CMA Workshops 1

Well-rounded music education and epic views.

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CMA Workshops2
CMA Workshops2

We offer instruction for first-time beginners to the advanced performing musician
looking to gain more knowledge on their applied instrument.

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CMA Workshops3

Experience river adventures, bike trails and more!

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Come experience a Coletrain Music Workshop
and see what all the buzz is about.

October 9-11, 2020 | Buena Vista, CO

Buena Vista is located in central Colorado between Salida and Leadville in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. This charming rafting town sits at an elevation of 7,965 feet (2,428 m) and offers free camping with majestic views of the Collegiate Peaks and boasts unlimted adventure with rafting, fishing, hiking, biking and much more.  Located just 2.5 hours from the Denver International Airport, 2 hours from Colorado Springs and Crested Butte and just 1.5 from Breckenridge, Buena Vista will not only inspire you, it will put a song in your heart.

Who is this workshop for?

Anyone Looking to Gain Knowledge on their Applied Instrument

    • We offer instruction on bluegrass, swing, and old-time styles covering everything from beginner to advanced levels
    • We address issues of technique
    • Insights to Backup and Improvisation
    • Learn some of the most popular songs in bluegrass

Anyone Interested in Ensemble Experience

    • Learn and feel what it’s like to play with a variety of instruments
    • Enjoy open jam sessions geared to beginner and intermediate
    • Experience what it’s like to play in your own bluegrass ensemble with guided instruction

Anyone Interested in How to Build a Better Band

    • Gain a better understanding of strengths and weaknesses within the group
    • Learn time management in the practice setting
    • Learn more about on and off stage etiquette

Anyone Interested in a Mountain Town Getaway

    • Discover the beauty of Buena Vista’s trail system which is ideal for hiking, running or biking
    • Take in an epic fly fishing day or adventure down the Arkansas River kayaking or paddleboarding various times of the year
    • Enjoy dining and shopping in both East Main and South Main areas

The Agenda

{Friday, October 9th}

12pm to 4pm – Welcome Packet Pick-Up & Registration
Located at Coletrain Music Academy | 900 S. Main Street

5pm to 7pm – Group Class & Jam
Located at Coletrain Music Academy | 900 S. Main Street

7pm to 8pm – Band Lab | Practice location will be determined by each group

{Saturday, October  10th}

10am – 12pm – Fiddle Workshop
Located at Coletrain Music Academy | 900 S. Main

10am – 12pm – Guitar Workshop | Location TBD

1pm – 2pm – Lunch / Personal Break

1pm – 3pm – Mandolin Workshop
Located at Coletrain Music Academy | 900 S. Main

1pm – 3pm – Song Writing Workshop | Location TBD

3pm – 4pm – Personal Time

4pm – 6pm – Group Class, All Instruments
Located at Coletrain Music Academy | 900 S. Main

6pm – 7pm – Band Lab | Practice location will be determined by each group

{Sunday, October 11th}

10am – 12pm – Mandolin Workshop | Located at Coletrain Music Academy | 900 S. Main

10am – 12pm – Guitar Workshop | Location TBD

12pm – 1pm – Lunch / Personal Break

1pm – 3pm – Fiddle Workshop | Located at Coletrain Music Academy | 900 S. Main

1pm – 3pm – Song Writing | Location TBD

4pm – 5pm – Group Class | Ivy Ballrooom inside the Surf Hotel

5pm – 6pm – Evening Band Lab | Ivy Ballrooom inside the Surf Hotel

6:30pm – 8:30pm – Student Recital & Ensemble Performance | Ivy Ballrooom inside the Surf Hotel

 

Get To Know The Faculty

Our faculty are elite performers and experienced educators.

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Coleman (Coletrain) Smith

Coleman’s love affair with music began very early on. His mother Karen, a professional ballerina says Coleman has been responding to music since before he was born. Fostering his love of music, his parents bought him his first violin at the tender age of 3 at which time he began studying the Suzuki Violin Method. During his formidable years in the Suzuki Program, Coleman became one of the youngest people ever accepted to the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra, eventually having solo performances with the Dallas Fort Worth Pops Orchestra. Coleman Smith has a degree in music performance and minor in music pedagogy. He has over a decade of experience both teaching and running music education programs and in 2018 launched Coletrain Music Academy in Buena Vista, Colorado. Coleman is also a founding member and fiddle player in the Internationally aclaimed and award-winning band Rapidgrass, established in 2009. Currently, when Coleman is not teaching he travels the world performing including an annual tour throughout Europe and India. LEARN MORE HERE

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David Lawrence

Born and Raised in New Jersey, David Lawrence specializes in the gypsy jazz and blues genre and is the band-leader for ‘LAPOMPE’ and New Orleans Blues inspired ‘Royal Street Ramblers’. With these projects David has headlined the prestigious City Park Jazz summer concert series, performed at the Five Points Jazz Festival, Bohemian New West Fest, Westword Music Showcase and many more. LAPOMPE has been nominated by multiple publications for best jazz band on the front range and David has been featured on several radio Stations including KUVO Jazz. He has also recorded multiple albums including two full-length Albums with LAPOMPE and an all-original Singer-songwriter EP under his ‘David Lawrence’ solo project. Slated for release early Fall 2019. LEARN MORE HERE

Support the Fine Arts Community while aligning your business with an incredible event that caters to all ages by becoming a sponsor today!

Pros

Our workshop instructors are all rofessional musicians who have years of teaching and performing experience.

Swag

We are so fortunate to have partnerships with a variety of businesses offering products and services. All of our attendees will walk away with a CMA tote full of goodies!

Lessons

Each day is chock-full of curriculum intended to maximize your learning potential and set you up for success.

Food

We provide light bites and snacks during the workshop as well as convenient walkable recommendations for quick bites before, during and after each workshop.

Wellness

All of our workshops offer mediation and yoga options for intention setting, mindfulness and self-awareness.

Entertainment

Our workshops include nightly family-friendly concerts featuring CMA faculty and guests from across the globe.

What they’re saying about CMA Workshops…

  • David Lawrence’s Gypsy Jazz clinic was a wonderful feature of the 2019 CMA Summer Workshop. David is beautifully proficient in this style of music and for those who are just starting, it is important for your first exposure to be done well and in a welcoming environment. The class was approachable for the newcomers and provided something for all levels. The key rhythm style “La Pompe”, also the name of David’s band, was explained and taught clearly. This technique is the heart beat pacing Gypsy Jazz and requires one on one time with a very good teacher to get it right from the beginning. David is that teacher. The new comers were taught a simpler rhythm as a stepping stone to the whole. For the more advanced students, David provided a great rhythm checkup, especially for those who might have strayed. Each student was given a clearly illustrated book of real life chords designed to allow you to work towards efficient chord transitions. This again is why a clinic is so important, the same fingering will not work for everyone. All of our hands are different, if a chord shape isn’t working for you, a great teacher will help you find one that does. This critical feedback will give you hope and make your sound unique to you. It is something you wont get from YouTube. The song offerings gave opportunities for all levels. Like all the CMA classes, the emphasis was on making music with friends. David’s classes were no exception. You are learning to collaborate and arrange (i.e. have fun and more fun) with friends. Once again David provided ideas for blending styles and making songs your own. Overall a great short stop for directions on your never ending journey through music.

    Matthew Maloney

  • I had an amazing time. Each day I learned things that totally reshaped the way I thought as a musician.

    Emily King / Flutist

  • My daughter learned so much and truly thrived in her first open jam session.

    Anne Hesh / Student's Parent

  • Best music workshop I've ever attended! The instructors were super pro and the scenery was spectacular!

    Gary M. / Fiddle Player

RAPIDGRASS MUSIC & RAPIDGRASS MUSIC FESTIVALS

The celebration of mountains and whitewater rapids is the inspiration for everything Rapidgrass. The Internationally acclaimed mountain music is influenced by an active, outdoor lifestyle. Brought together through music and love for mountains, they define modern, acoustic, Colorado mountain music.

ENROLL TODAY AT COLETRAIN MUSIC ACADEMY

We offer private one-on-one lessons with the area’s finest instructors. Everyone in our faculty is an experienced educator and elite performer on their respected instrument. We offer professional one-on-one lessons at our studio in Buena Vista, Colorado. We offer a wide variety of instruments both acoustic and electric and specialize in a variety of music styles from beginning to advanced. We cater our lessons to suit the age and desired skillsets of each individual in order to maximize their learning potential.