Gary Schwantes has developed a unique and compelling voice as a performer on saxophone and bamboo flutes, and as a composer and arranger. He has toured and recorded 3 CDs with the North Carolina based jazz-funk trio Hip Bones. He is founder and Artistic Director of ULTRA WORLD X-TET, and produced the group's debut CD Moon and Legend. He has performed with groups under his name as well as with Klezmania, Pam Tillis, Weishan Liu, Lou Harrison, Allen Ginsberg, and many others. He released a CD with Chinese composer Gang Situ and has recorded with metal guitarist Jason Becker. He has composed music and done sound design for many organizations including Lily Cai Chinese Dance Company, Mickey Hart's Planet Drum, Craig Baldwin, Dimensions Dance Theater, ACT, and S.F. Legion of Honor Museum. He has received commissions and grants from Meet the Composer, ACT, S.F. Legion of Honor Museum, the Zellerbach Family Foundation and Chinese Cultural Productions and studied composition at Mills College with Lou Harrison and Anthony Braxton. He has a California Teaching Credential in Music and a wide variety of teaching experience.Gary is based in San Francisco, CA.

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