Colleen Bernstein • Percussionist

“Oh at times you’ll want to say / I’ve got nothing left to give / but a life that’s lived part way / is no way to live” •• Opening night (week) of @schmigadoon was a dream come true. 🌈 I am beyond grateful to make music with this band, assembled by @m2musicnyc and led by @stevenamalone — a group who plays with heart, chops, and above all a sense of fun. How did I get so lucky? Follow our new band page, @schmorchestra for a peek into life in the pit! 👀

Had a blast last night at our @wp_percussion Spring PE Concert! Big congrats to everyone who performed, and to my faculty colleagues @payton.macdonald.music @john_ferrari_percussion & @mikagodbole 🚀 It was so fun to play some @drglockenav music with my students, and always such a treat to watch them step up and make great music as a team 🧡

Exciting news to share: I’m playing percussion for @schmigadoon on Broadway!! 😁 This show is unabashedly joyful, and I am so lucky to be part of bringing it to life every night. Come visit our little town sometime — I promise you will smile! ☀️🌈 @broadwaymusicians @maestramusicorg @malletechofficial @blackswamppercussion

And just like that, our 2025 season of the Christmas Spectacular at @radiocitymusichall has come to a close! What an honor to be part of this company, especially as we celebrated the 100th anniversary of @therockettes — and the retirement of one of our fearless leaders, @eddygrobinson !! I am filled with gratitude for everyone who made these last few months the joyful, exciting, and exhausting whirlwind they were. ❤️ Thank you especially to Fred Lassen, @m2musicnyc @mycleehrens @anjawood1 @davernyc1 and the entire music team for trusting me with this chair. Congrats to my fellow orchestra mates, and I can’t wait to see what’s ahead in 2026! 😀

Tonight we officially open the 2025 season of the @radiocitymusichall Christmas Spectacular starring @therockettes ! 🥳🎄This is my third season as a chairholder in the orchestra, and I am so proud and grateful to be part of this incredible production alongside so many wonderful, inspiring colleagues! 💚 We have ~ a couple hundred shows to play until Jan 5 so come see us!! Let me know if you’re planning to come - every chair has two players assigned, so I’m here for about half of the total run 😃 @malletechofficial @blackswamppercussion

What a night! Last week we premiered “Holy Ground,” a work that @daniellejagelskimusic had been crafting for a full year. I’m so grateful to have been part of bringing this piece to life! 🥳 Thank you to @icareifyoulisten for the review: “Jagelski brought together texts by Charli Fool Bear-Vetter, E. Pauline Johnson, W.H. Auden, and Walt Whitman to create Holy Ground for five voices and percussion, which particularly highlighted the artistry of percussionist Colleen Bernstein.” (Head to ICIYL’s page for the full concert write-up!) Shoutout to @malletechofficial — it’s not everyday I get to perform on a Malletech marimba AND omega vibe at the same time. Simply the best sound out there! 🙏🏻 ••• #percussion #marimba #vibraphone #contemporarymusic #multipercussion #chambermusic #malletech

Inspirational sharing, process, generosity, kinship. ✨You all are medicine, truly. ✨Thank you to everyone who made “Holy Ground” and this whole @voascension concert happen. I still don’t have the words, but a then-stranger (and incredibly accomplished musician) came up to me afterward and said, “this concert really gave me hope for the future, even now.” ❤️ Miigwech Miigwech Miigwech Miigwech

Hello timeline! It’s been a while. 🫣 I’m so excited to invite everyone in the NYC area to this concert, happening TOMORROW NIGHT, April 8th, 7:30 in the Village! “Voices of Manahatta” is presented by @voascension @jon.bradley108 and has grown out of the amazing work of @ahaiting with her project Voices of the New. The entire thing is directed by @daniellejagelskimusic and I couldn’t be prouder of her for every aspect of this show, which has been designed as a top to bottom through-performed experience with connective tissue at every layer. 🧵 Tickets are selling out quickly— message me for a discount code! It’s not easy to put together a concert with so many different elements: choral music; experimental, spatially-specific instrumental works; collectively devised singing; and a brand new long-form work for 5 vocalists and percussion. 🤯 Not to mention projection design, theatrical performance elements, lighting… the list goes on. Danielle has done an amazing job envisioning a show that enhances the message and meaning of every bit of music on the program. 💡 I’m so excited to premiere “Holy Ground” tomorrow night, and to perform @ravenchcn ‘s masterpiece Voiceless Mass with @intcontemporary . I’ve been lucky to collaborate and perform with Danielle a handful of times in the last few years, and this feels like a culmination of many different dreams and ideas we have explored together. I can’t wait for everyone to hear her most inventive, and biggest, composition yet! 🥹 Swipe through for some moments that have contributed to the idea pond for “Holy Ground” and Danielle’s overall vision for this show. Bonus shot at the end — did we unintentionally make the exact same face at the end of a duo performance?? ••• I’ll be performing on gorgeous instruments from @malletechofficial @blackswamppercussion and @zildjiancompany 🙌🏻⚡️ ••• Holy Ground collaborators: @ahebah_art @divavoce @samannethemartin15 @dylanaguayo @damian._.naimad

Happy final month of tour to my @avatarconcertorchestra family 🧡🩵 I miss you all a lot! This post is about 2 months overdue 🫣🥴 but here are some highlights of weeks 2 and 3 on the road: •action shot 🔦🎞️🎶 feat. our MD @emarshallmusic •the unexpected food/drumming crossover that no one asked for but everyone needs (📍 red bank, nj) •playing @kingsbklyn 🤘🏻 •cutest delivery vehicle somewhere in VA 🥹🍕 •two of many incredible wall tags at DPAC, Durham NC •playing @themetphilly 🔔 •when your outfit matches your mallet @taramcgurk •the most bridge adventure with @embar.ray.sing ☺️ •botanical gardens serotonin boost with @gerardcanonicoofficial and @embar.ray.sing (📍Madison, WI) ——— #percussion #percussionist #tourlife #avatarinconcert #freelancemusician

Well, incredibly, my time on the road with @avatarthelastairbender is quickly coming to a close (at least for now!). I’m heading into my final week before hopping back home 🗽 and diving into some new and exciting shows! This has been a journey unlike anything else I’ve ever done, and I can’t believe it will be over soon. Here’s part one of a look into our tour: •merch look lovingly labeled “Brit Fit” in honor of the worlds best TM, @insta_gray •two sold out shows at the Fox in Atlanta •band with Avatar’s composer @jeremyzuck •show posters 🌀 •day off silliness with @gerardcanonicoofficial and @brilugovla •walking to Alabama for bbq with @heidijoosten I am so grateful for this experience and to my road family @avatarconcertorchestra — an exciting 8 show week awaits! Zoom zoom! 🔥🪨🌊🌬️ —— #percussionist #percussion #tour #tourlife #avatarthelastairbender @blackswamppercussion @malletechofficial @blackinkpresents

🌀BIG NEWS!! Launch night for the @avatarthelastairbender Avatar in Concert North American tour ✨ 🎶 I’m so excited to be part of this orchestra, playing timpani and lots and lots of drums! We’ll be playing all around the US for the next few months (dates at avatarinconcert.com)— my fellow musicians all sound fantastic and the visuals/projection/lighting are gorgeous— come check us out!! 🥁 ••• Thank you to @blackinkpresents @jeremyzuck @joshplotner @emarshallmusic and the entire company for having me! This is truly the ride of a lifetime! ••• #percussion #percussionist #timpani #drummer #tour #avatarthelastairbender #ontour ••• @blackswamppercussion @malletechofficial @wp_percussion @wp_musicdepartment

Tonight! Excited to welcome lots of talented young percussionists to our campus for an evening of performances and chats with some NJ percussion legends! Looking at you, @recap_quartet @mantrapercussionnyc @payton.macdonald.music 😎 Go @wp_percussion !!