Jim Colonna
Biography
James Colonna (b. 2 May 1970) is an American composer, conductor and trumpet player.
Colonna received his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from Michigan State University in 2007 where he studied conducting with John Whitwell, John T. Madden and Kevin Sedatole. He was a conducting graduate assistant at the University of North Texas where he earned his Master of Music Performance degree in wind conducting with Eugene Corporon.
Dr. Colonna is Director of Bands at Messiah College, where he teaches graduate instrumental conducting and conducts the wind ensemble. Previously, he served as Director of Instrumental Music at York College of Pennsylvania, the director of bands at Utah Valley University, director of concert bands at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Indiana/Purdue University and Laramie County Community College. As a conductor Jim’s ensembles have performed at CBDNA Northwest/West, NJMEA, PMEA/NAfME All East.
For the last 20 years Colonna has been a frequent guest conductor throughout the United States where he has premiered many of his own compositions. As a conductor, Colonna has been praised by many composers for his meticulous attention to their work.
As a trumpet performer, Dr. Colonna has performed with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, MSU Wind Symphony, North Texas Wind Symphony, 113th Army Band, Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra the Night Flight and Jim Colonna Big Band, Voices of Unity, and notable artists Patti Austin and Connie Francis.
Dr. Colonna studied composition with Charles Ruggerio (MSU), Cindy McTee (UNT), and Jack Stamp (IUP). In 1996, he began his career as a composer and has composed more than 30 original compositions, of which many have been published by Larry Daehn Music, C-Alan Publications, and Masters Music. Jim's compositions have been performed all over the world including Belgium, Finland, Japan as well as conferences WASBE, CBDNA and the Midwest Clinic. He has received many commissions to create unique works for large concert ensembles. His work Fanfare Antiphonal vox Gabrielli was one of seven featured fanfares by the Dallas Wind Symphony for their 2009-2010 season.
Works for Winds
- America Forever March (as arranger) (2001)
- Blue Midnight (2021)
- Dancing Day (2013)
- Danza con Gioia (2016)
- Dreamscapes (2004)
- Fanfare Antiphonal vox Gabrielli
- Joshua's Shop of Miracles and Curiosities (2017)
- Persistence of Time (2001)
- Portraits (2000)
- Seven (2009)
- The Soaring Eagle (1997)
- To Slip the Surly Bonds of Earth (2011)
Resources
- Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Jim Colonna." Accessed 13 November 2015.
- Jim Colonna website
- Miles, Richard B., and Larry Blocher. 2002. Teaching Music Through Performance in Band. Volume 4. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 353.