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MUSIC IMPROVES LIVES
Awarding scholarships to high school and college students pursing a career in music education and music therapy.
Dr. Bruce Colell
Dr. Bruce Colell
Dr. Bruce Colell
At the age of three little Bruce started playing the piano and fell in love with music. Throughout his life he learned he had the ability to play any instrument. Literally any instrument. He wrote thousands of compositions. He went to the University of Arizona and became the assistant band director. He created one of the most famous field
At the age of three little Bruce started playing the piano and fell in love with music. Throughout his life he learned he had the ability to play any instrument. Literally any instrument. He wrote thousands of compositions. He went to the University of Arizona and became the assistant band director. He created one of the most famous field shows in Arizona history. While attending the University he joined the fencing team. While walking home one night, someone jumped out to attack him and Bruce thwarted off the attack by jumping to the fencing position and lunging his foil into the attackers chest. At some point he decided that California was the place to be and he moved to Ventura county where he got a job as the band director at Channel Islands high school. On his first day of school he saw a beautiful lady named Kristi Snyder, The daughter of a well-known and well respected local farmer. Bruce told his friend that he was going to marry that girl. His friend told him that she was much too far out of Bruce’s league. At the time Kristi Colell was just a substitute and Bruce decided he would introduce himself. When he got to her classroom, he noticed she was frustrated so we asked her how he could help. She was trying to plug something in but the outlets didn’t work. He decided to try and help. He could not help and she thought he was an idiot. A few months later she returned to channel Islands high school with a full-time job and Bruce got the courage to ask her out. On the third date he proposed and they were married six months later. He earned his masters in composition and his PhD and piano. He was the first of his family to graduate college let alone get a PhD. He went on to teach 43 years in high school and college level music. He had groups that went all over the world touring. He was a guest pianist for Don Ho for an entire week while on a trip to Hawaii when Don Ho’s pianist became sick. He was the church choir director at Saint Mary Magdalene for 21 years and took a group of 88 people on a pilgrimage to Rome where they had a private audience with the pope. While on the stage the pope grab Bruce his hand and drug him all over the stage not letting go. Bruce also took a group of 44 on a pilgrimage to the holy land. While on that trip he swim in the Jordan River with his youngest daughter and the rest of his life regretted not swimming to the other side as the Bible says, heaven is on the other side of the Jordan River. He achieved more music accolades than anyone could think possible. There was not one contest his high school jazz girls choir or high school jazz band couldn’t win. they even won every single the college contest they entered.
In Loving Memory
Dr. Bruce Colell
Dr. Bruce Colell
To honor Dr. Colell, any contributions made to the Colell family will go towards this foundation.
Our Mission
Dr. Bruce Colell
Our Mission
Our misson is to support programs that use music to improve children's lives. The Foundation currently focuses its efforts on awarding scholarships to high school and college students pursing a career in music education and music therapy.
