Help Us Keep The Music Going: 2027 Camp Coletrain Scholarship Fund
Every donation helps make Camp Coletrain accessible to musicians of all ages and backgrounds. Your gift provides scholarships that help more people learn, create, and build community through music.
About Camp Coletrain Inc.
Camp Coletrain Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to making exceptional music education more accessible through immersive camps, workshops, performances, and scholarships – especially in rural communities where these opportunities are often limited.
In addition to our annual flagship camp in Buena Vista, Colorado, Camp Coletrain expands access to music education through traveling pop-up music camps and workshops at festivals and community events across the country. By bringing world-class instructors directly to communities, we help remove barriers to participation while inspiring musicians of all ages to learn, create, and connect.
Each summer, Camp Coletrain brings together musicians of all ages and skill levels to learn from world-class artists, collaborate with fellow musicians, and experience the joy of creating music in a welcoming and inspiring community.
We believe music has the power to build confidence, foster creativity, and bring people together. Through the generosity of donors, sponsors, and volunteers, our scholarship program helps ensure that financial barriers never stand in the way of someone’s opportunity to learn, grow, and belong.
Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected community – one song at a time.
About Coletrain Music Academy
Coletrain Music Academy is an award-winning music school with studios in Buena Vista and Salida, Colorado, founded by master violinist and world-renowned fiddler Coleman Smith.
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to take your playing to the next level, our proven teaching methods are designed to help students build a strong musical foundation while fostering creativity, confidence, and a lifelong love of music.
Our curriculum extends beyond private lessons to include group workshops, masterclasses, and on-demand online courses, making exceptional music education accessible wherever you are.
Coleman “Coletrain” Smith
Coleman Smith is an award-winning, cross-genre violinist, veteran educator, and the Founder and Music Director of Coletrain Music Academy and Co-Founder of Camp Coletrain Inc.
A lifelong musician, Coleman began playing the violin at the age of three and earned degrees in Music Performance and Music Pedagogy from Marywood University, graduating Cum Laude. His passion for both performing and teaching has made him equally respected on stage and in the classroom.
Today, Coleman tours internationally as the fiddle player for Yonder Mountain String Band and also performs with David Lawrence & The Spoonful and The Bluegrass Journeymen. Throughout his career, he has shared the stage with artists including Billy Strings, Leftover Salmon, Railroad Earth, Dierks Bentley, and many others.
When he’s not touring, Coleman is dedicated to expanding access to exceptional music education through Coletrain Music Academy and Camp Coletrain, inspiring musicians of all ages to learn, create, and build community through music.