Charles Gambetta Biography
Dr. Charles Gambetta received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in orchestral conducting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he was the assistant conductor of the University Symphony Orchestra from 1996-98. He returned to conduct the orchestra in 2000 as winner of the 2000 UNCG Conducting Competition. Gambetta began his conducting studies in 1974 with Anshel Brusilow at North Texas State University where he was also Associate Conductor and Arranger for the prestigious One O’clock Lab Band.
After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in double bass performance at California State University, Hayward, he served as bassist and arranger with the United States Military Academy Band from 1977 to 1980. Following his military service Charles established a fellowship program for emerging orchestral musicians, the Young American Symphony Orchestra of Lowell, Massachusetts, and served as its Music Director from 1986 to 1995. Since arriving in Greensboro, Gambetta has served as Assistant Conductor of the Greensboro Symphony, Music Director of the Greensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra and Assistant Conductor of both the Fayetteville Symphony and Philharmonia of Greensboro. In addition to his work with American orchestras, he has conducted orchestras in Italy, Bulgaria, Ukraine and most recently in Romania where he performed with the Philharmonic Orchestra “Mihail Jora” of Bacau.
Always in demand as a bassist, he appears regularly with the Greg Hyslop Trio, and he has performed with many legends of jazz including Dizzy Gillespie, Jaki Byard, Joe Henderson, Jimmy Owens, Billy Higgins, Ernie Wilkins, Jimmy Giuffre, Frank Rosolino, Joe Williams, Mel Torme, Kai Winding, Billy Taylor, Louis Bellson and Ed Shaughnessy. Recognized as one of premiere bass teachers in the Carolinas, Dr Gambetta began teaching double bass and electric bass at Guilford College in 1996 and currently also teaches double bass and jazz appreciation at Greensboro College.
Email: Gambettac@guilford.edu
Phone: 336-316-2422