About Colleen Peralta
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Performing
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Colleen began playing the flute in 1996 in 6th grade band class having previously studied piano and the flute's quirky cousin, the recorder. She started taking private lessons with John Dietz and was chosen to play in her middle school's Advanced Band as a 7th grader. In 8th grade she began studying under flutist Shannon Christianson, M.M Flute Performance, USC. Colleen auditioned into the South Bay Youth Orchestra performing on flute and piccolo from 1998-2001.
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Colleen's competitive performance career began in 1999 when she won the Los Angeles Southwestern Youth Music Festival playing the Poulenc Sonata when she was just a freshman at Mira Costa High School. She continued to receive superior rankings at the USC Flute Festival, The Rotary Club Music Performance Competition, and the Los Angeles Bach Festival. She auditioned into the Torrance Youth Chamber Orchestra and performed the Mozart Quartet in C under chamber instructor David Shostac. Colleen auditioned into the Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band on piccolo performing in the 2000, 2001 and 2002 Rose Parade. Colleen was elected drum major of the Mira Costa Marching Mustangs during their 2001-02 season.
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Colleen attended the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music on an Excellence in Performance scholarship studying flute under Mathew Krejci. She performed with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble helmed by the legendary Dr. Eric Hammer, as well as the Pacific Flute Choir.
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In 2004 Colleen began playing trumpet in the University Concert Band and Pacific Pep Band. She auditioned into the world class Sacramento Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps for their 2004 and 2005 competitive seasons performing in summer-long national tours culminating at the Drum Corps International World Championships. At Mandarins Colleen received the Rookie of the Year Award for the brass section as well as Outstanding Brass Member for her age-out year.
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Colleen also participated in Pacific Theatre Arts and was nominated for an Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship for her performance as Polly Garter in Dylan Thomas' Under Milkwood. She also enjoyed success as a playwright. Her works Coveted and Opus Amoris were commissioned at several Pacific Petite Play Festivals and received recognition and honorable mention at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region VIII. She also recieved the William Wolak Playwriting Award upon her graduation in 2008. Her play Helicopter was performed by Cal Repertory Theatre in Long Beach in 2009. In 2007 she was chosen to attend the Kennedy Center Summer Playwriting Intensive, and holds an MFA in Screenwriting from National University, 2011.
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Colleen has performed on flute, piccolo, saxophone and clarinet in orchestra pits across Los Angeles and the south bay for such musicals as A Chorus Line, Sweet Charity, Children of Eden, Footloose, Kiss Me Kate, Guys and Dolls, Les Miserables, Into the Woods, Aida, Oliver!, Beauty and the Beast, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
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Teaching
Colleen started teaching flute and recorder to students of all ages when she was 15 years old. While student teaching at University of the Pacific she helped the marching band programs at Stagg High in Stockton and Granite Bay High School. After aging out of the Sacramento Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps she was asked to be on staff teaching the trumpet and mellophone sections. She taught there for the 2006, 2007, and 2008 seasons before moving back to Los Angeles for graduate school.
Colleen continues to teach private flute lessons and host flute masterclasses at middle and high schools in Los Angeles. She also teaches trumpet, ukulele, piano, and early childhood music classes at Bravo Music School in Torrance, CA.
Contact Colleen for private music lessons or to give your flute students a flute masterclass, available in person within CDC guidelines and on Zoom at: colleenperaltamusic@gmail.com.
