BIOGRAPHY

Colin Cossi is a conductor, composer, and choral artist. He lives in Harrisonburg, VA as he pursues a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at James Madison University. He studies conducting with Dr. Jo-Anne van der Vat-Chromy.

In 2016, Colin earned his BM in Music Education from the University of Oregon in 2016. He began teaching Elementary General Music in Kelso, WA in 2016, and became the Director of Choirs for Coweeman Middle School and Kelso High School in 2018. He served as Music Department Chair and Advisor to the KHS Genders and Sexualities Alliance. His work centered the student experience, their connection to the local and broader community, and using music as a tool for socio-emotional learning in addition to performances, contests, and festivals. Away from teaching, he spent time singing with the In Medio Chamber Choir, Nexus Chamber Choir, the Portland Phoenix Chamber Choir, and the Collegium Choir at the Protocathedral of St. James the Greater. 

In 2022, Colin moved to Phoenix, AZ to pursue his MM in Choral Conducting at Arizona State University. There he served as Teaching Assistant for the Choral Department, conducted the Sol Singers treble choir, assistant conducted the Concert Choir and Choral Union, taught Undergraduate Choral Conducting, co-taught Undergraduate Choral Methods, and supervised student teachers in the field. Additionally, he has served as Artistic Intern to the GRAMMY Award winning Phoenix Chorale,  Graduate Assistant Conductor to the GRAMMY Award winning Phoenix Boys Choir, and Chorus Master to the ASU Opera. He studied conducting with Dr. Jace Saplan and Herbert Washington, with mentorship and master classes from Dr. Joshua Palkki, Dr. Edie Copley, Dr. Sharon Hansen, Dr. André Thomas, Dr. Nicholle Andrews, and Christopher Gabbitas. He was mentored by Dr. Daniel Bernard Roumain in Composition and Artistic Entrepreneurship, and Dr. Amanda DeMaris in Voice.

Colin composes choral music, vocal solos, and chamber works. The In Medio Chamber Choir of Portland, OR premiered  “The Singh Verghese Wedding” in 2021, and “Light From Light'' in 2022. The University of Redlands Vocal Chamber Music Program premiered “Blossoms Once Again” in 2023. In the Spring of 2023, he traveled with the ASU DBR Lab to New York City to perform “Across the Sand and Sea,” for solo Baritone and piano at Brooklyn’s National Sawdust. In the Summer of 2023, he served as Composer-in-Residence for the Na Wai Chamber Choir in Honolulu, HI, arranging “Nani Ke 'Liʻi Kiʻekiʻe” for 8-part choir and organ. In the Fall of 2023 he was the Composer-in-Residence for Sun Valley Community School in Sun Valley, ID. With the goal of creating an all school campfire song for unison voice and banjo, he guest presented for a podcasting class, and led song writing workshops for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. In 2024, Colin won the Phoenix Chamber Choir (Vancouver B.C.) Student Composer Contest culminating in a world premiere of “The Lost Lagoon,” had “Light From Light” selected for the ACDA Western Region Conference Composer Playlist, and premiered “A Letter To Mel” with the ASU Choral Union.

Beyond conducting and composing, Colin engages in choral scholarship that speaks to values of community, inclusion, and story telling. In February of 2023, Colin traveled to the ACDA National Conference to present the poster, “Filipina Composers Then & Now: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Paired with Repertoire,” alongside co-authors Tiffany O’Neill and Iese Wilson. In June of 2023, ACDA Western’s quarterly journal, TACTUS, published his essay, “Beach, Hensel, Schumann, Smyth–The Successes and Struggles of Four Romantic Era Women Composers.” In 2024, Colin presented a poster at the ACDA Western Conference, titled “Catalyzing Our Choral Communities: Queer Joy as the Liberatory Path Forward,” alongside co-authors Tiffany O’Neill and Iese Wilson.