About Me
Molly Collins has established herself as a versatile musician, excelling in both classical and jazz genres. She is completing dual degrees in Music Education and Trumpet Performance at the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam.
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As a classical musician, Collins has performed with the Orchestra of Northern New York, Northern Symphonic Winds, and the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. During her time at Crane she has held principal positions with both the Crane Symphony Orchestra and Crane Wind Ensemble. Additionally, she was a member of the Frackenpohl Honors Brass Quintet, a scholarship ensemble that represents Crane through community outreach, chamber music performances, and high-level collaborations. Collins’s achievements include performances at the Crane Honors Recital, the 2023 International Trumpet Guild (ITG) Conference in Minneapolis, MN, and the 2025 International Women’s Brass Conference (IWBC) in Hartford, Connecticut.
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Collins is also an accomplished jazz musician. At Crane, she has played lead trumpet with both the Jazz Ensemble and the Latin Ensemble since 2022. She was also selected for the Giroux Honors Jazz Combo, a scholarship quintet that serves as an ambassador for the school through performances at official functions and community events. Collins also leads her own group, the Molly Collins Quartet (MCQ), which has performed at the Rochester International Jazz Festival. The ensemble blends jazz standards, funk, and Latin influences.
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Beyond performance, Collins is equally devoted to music education and leadership. She serves as Collegiate Vice President of the New York State Band Directors Association (NYSBDA), President of the Crane Student Association, and Events Coordinator on the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) Emerging Professionals Board, where she also contributed as a Conference Writer for the 2025 ITG Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. As an educator, she maintains a private trumpet studio, works as a counselor at the Crane Youth Music Camp, and leads jazz improvisation clinics through NYSBDA. Her commitment to advocacy is reflected in her selection as a mentee with the International Women’s Brass Conference (IWBC), where she is cultivating her passion for equity and inclusion in the brass community.
Her primary teachers have included Dr. Christopher Keach, Dr. Brianne Borden, Dr. Michael Dudley, and Dr. Dave Chisholm. Collins is a S.E. Shires Rising Artist, and performs on a TRQ13S S.E. Shires trumpet.
Education
2022-2026
Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam
Molly Collins is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Music Education with a Band Track and a Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, with an expected graduation date of 2026. She is concentrating in General Honors and is a Presidential Scholar, maintaining a 3.97 GPA. Collins has studied classical trumpet under the instruction of Dr. Christopher Keach and Dr. Brianne Borden. Her jazz studies have been under the guidance of Dr. Michael Dudley and Dr. Seungyong Hong.
2018-2022
Eastman Community Music School​​​​​
Collins was a section member of the Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra from 2018 to 2022, where she gained extensive experience in jazz performance. Additionally, she served as the second trumpet in the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra from 2021 to 2022, further developing her skills in orchestral playing and ensemble dynamics. Collins studied under Herb Smith, Dr. Colin Gordon, and Wes Nance.​
Hochstein Community Music
At Hochstein, Collins studied jazz trumpet in private lessons with Dr. Dave Chisholm. She was also a member of the Honors Jazz Combo and the Youth Wind Symphony.
