Gary Gillett recently retired from after forty-one years of teaching music. He grew up in the Detroit suburbs and went to The University of Michigan and studied with the greats including Dr. William Revelli! A command performance at Carnegie Hall capped the 'eastern years'.

Gary moved 'out west' to Nevada to teach in a small school on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, 100 miles north of Elko. The learning, teaching and life experiences will fill a memoir book someday! Since then, he has just been moving north to Corvallis, Stevensville and finally Missoula. His sons, Kyle (tubist of renown) and Erin (anthropologist metal guitarist), has always been his focus.

A Master's of Music Education from The University of Montana and a Fellowship to Northwestern University to study with Dr. John Paynter continued professional development. Gary partnered with the 'Godfather of the Tuba', The Harvey Phillips Foundation, and served on the executive board for an annual summer tuba festival and Tuba Christmas events.

Gary's summer gig is directing the Missoula City Band in weekly concerts all season long at Bonner Park, and he leads the new Missoula Big Band. Gary plays with the Missoula Tuba Ensemble, the Ed Norton Big Band and subs with the Missoula Children's Theater and Missoula Symphony Orchestras.

E-mail: garylgillett@gmail.com