COLIN WHEATLEY — VIOLIN, VIOLA, ALLEGRO
Colin has been teaching violin and viola to students of all ages for 15 years and is thrilled to be teaching in Maine. He is currently the Orchestra Director for the Waterville Public Schools. Colin previously taught at East Lyme Middle School in Connecticut and the Rhode Island Philharmonic School. A native of Bellingham Washington, Colin earned his BM in Viola Performance at Oberlin Conservatory studying with Peter Slowik, his MM in Viola Performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where he was a student of Atar Arad, and his graduate degree in teaching from Oberlin Conservatory. An avid chamber musician, Colin plays with Halcyon String Quartet and has performed for members of the Emerson, Pacifica, Cleveland, Concord, and Takas quartets and for Yo Yo Ma. He has collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Robert Spano, Menahem Pressler, and Jeremy Denk. Colin’s teaching is influenced by his work with Mimi Zweig at the Indiana University String Academy, Suzuki Teacher training, and the many musical and pedagogical mentors that have shaped his approach to sharing music with young people. When not performing and teaching, Colin enjoys spending time outdoors, running marathons, beekeeping, cooking, and traveling.
Learn more about COLIN’s teaching philosophy
Describe your approach to teaching?
My goal is to inspire an interest and a joy for music so that students want to learn and pursue music on their own rather than me telling them what to do. I emphasize a comfortable and solid foundation and creating a beautiful sound from the first day a student plays their instrument. I enjoy building relationships with students, getting to know their musical tastes, and finding repertoire that both excites and challenges them. Perhaps my favorite moments come when students start to become their own teachers - correcting mistakes, making personal musical decisions, and pursuing chamber music and other opportunities to perform.
What drew you to MUSIC AND THE VIOLA?
Whenever I was in school there were usually one or two teachers that I really looked up to and that made an impact, whether it was how they led their lives, how they taught or how they interacted with students. As I grew up and reached an age where I could think about teaching, those connections definitely drew me toward the profession. I love working with young people - their enthusiasm, humor, and energy makes me excited to teach every day.