, a toy laughing stick, or a water phone. 

Her creative process begins with a map or diagram, providing the structural framework for her piece. With a simple motif, she weaves in variations, unorthodox sounds, special devices, textures, colours, and rhythms to bring her musical story to life. Each of her pieces unfolds as a narrative, evolving through a rich exploration of the main motif, which she manipulates until it becomes wonderfully unrecognizable.

The narrative features a dialogue between constant rhythmic elements and irregular, rarely-used instruments. Each instrument possesses a unique personality: some are chatty, others more restrained, while some exhibit sudden emotional outbursts. Personalities interact in harmony or independence, adding depth to the composition.

On another level, the narrative reveals itself through the piece's varying intensities, guided by the initial map or diagram. This thoughtful landscaping fosters a sense of beginning, middle, and end, leading to a profoundly meaningful musical journey.