Gary Gorczyca enjoys a varied career of clarinet artistry.  Richard Dyer referred to him in the Boston Globe as having made “…an altogether outstanding contribution…” and separately having played with “…playing of spectacular agility and imagination.”

    

    After studies at New England Conservatory, Boston University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania(graduating Magna Cum Laude), he won fellowships to attend the Norfolk Chamber and Contemporary Festivals where he performed with Joan Tower and received coachings from Yale Faculty.; as well as the Tanglewood Music Center, where he received a Jackson Prize for outstanding musical achievement.

 

    During this period, he also became a first call substitute with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops, working with conductors Seiji Ozawa, Bernard Haitink, David Robertson and John Williams; composers Elliot Carter and John Adams; and performers Jessye Norman, Chick Corea and “Blue” Lou Marini amongst others.  Additionally, he is honored to be on the soundtrack to Saving Private Ryan with Williams conducting.

 

    As a soloist, Gary has appeared with the Angelica International Festival, BU and NEC Wind Ensembles, Jordan Winds and twice with the Grammy award winning Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Gil Rose, conductor.

 

    In addition to being a founding member of the Chameleon Arts Ensemble, Mr. Gorczyca performs regularly with BMOP, VentiCordi, Boston Midsummer Opera and Odyssey Opera.  As a guest, he has appeared with NEC’s First Monday Series, Collage, Callithumpian Consort, Firebird Ensemble and the Rockport Chamber Music Festival as well as being a former member of Boston Musica Viva and Harvard’s Fromm Players.

 

    Recordings include Bernard Rands’ Canti Trilogy, Lee Hyla’s Lives of the Saints, Marti Epstein’s Hypnagogia and as a soloist on Elliot Schwarz’s Chamber Concerto.

 

    A master clarinet technician, Gary spent much time during the lockdown overhauling orphaned instruments that were in his attic and donating them, with the help of his teacher Michael Webster, who paid the cost of shipping to Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico’s principal clarinetist Kathy Jones.  These instruments are being distributed by her to Puerto Rico’s El Sistema, Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico and other students in need.  To date, close to 40 clarinets have found new homes free of charge.

 

    This season’s highlights include performing at the inaugural International Clarinet Association’s Low Clarinet Festival with the Bass Clarinet supergroup Improbable Beasts in January; an April recital with Sergey Schepkin’s Glissando series; and an Up Close recital with the Chameleon Arts Ensemble in May.  More information on Gary Gorczyca’s doings can be found on his website, ggclarinet.com.

 

    Gary is a proud father of two, one of whom is an Eagle Scout and the other a Life Scout.  He has led a high adventure hiking, canoeing and camping trip to the Alaska wilderness and volunteers for as many causes as possible.  He resides in historic Hingham, MA.