Lindsie Katz, Violinist
As one of our long-time students at the Center for Musical Arts, Colin Lockridge has made quite an impact over the years as he has blossomed into a wonderful pianist and composer. He has been studying under one of the Center’s faculty members, Deborah Schmit-Lobis, since he was in third grade, and he is now in the process of applying to colleges for composition.
Colin’s composing has taken the front seat in his musical life thus far, and he particularly enjoys composing film scores. This requires a great deal of commitment to self-teaching with all the computer software involved, as well as high internal motivation to continue learning new things. His brother is also a musician, so I am sure there is rarely a time when the Lockridge household is not filled with music.
In addition to music, Colin is also an avid skier and mountain biker. Being well-rounded is so important for our mental and physical health, and Colin sure seems to live life to its fullest.
Colin is an up-and-coming composer, so be on the lookout for his amazing work. You may even recognize his music in a new movie someday!
Read Colin’s insightful answers to our interview questions below, and be sure to check out two of his compositions for the Berlin International Film Scoring & Sound Design Competition from 2020 and 2021.
LINDSIE KATZ: Please describe your history with the Center for Musical Arts.
COLIN LOCKRIDGE: I began studying at the Center for Musical Arts in third grade after having completed a year of formal piano study with another teacher.
LINDSIE: What drew you to study piano and composition?
COLIN: One of my earliest memories was banging on my mom’s old Everett spinet piano. Imitating the songs that I heard in preschool and early elementary quickly transitioned into creating my own music. When my mom was looking for a new piano teacher when I was 8, she called the Center and said she was looking for someone who could also help me with my early interest in composing my own pieces. Nancy said she knew just the right person and signed me up with Deborah Schmit-Lobis.
LINDSIE: You are studying piano and composition with Deborah Schmit-Lobis. Can you tell me something that you have learned from her, or something you like about her lessons?
COLIN: I really appreciate her compositional approach to lessons. For example, when working on sight-reading, we’d talk about the compositional value of a piece. She also spent time helping me master chord structures and building up my dexterity. This fall, Deborah has also given helpful feedback as I put together my portfolio for college applications.
LINDSIE: Recently you have been entering your compositions for awards, including the Berlin International Film Scoring & Sound Design Competitions. Is composition something you’d like to pursue professionally?
COLIN: I hope to take the next steps to develop my compositional and scoring capabilities in college to further my skills. Success for me, would mean composing for major motion picture films. Although writing for films is my ultimate goal, I would be just as excited to score games, TV, and other forms of visual media.
(Enjoy Colin’s 2021 composition for the Berlin International Film Scoring & Sound Design Competition below.)
LINDSIE: I understand that you and your brother Connor both take lessons at the Center. Is there a lot of music in your house all the time?
COLIN: Although we occasionally play together (he also plays violin, organ and occasionally the drums), we don’t play together that much. But, there is plenty of music at home between the two of us.
LINDSIE: When you are not studying music, what else fills your life?
COLIN: I love to ski and mountain bike.
LINDSIE: What would you say to other young people who think they might like to study music but aren’t sure where to start? Do you have advice for them, or can you tell them what music has meant to your life?
COLIN: Lessons have definitely been helpful for learning music, but it can take more than that. I invested the time to teach myself the software used for film scoring and I also attended some summer camps which helped show me what was possible for career options.
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions, Colin. Good luck with college, and we look forward to seeing you soar with your musical career!
Has Colin’s story inspired you to begin your own lessons at the Center for Musical Arts? Start here!