Practice Page

Mental health services

Counseling + Psychiatric Services (CAPS) offers confidential, on-campus mental health and psychiatric services for a variety of students’ needs. Students who have paid the mental health fee are eligible to work with CAPS providers, including 24/7 phone support.

Matthew Tomatz is the College of Music’s embedded psychotherapist from CAPS. He has wide-ranging experience in many aspects of emotional health that frequently affect musicians, including performance anxiety and blocks to success. Tomatz often supports students in meeting their musical goals by addressing practice strategies, motivation, procrastination, career concerns, attentional difficulties, interpersonal challenges and peak performance skills. For individual or group counseling, contact Matt Tomatz directly at Matthew.Tomatz@colorado.edu or through the CAPS main office, 303-492-2277.

Meetings with Matt provides opportunities for informal and confidential consultation in our wellness space (S303). This service is free and open to students, faculty and staff. Topics of conversation could be related to performance, time management, procrastination, how life and performance intersect, getting through the year, making choices, learning about therapy ... or just to talk: Wednesdays, 3:30-4:45 p.m. in S303.

Developing the Whole Musician with Matt Tomatz is a unique learning environment and powerful group process. Participation helps students make important personal discoveries while supporting their growth as musicians. Questions? Contact Matt Tomatz, Matthew.Tomatz@colorado.edu.

Medical evaluations at CU Boulder Medical Services

Tracy Casault, John Breck and Julie Jacobson-Weaver provide initial evaluations as well as referrals for diagnostic tests, physical therapy and appointments with specialists as needed. If you do not have medical insurance through CU Boulder, check with Medical Services to learn whether your medical insurance is accepted.

Physical therapy

CU Boulder Medical Services offers a patient-centered approach to PT in which the specific needs of each student guides the care provided. Ann Sirotniak is the MWP partner in this area. Any CU Boulder student can access CU Boulder PT services at Wardenburg. If you have the CU Boulder Gold plan, you do not need a physician referral; third-party insurance plans may need a referral (check with your provider). PT is also available at the Sports Medicine + Performance Center in the Champions Center/Stadium.

Speech, language + hearing clinic

Take care of your hearing! Students can get a basic hearing test at no cost. Hearing protection specifically designed for musicians is available at below-market cost.

Guest speaker series

Topics include performance management skills, temporomandibular joint disorder, PT for performers and the anatomy of breathing. Visit the Wellness Board or check our Facebook page for the schedule.

MUSC 2/5608:​ Wellness for Musicians 1

An exploration of strategies that help musicians maintain health while achieving peak performance. We investigate and employ powerful somatic methodologies including Alexander Technique and Body Mapping that improve physical functioning and prevent injury. The course incorporates a variety of wellness aspects such as performance psychology, mental health, effective exercise, nutrition, breathing, hearing and vocal health. Main text: Barbara Conable’s How to Learn the Alexander Technique.

MUSC 4608/MUSC 5808: Wellness for Musicians 2

This course develops and further integrates material covered in Wellness for Musicians.1. We embark on a deeper exploration of somatic and wide-ranging wellness strategies, including F.M. Alexander’s conception of Inhibition and other approaches for proactive self-care and improvement. We will consider how to integrate methodologies in teaching, pedagogy and practice. Students will complete several projects related to their specific musical pursuits and interests. Main text: Missy Vineyard’s How You Stand, How You Move, How You Live.

University resources

Community resources

Supplemental materials

Barbara Conable discussing “The Five Tasks of Constructive Rest”

Advisories on Hearing Health
Published by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA). This is a comprehensive overview of hearing health issues for postsecondary schools and departments of music.  Information of a medical nature is provided by PAMA; information regarding contextual issues in music programs, by NASM.

A study published in the British Medical Journal titled “Randomised controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain.” For those wary of technical jargon, there is an informative video about the study.

Links above to community healthcare providers who have expertise in a particular area do not imply or intend endorsement or recommendation of any particular provider, individual practitioner or modality by the CU Boulder College of Music or the college’s Musicians’ Wellness Program. Rather, this information is provided as a service to seeking solutions to wellness issues.

More

Academic Technology Consultants (ATC) assist faculty and teaching assistants in integrating technologies into their teaching, research and creative work. The consultants are assigned to the various schools and colleges and are located in the areas they support. They are centrally managed by ITS, locally positioned within the Imig building and jointly commissioned by ITS and the College of Music.

The consultants typically support their faculty through training classes, one-on-one consulting, helping with the development and implementation of projects involving technology and acting as liaisons between the faculty and other units of ITS. All of these services are provided free of charge.

Schedule

2025-26 schedule

Bold = Required band activity

Aug. 29–Pearl Street Stampede (meals provided)
Aug. 30–CU vs. Georgia Tech, Folsom Field

Sept. 5–Pearl Street Stampede (meals provided)
Sept. 6–CU vs. Delaware, Folsom Field
Sept. 13–CU @ Houston
Sept. 19–Pearl Street Stampede (meals provided)
Sept. 20–CU vs. Wyoming, Folsom Field
Sept. 26–Pearl Street Stampede (meals provided)
Sept. 27–CU vs. BYU, Folsom Field

Oct. 4–CU @ TCU
Oct. 10–Pearl Street Stampede (meals provided)
Oct. 11–CU vs. Iowa State, Folsom Field
Oct. 25–CU @ Utah
Oct. 31–Pearl Street Stampede (meals provided)

Nov. 1–CU vs. Arizona, Folsom Field
Nov. 2–Band banquet, Glenn Miller Ballroom
Nov. 8–CU @ West Virginia
Nov. 21–Pearl Street Stampede (meals provided)
Nov. 22–CU vs. Arizona State, Folsom Field
Nov. 29–CU @ Kansas State

Dec. 6–Big 12 championship game, Arlington, TX
December/January–BOWL TRIP!

Pearl Street Stampedes

A favorite local tradition, the CU Boulder Golden Buffalo Marching Band (GBMB) joins the Colorado Buffaloes in Pearl Street Stampedes bringing our campus and community together as we rally for Buffs victories before each home game!

The GBMB leads the excitement and enthusiasm on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall, beginning at the Boulder Courthouse downtown. Each stampede kicks off with an entertaining preview of musical highlights for the next day’s game. Don’t miss this family-friendly event as Buff fans join the heartbeat of the University of Colorado Boulder: Our Golden Buffalo Marching Band! 

Personnel

Matthew Dockendorf
Interim Director of Bands

Branden Steinmetz
Interim Associate Director of Bands
Director, Golden Buffalo Marching Band

Logan Sorey
Interim Assistant Director of Bands

Graduate Teaching Assistants
Eli Gillespie
Amy Millesen
Catherine Ryan

Ensembles Program Coordinator
Rachelle Crowell

Uniform Coordinator
Jessica Finlay-Schultz

Drumline Instructor
Jake Euler

Colorguard Instructor
Kirsten Huffman

Our College of Music annually invites high school chamber and symphony orchestras to participate in an Invitational Orchestra Festival in recognition of their continued excellence. More information coming soon!

More

My student will graduate 8th grade in the weeks before this summer’s camp. Which camp should they attend?  
This student would be eligible to attend the Middle School Summer Music Academy.

Do you offer discounts on camp registration?
We offer discounted rates to participants of the CU Middle School Honor Band Festival (other honors festivals are not eligible for the discount) and the scholarship opportunities listed above. No other discounts are available at this time.

Should I send you a sample of my student’s playing?
No, thanks! The Middle School SMA does not require a music sample or audition ahead of time. Campers will play placement auditions the first day of camp, which may include short excerpts of the music for the week (made available ahead of time) and basic scales.

Our family also wants to do another activity during the week of camp. Are students allowed to leave camp?
For the security of our camps, students are not permitted to leave camp except at designated check-out times for their group (residents or commuters). Exceptions can be made in emergency situations; please contact us right away and we’ll coordinate with you.

What if my student says they want to come home from camp early?
Our camps are designed to challenge, encourage and grow students. This may be new for them, and sometimes campers are uncomfortable at first. If your student expresses to you that they are struggling for whatever reason, please let us know right away, before deciding to bring them home early. Many times, we are able to make adjustments that can help the camper enjoy their experience and feel proud that they made it through something that was initially difficult.

More information about Summer Jazz Academy

Registration opens Jan. 7, 2019. Please fill out the following form in addition to your online registration profile:

Summer Jazz Academy handbook

Placement auditions for the CU Summer Jazz Academy are held on the first day of camp (see schedule above). Each audition will be anywhere from 10-12 minutes in length and is based primarily on improvisation, instrumental technique and knowledge of jazz repertoire.

Beginner jazz players

We work with students of all skill levels! If you are new to jazz, great! We’re excited to introduce you to a new style of music and a new approach to playing. Prepare a short piece that demonstrates your skill on your instrument, and we’ll meet you where you are at.

Experienced jazz players

If you have some experience playing jazz, we’d love to see your skill in a variety of styles. Please prepare as much of the material for your section listed below as you are able.

Drummers
Be prepared to play time in a group setting, trade fours, and demonstrate the following styles:

  • Bossa Nova
  • Swing
  • Funk
  • Afro-Cuban
  • ¾ (Jazz Waltz)

Bassists
Bring three or more pieces of varying styles (bop, blues, ballad, 3/4, Latin, etc.).

Guitarists, pianists and vibists
Be prepared to play rhythm changes or other bebop tune(up tempo), a medium tempo tune and a ballad. Guitar amp and piano will be provided at the audition. Guitarists, remember to bring your own patch cords! We will NOT provide a patch cord.

Wind and string players
Please choose 3 jazz standards (your choice) that you would like to play for your audition. Please bring a play-along CD of your tunes. ALSO: Your selections must include a jazz ballad, medium or up-tempo piece (bebop, standard, jazz standard, modal or rhythm changes) and a 12-bar blues.