Gunn Instrumental Music

Gunn’s Chamber, String, and Symphony Orchestras had the opportunity to work with composer Dr. Catherine Likhuta! Gunn Orchestras will be premiering her string orchestra piece “People of Sky and Wheat” at our upcoming Fall Orchestra Concert. Dr. Likhuta worked with the orchestras on her vision for the piece, and graciously shared about her life as a composer and artist. She even performed her “Rondo” for solo piano for us!

Dr. Likhuta also visited with Gunn Symphony Orchestra, who will be performing her piece “Fully Free”. Dr. Likhuta described her experience of writing this special piece for Australia’s “Last Seen” showcase, which joins vision-impaired Australians with artists and composers. She shared background on how the piece was composed to give a 3D effect of the ensemble, and about how she thinks about composing for each instrument in the full orchestra. Thank you for an inspiring visit, Dr. Likhuta!

It’s such a special experience for students to be able to interact with living composers, and to hear the full vision of their music from the composers themselves. Many thanks to Gunn Band & Orchestra Boosters for making visits like these possible! 🎵

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! 🎵 We are so excited to see returning Titan musicians, and to greet all of our new students! 🎻 🎺 Gunn Music is a place where YOU belong!

Gunn Instrumental Music Directors:
- Mr. Summers (bands)
- Ms. Lewis (orchestras)
- Ms. Ou-Ponticelli (orchestras)
- Mr. McGinn (jazz)
🌟 and introducing Mr. Abada, who will be teaching band at Gunn and JLS! Welcome, Mr. Abada!

Splashing down soon: 🌊 H2Orchestra, a Gunn Symphony Orchestra Concert! Swim into Spangenberg on May 22 during PRIME to hear some hydro harmonies and sea-sonal serenades!

These tidal tunes include water-inspired classical music favorites, alongside aquatic anthems from “Jaws”, “Moana”, and “Titanic”! 🦈

Come support your Symphony Orchestra friends as they share nautical notes - you’ll be able to sign up for “Symphony Orchestra Concert” on Flexisched for May 22! 🐬

Join us for Spring Concerts, honoring the senior class of 2024!

Instrumental Concerts:
🎵 Gunn Bands - Mon 5/20 at 7pm
🎵 Gunn Orchestras - Tues 5/21 at 7pm
🎵 Gunn Jazz - Weds 5/22 at 7:30pm

All concerts are in Spangenberg! FREE for all students, seniors 65+, and for families with Boosters Pass - OR $10 at the door!

(Also: please support in their Spring Concert on May 16 - tickets at gunnchoir.org)

Bravo to all 7 Gunn Bands & Orchestras for receiving Unanimous Superior ratings at this weekend’s CMEA Festival. 🎵 We are so proud of our Titan Musicians, not only for their individual hard work on their instruments, but also for their teamwork and ensemble growth. Congratulations!

CMEA Band & Orchestra Festival hosted at Gunn next week on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27. This festival will feature 17 ensembles from Gunn, Fletcher, JLS, and Greene, along with performances by ensembles from outside of PAUSD.

🎶 Musicians will perform for a panel of esteemed adjudicators who will give valuable feedback, and each ensemble will also go sight-read a piece of music for adjudicator feedback.

🎵 All performances are in Spangenberg Theatre, and are ✨free✨ for audience members to attend. Please note that these listed times are performance times - student call times are earlier!

Bravo 👏 to these three Gunn Orchestra students who have been accepted to the prestigious National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) and NYO2 programs this summer!

This tuition-free program, created by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, includes a multi-week training residency with leading professional orchestra musicians in New York. NYO-USA will then be joined by conductor Marin Alsop on a tour of South America.

Congratulations to Jenna Kang (Violin, NYO-USA), Andrew Hwang (Viola, NYO-USA), and Brandon Kang (Cello, NYO2). We are so proud of these musicians for being selected for this highly competitive opportunity!

🚨 Mark your calendar (4/12) and get your ticket, the 10th Annual Gunn Swing Dance is coming soon!!! Save $10 when you buy in advance. 🔥

Tickets - https://www.tickettailor.com/events/gunninstrumentalmusic/1088754

Gunn Jazz Bands traveled to New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz to perform at the 54th Annual Loyola University Jazz Festival. Both Gunn Jazz Bands performed at the festival, received adjudicator feedback and a clinic from world class jazz musicians, and attended concerts by the Jazz Faculty and the University Jazz Ensemble.

The trip was packed with live jazz performances including: Private concert & evening public concert by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dinner at The Maison with the Shotgun Jazz Band, River Boat dinner cruise with the Dukes of Dixieland.

Students got to eat great Louisiana, New Orleans, and Cajun cuisine. They visited Mardi Gras World and got to see all of the Mardi Gras floats from this year. Students also visited the National World War II Museum and the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

Bravo to the Gunn Jazz Band students for their hard work and dedication to Jazz! ⚜️

Gunn Chamber Orchestra traveled to New York to perform at the Orchestra Cup, held at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. This National Orchestra Championships competition featured top orchestras from across the country, and it was a pleasure to meet and hear performances from these amazing ensembles.

Performing music by Joly Braga Santos, Luigi Boccherini, Vivian Fung, and Joaquín Turina, the Gunn Chamber Orchestra won the 🏆 2024 Orchestra Cup GRAND CHAMPION prize, along with recognitions for:

⭐ Best High Strings Soloist - Ian Cheung, violin
⭐ Best Low Strings Soloist - Brandon Kang, cello
⭐ Best Section - Gunn Chamber Orchestra VIOLAS 🎻
⭐ Most Original Selection - Gunn Chamber Orchestra’s performance of Vivian Fung’s “Pizzicato”

Orchestra students also got to explore New York, seeing the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Times Square, Central Park, Top of the Rock, and a cruise to the Statue of Liberty. They also got to enjoy Broadway shows “SIX” and “Wicked”.

Bravo to the Gunn Chamber Orchestra students for their hard work and dedication to music! We are so proud of these Titan musicians 🎵

Gunn Chamber Orchestra performed at the Homestead High School Orchestra Festival this morning, and had a great clinic with adjudicator Albert Jeung.

Thank you and for hosting a wonderful festival, and to adjudicators Tim Smith, Creston Herron, and Stephanie Holmes for their valuable comments. 👏

THIS MONDAY (Feb 12) join the Gunn Bands & Symphony Orchestra for our February Concert in Spangenberg Theater at 7:30pm. The concert will feature Symphony Orchestra, Freshman Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble performing music from a wide range of genres and styles.

$10 at the door, FREE for Booster Families, Students, and Seniors 65+

Congratulations to the 15 Gunn Band & Orchestra students who represented Gunn and Palo Alto in All State ensembles at in Sacramento! They got to play with musicians from across the state under the leadership of world-class conductors. Bravo! 👏

Gunn Chamber Orchestra got to Zoom with composer Vivian Fung () as they work on her “Pizzicato for Strings” in preparation for their New York Orchestra Cup tour. It is always special to have composers share their vision for a piece - a unique way to improve our craft!

Special thanks to the Gunn Band & Orchestra Boosters who make composer visits like this one possible!

Congratulations to the Gunn Jazz Program on a very successful weekend at the CMEA Bay Section Jazz South Festival. Gunn High School hosted the two day California Music Education Association event in Spangenberg Theatre. Gunn’s two Jazz Bands and 3 Jazz Combos all received top ratings of Superior. The Gunn Big Band Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Band II received the highest honor of Unanimous Superior Rating! Congratulations to all of our Gunn Jazz students!

On Jan 24, Jazz Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington worked Jazz Students from Gunn and Paly. She brought some of her former students from Berklee to perform. She also brought a dancer to inspire students to consider the connection between music and movement. The students had a blast! Carrington’s focus is on raising engagement in Jazz for women.

Congratulations to Carina and Davide on a great Santa Clara County Honor Band Concert! Thanks for representing Gunn in the County Honor Band!

Not pictured: Mr. Miller, who also acted as site host at Paly for the Santa Clara County Honor Band event!

Course selection for next year will begin soon! 🎵 Gunn Instrumental Music courses are designed to grow with you each year in high school.

Questions about enrolling in a music class next year? Send a message! 🎶

Join Gunn Orchestras on Tues, Jan 23rd for our Winter Orchestra Concert! This performance will feature both Gunn String Orchestras, and Gunn Chamber Orchestra. 7:30pm in Spangenberg!

🎶 FREE for all students, seniors 65+, and boosters families. $10 at the door otherwise!

Welcome back, Titan Musicians! ✨ Looking forward to a great 2024 with Gunn Instrumental Music!

A few moments from Gunn Chamber Orchestra’s partnership with - what an amazing experience for our students! 🎻 Music by Boccherini, Janáček, and a movement of Brahms Sextet no. 1 featuring two senior members of Gunn Orchestra alongside the ASQ!

We’d like to share our gratitude to the Alexander String Quartet Chamber Music Projects (ASQCMP) for making this collaboration possible, and to the wonderful musicians Zak Grafilo, Yuna Lee, David Samuel, and Sandy Wilson for their fantastic work as educators and performers. Thanks also to the Gunn Band & Orchestra Boosters for supporting this project! 🎵

Send a message to learn more

Congratulations to Gunn Jazz Band II and the Gunn Big Band Jazz Ensemble on an outstanding Guest Artist Concert with our special guest John Worley!

Jazz concert this Friday with local legend and guest artist John Worley. Tickets at gunnmusic.org or the QR code.

Special bundle offer, add a ticket to the Gunn Swing Dance on April 12 and save!

Congratulations! Please join us in celebration for these Gunn Instrumental Musicians, for their acceptances to All-State, CODA, and County honor ensembles. Bravo to all who auditioned! 👏

Congratulations to the 11 Gunn Music students who performed with the CODA Honor Orchestras this weekend, alongside 200 top student musicians from across the state! What a joy to get to play in beautiful Bing Concert Hall at Stanford University, right in our own neighborhood.

Bravo to our Titan musicians who represented Gunn in this statewide event - Talya A., Chanew K., Seongju K., Ella L., Xiwen L., Jason L., Alice O., Stephen Z., David K., Sophie N., and Evelyn R. (not pictured)! Also ➡️ Ms. Ou-Ponticelli, who serves as President of CODA!

Join us for an evening of music presented by the Freshman Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble. Each ensemble will present a band adaptation of an English folk songs as well as a contemporary piece. Come support our talented Gunn musicians. Students get in free!

Gunn Symphony Orchestra & Chamber Orchestra Concert, featuring the Alexander String Quartet 🎻 coming up on Dec 14!

Featured guest artists, the Alexander String Quartet () will perform alongside members of Gunn Orchestra in this special collaboration concert. Based in San Francisco, the Alexander String Quartet stands among the world’s premier ensembles. This concert will feature works by Boccherini, Janacek, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, and more.

❄️ Thursday, Dec 14th at 7:30pm
Gunn Spangenberg Theatre
$10 at the door, or FREE for all students, seniors 65+, and Gunn Music Boosters families with pass

☃️ Special thanks to ASQ Chamber Music Projects & Gunn Band/Orch Boosters for making this partnership possible!

Gunn Orchestras were lucky to work with guest conductor Dr. Mark Laycock this week! We are always appreciative of Dr. Laycock’s musical analysis and interpretation, and of course, his jokes. 😄 Thank you to Gunn Band & Orchestra Boosters for supporting visits like these!

Come out this Wednesday for a night of jazz from the Gunn and Fletcher Jazz Bands. 7 PM in Spangenberg Theatre. Students get in free!

Join us for our Fall Orchestra Concert on Thurs Oct 26, featuring Gunn’s String, Chamber, and Symphony Orchestras! 🎻 This concert will include musical gems by Mozart, Braga Santos, Stravinsky, Fung, and more! 🍂Gunn String Orchestras will premiere a new commission by composer Dión Morales titled “Danza de la Resistencia”.

See you on Thurs, Oct 26 in Spangenberg! Concert starts at 7:30 and is FREE for students & boosters families (or $10 at the door)!