Zoe Cohen is an experienced field conductor and Drum Major, currently finishing a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her primary instruments are trumpet and classical voice. As a conductor, she has studied wind band conducting under Dr. Lindsay Bronnenkant and worked alongside Meghan MacFadden as the conducting intern for the Smith College Wind Ensemble (2023). Cohen has served as a Drum Major for the UMass Minuteman Marching Band for four consecutive years. In November of 2023, she became the first-ever recipient of the Poulton Family Scholarship for her dedication to the UMass Marching Band and exemplary leadership in the 400+ member ensemble.
Originally from Nevada City, California, Cohen has seven years of private marching arts leadership teaching experience. Her students range from high school to college and she specializes in field conducting and leadership. Cohen has been an active field conductor for nearly a decade, with a background in Drum Major competitions through the Northern California Band Association where she frequently won first place conductor in the highest division. During the pandemic, she participated in the first round of Drum Major International competitions and won World Class Championships First Place Conductor (2021).
Through her leadership experience, Zoe has developed a fantastic sense of team organization and people skills. She is an expert in servant leadership and both focal point and mixed focal point conducting styles. She has experience in a wide variety of programs and is ready to meet any student where they are at to help them achieve their goals. Joining the DMLA Instructional team and having the opportunity to continue to serve the world of marching arts through helping to build its future leaders is a dream come true for Cohen and she could not be more proud to be a part of the organization.
Photo by Michael Sparks Keegan
