Biography
Gary Pratt has led a distinguished career as a music educator, performer, conductor, adjudicator and arranger, and is co-director of the famed California State University, Northridge Jazz Studies Program at California State University, Northridge.
Throughout his career as a professional Jazz Bassist, Mr. Pratt has performed and/or recorded with such legendary jazz artists as Louie Bellson, Lionel Hampton, Snooky Young, Conti Candoli, Pearl Bailey, Bobby Shew, Don Menza, Blue Mitchell, Pete Christlieb, Cat Anderson, and more recently with Bob Florence, Kim Richmond, Billy Mintz, Mary Bond Davis, Sandra Booker, Cathy Segal-Garcia, Brian Swartz, Matt Otto, Clay Jenkins, Rob Lockart, Matt Harris and many others.
His guest conducting engagements have included performances in both Europe and Japan, and his noted versatility as a music educator has made him a highly sought after clinician and guest conductor of jazz ensembles, orchestras and concert bands.
During his tenure as a member of the music faculty at California State University, Northridge, he has served as chairman of the CSU Northridge Wind Area and Director of Orchestras. In addition his private teaching schedule, Mr. Pratt teaches courses in jazz musicianship, directs the Studio and Lab Jazz Ensembles, jazz repertoire, jazz combos, and directs, composes and arranges for "NuVeau,"CSU Northridge's avant-garde jazz ensemble.
His other activities have included memberships in the Los Angeles City Youth Orchestra Council, The Anderson Foundation's Wilde Woode Children's Center Music Program, The CSU Northridge Youth Orchestra Academy Board of Directors, The Southern California Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA), The California Music Educators Association (CMEA), and The California Band Directors Association (CBDA - where he served as guest conductor of the 1990 All-State Concert Band). In 1994, he was selected as a conducting finalist in the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, and has also guest conducted the Los Angeles Bureau of Music "POPS" Symphony Orchestra, The Ventura Symphony and The Los Angeles South East Symphony Orchestras. In addition to his many judging activities, he is an adjudicator for The Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards and The NARAS Foundation Grammy Signature Schools.
Mr. Pratt is a past board member of the Jungendkulturzentrum Scheune, "Pink Pop" International Jazz Exchange Program, located in Ibbenburen, Germany - a program designed to "... bridge the communication gap through the exploration and study of jazz."