Denis Colwell is a conductor, arranger, writer and teacher. Colwell served as the Music Director of the River City Brass Band for 15 years, conducting over 1,300 concerts throughout the USA.  He joined that ensemble as a cornetist in 1982, ultimately rising to assistant principal solo cornet and adding the post of associate conductor in 1991. Colwell assumed all conducting duties for the River City Brass Band in May of 1994 and the responsibilities of Music Director were added six months later.

Colwell is Associate Professor of Music at Carnegie Mellon University where he conducts the wind ensemble and teaches classes in conducting. He served as Assistant Head of the Carnegie Mellon School of Music from 1987 to 1995.

A Pittsburgh native, Denis studied trumpet performance both as an undergraduate and graduate student with Carnegie Mellon's renowned trumpet professor, Anthony L. Pasquarelli. For nearly a decade, he was a member of the award-winning Carnegie Brass Quintet. Colwell is the founder of the Carnegie Mellon Youth Brass Band and the River City Youth Brass Band and served as conductor of both ensembles.

At Carnegie Mellon, Colwell produced and hosted the classical music channel programs on US Airways In-Flight Audio Entertainment, heard worldwide on US Airways flights.

Colwell's first CD recording with the Carnegie Mellon Wind Ensemble was hailed as "...one of the best band recordings in recent years..." by the American Record Guide and he continues an active recording schedule with that ensemble. His recordings with the River City Brass Band include Christmas! (with the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh), Big Band Brass, Heartland, (a recording of works commissioned by the RCBB), All American (all American composers) and Polished Brass (a collection of classical miniatures).
   
Pittsburgh City Council recently recognized his contribution to the cultural landscape by declaring April 28, 2009 “Denis Colwell Day” in the City of Pittsburgh.