BM Composition
BM Instrumental Performance - Percussion
Class of 2009

Collin Martin has studied music for a majority of his life. He started piano lessons at the age of 6 and still actively plays today. He moved to percussion in the sixth grade and is studying that as his major in the Conservatory of Music at Chapman University. Collin attended Tesoro High School and was the first graduating class to complete all four years. He was the principal percussionist of his high school wind ensemble and the drum captain of the drumline for all four years. He was largely responsible for growing the drumline from a start of 6 members to 32 when he graduated.

Collin participated in several other ensembles throughout his high school career. He sat first chair in La Primavera Youth Orchestra, All District Honor Band, and the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra where he traveled throughout Europe and received the Orange County Philharmonic Society Scholarship award for the 2004 season. Collin also participated in percussion seminars at the Juilliard School in New York, and Berklee College of Music in Boston. He privately studied percussion with Robert Slack, principle percussionist of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, and was recruited to Chapman University.

It was during the second semester of his freshman year that Collin discovered his desire to compose. He added composition as a double major and has studied with Shaun Naidoo, Sean Heim, and Jeffrey Holmes throughout his stay at Chapman. Collin studies percussion with Nick Terry and has sat principle percussionist of the Chapman University Wind Symphony, Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, and the Percussion Ensemble.

In 2008, Collin won first prize in the inaugural choral composition competition announced by the
Choral Project based in San Jose, CA.  The prize includes a monetary award, a premiere, and possible publication of the work, titled "A Song for the River."  The premiere will be in June 2009.

Collin plans to attend graduate school to obtain a Doctor in Musical Arts. His goal is to become a college level professor and an active composer throughout the community. He is grateful for all the wonderful opportunities that he’s experienced at Chapman University and values the friendships he’s made.