Artistic Staff

Cheri Collins, Conductor, American Youth String Ensemble

Ms. Collins graduated from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where she earned a Bachelor of Performance on Violin. While attending the Manhattan School of Music on full scholarship, she was one of two freshmen violinists chosen that year to study with the Russian-born violin professor, Raphael Bronstein. Bronstein began his teaching career in the United States in 1923 as an assistant to Leopold Auer, with whom he studied at the Petrograd (now Leningrad) Conservatory since the age of 12. Ms. Collins’ decision to attend the Manhattan School was based on this opportunity. While attending the Manhattan School, Ms. Collins performed with the Manhattan Contemporary Chamber Symposium, which debuted new compositions at both Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall.

After graduation, Ms. Collins worked in São Paulo, Brazil, playing first violin in the São Paulo Symphony. Two months after her arrival, that symphony’s conductor asked her to teach 48 violin students, ages twelve and thirteen, at a music camp in the mountains of Campos do Jordao as part of a government-sponsored pilot program. This pilot program provided an opportunity to children from small towns to have group lessons, sectionals and an orchestral experience. Ms. Collins insists that it was this particular teaching experience (coupled with her inability to speak Portuguese) that defined and created her style of teaching and relating to young musicians. Because of her success that summer, the program was fully funded and incorporated as a permanent part of the music camp the following year.

Ms. Collins played first violin with the Florida Orchestra in Tampa, Florida (formally the Florida Gulf Coast Symphony) from 1978 to 1984, and then moved to Northern Virginia to begin a varied and successful freelance career. Some highlights of her freelance years include performances with the American Chamber Orchestra, Baltimore Opera, and National Symphony. She also performed as first violinist in the Canterbury String Quartet, and as a recording artist for National Geographic’s Discovery series.

From 1990 to the present, Ms. Collins’ career has been focused on her passion for teaching. She is presently Orchestra Director at Oakton High School in Oakton, Virginia. Since joining Fairfax County Public Schools, Ms. Collins completed a Masters in Conducting from George Mason University. Currently, she is a Doctor of Arts candidate in Violin Performance at George Mason University. Her dissertation is focused on the five contact points for the violin bow.

In September 2005, Ms. Collins joined George Mason University’s Music Department as an adjunct professor; teaching the Undergraduate String Methods classes and String Instrument Pedagogy and Literature classes. Ms. Collins is the String Coordinator and Director for the Chamber Music Connection Summer Camp, which is held the last weeks in June through George Mason University’s Potomac Music Academy. Ms. Collins has received numerous awards for professional achievement. From 1993-2006, Ms. Collins’ orchestras received “ Superior” ratings in District XII Orchestra Festivals. Ms. Collins’ orchestra received the “1998 MegaFest Award” for the highest-scoring orchestra over nine weekends, in the 1998 Virginia Beach and Toronto MegaFests, sponsored by North America Music Festivals. In 1999 and 2005 her orchestra received recognition for “Outstanding Performance by a Middle School Orchestra” from the Virginia Music Educators Association, at their association’s State conference. In 2005, Ms. Collins guest conducted the Philharmonic Orchestra for James Madison University’s Spring String Fling. Ms. Collins conducted the Junior All-District XII Orchestra in 1998. She has also been a string clinician and adjudicator for Fairfax County, Prince William County, and Montgomery County at the counties’ District events.

The 2007-2008 season marks Ms. Collins' fifth year as conductor of the American Youth String Ensemble.