Colleen Bernstein

Biography

Colleen Bernstein is an award-winning percussionist, educator, and creative collaborator recognized for her adventurous musical spirit and impactful community engagement initiatives. She has been featured in performances with GRAMMY winners including Béla Fleck and the Silkroad Ensemble. She is a performer and teaching artist with American Wild Ensemble, as well as a soloist recognized for her passionate performances and commitment to social justice advocacy. Recent solo engagements include sets at the MATA Festival, New Music Gathering, World Vibes Congress, and Oh My Ears Festival, as well as recitals and presentations at over 10 universities across the United States. In 2018, Colleen founded Strength & Sensitivity, a performance project and collaborative platform mixing contemporary music and poetry to catalyze dialogue about gender equality and intersectional feminism. As an active teacher, Colleen works as an instrumental music teacher at Léman Manhattan Preparatory School, a faculty member at Hunter College, and the Director of Percussion for the New Jersey Youth Symphony. Colleen holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Michigan, where she was honored with the Patterson Diversity Award. She currently resides in New York City.