Buena Vista, Colorado

There is music in the mountains for those who listen.
Welcome to Camp Coletrain

Write us hello@coletrainmusicacademy.com

Follow Us

REGISTER HERE

Violin

Beginner to Advanced

Guitar

Beginner to Advanced

Mandolin

Beginner to Advanced

Bass

Beginner to Advanced

Piano

Beginner to Intermediate

Kid's Clinic

12 & Under

Count Down To
Camp Coletrain

SEE YOU IN BUENA VISTA, CO!
We hope you'll join us June 5-9, 2023 in Buena Vista, Colorado!

Let's make music ...

Experienced Instructors. Results-Driven Content. Epic Views.

Welcome to Camp Coletrain, an annual music camp produced by Coletrain Music Academy! Camp Coletrain is truly an immersive experience that offers the perfect amount of music, wellness, community, and adventure. Our workshops are for first-time beginners to advanced performing musicians looking to gain more knowledge on their applied instruments. Our music camp instructors are both experienced educators and avid performers who have helped countless students reach their musical goals. At Camp Coletrain we start each morning with an outdoor yoga session where we will set our intentions for the day and work on the areas of our body specific to our instruments. If yoga isn't your thing we encourage you to walk the river and explore the incredible trails Buena Vista has to offer. We also carve out time for students to explore our downtown cafes, food trucks, and shops. Each evening you'll have the option to attend a free concert spotlighting teachers, students, and local musicians. Our goal is for students to discover their musical spark at Camp Coletrain, that they walk away with more knowledge, confidence, and clarity around their instrument, and find themselves more relaxed after having spent some meaningful time in the mountains making epic memories that are certain to last a lifetime.

Get To Know

Our Camp Coletrain Instructors !

Our instructors don't just talk the talk. They walk the walk. They are educators, performers, music lovers, dreamers and doers, and they can't wait to work with you!

Violin Instructor

Coleman Smith is a world-renowned crossover violinist. Coleman, a 30-plus-year veteran of violin performance and education, blends an understanding of classical, jazz, folk, country, and bluegrass elements into his performances and workshops. Coleman started playing the violin at 3 years […]

Piano + Vocal Clinic Instructor

Bonnie Lea Culpepper is an accomplished musician based in Salida, Colorado. Bonnie, who hails from New York, is a classically trained vocalist, as well as a songwriter, and pianist, and specializes in the styles of jazz, blues, and folk. She […]

Kids Clinic: Beginner Ukelele & Guitar Instructor

At the age of ten, Kathryn started learning guitar through a free class offered at her church. Finding that she loved to play guitar, she pursued lessons through high school and graduated college with a degree in both guitar performance […]

Guitar + Song Writing Instructor

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 […]

Bass Instructor

Telluride native, Charles (Charlie) Parker Mertens is a multi-genre bassist, cellist, and producer. He is currently the bass player for the award-winning international touring band Rapidgrass and The Bluegrass Journeymen. Charlie has performed with Thievery Corporation, Les Nubians, and Cyril […]

Mandolin Instructor

Alex Johnstone is the mandolin player in the internationally acclaimed, award-winning band Rapidgrass. He was also the Mandolin player in the band Spring Creek which ended back in 2012. Alex has been playing and performing for audiences for almost 20 […]

There's music in the mountains
for those who listen...

Come experience a Camp Coletrain Music Workshop
and see what all the buzz is about.
Classes, Breakouts, and Performance Oh My!

Camp Coletrain 2023 Agenda .

We run a tight ship at Camp Coletrain to ensure students get the most bang for their buck! We also want you to enjoy everything that Buena Vista has to offer so we've carved out some downtime so you can explore, shop, eat, drink, and adventure!

Students will receive their official agendas the week prior to Camp Coletrain, but here is a general overview of the flow.

Monday, June 5th

Day 1

Registration & Open Jam

We kick off Camp Coletrain with a meet & greet and an open jam which gives students the opportunity to pick up their welcome totes, meet other students and instructors, and enjoy playing music together.

June 6th - June 9th

Day 2-4

Yoga + Music Workshops + Concerts

Students will have the option to start each day with yoga before heading to their applied instrument workshop, wrapping up with family-friendly concerts around town, with plenty of breaks in between.

Friday, June 9th

Day 5

Student Ensemble + River Float

Students will begin their final day of Camp Coletrain with a rehearsal to prepare for their performance which will take place at River Runners. Immediately following families are invited to float down Browns.

Space is Limited

Register Today !

Sign Up For Our Newsletter .

Stay-in-the-know with Coletrain workshops, pop-up concerts, and our masterclass series!

Our Sponsors .

Behind every event are incredible partners and sponsors. We are so grateful for these businesses who champion the fine arts and support live music!