 Charles J. Gray is currently the
Director of Bands at Riverside King High School, where his Band and
Guard have an unprecedented record of accomplishments! He holds a
Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and a California Teacher's
Credential, both obtained from California State University, Fullerton.
He is in demand as a clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor
throughout the Southwest. He has judged band competitions in
California and has done clinics with bands throughout the State.
Recognized for his musical excellence,
knowledge and promotion of literature for band, Charles Gray and
his groups have performed and recorded works by Copland, Rossini, McBeth,
Claude T. Smith, Forsblad, Grundman, Clifton Williams, Alfred Reed,
Strauss, Nelhybel, Vaughan Williams, McGinty, Moussorgsky, Brahms,
Holsinger, Tchaikovsky, Franz von Suppe, Wagner, Gustav Holst, Percy
Grainger, Dmitri Shostakovich, Leroy Anderson, John Williams, and John
Philip Sousa. His impassioned leadership has resulted in
invitations for the Riverside King Band to perform throughout the United
States, Europe and major conferences and conventions!
 In his twenty-year teaching career,
bands under his direction have appeared in the annual Garden Grove
Strawberry Parade, the South Gate Christmas Parade, the Philadelphia
Freedom 4th of July Parade and the Orange Blossom Parade. They
have competed in some of the finest band reviews in the Western United
States. These include: The Hawaiian Invitational, the
Tracey, Arcadia, Mount Carmel, Chino, Rowland and The Tournament of
Champions Band Reviews! They have also had the honor of being the
lead unit in the "62nd Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade," a performance
viewed by an estimated 340 million people worldwide.
Bands under his leadership have
performed throughout California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii. They
also have traveled along the East Coast giving concerts and marching in
major parades in Boston, New York City and Philadelphia. While in
Washington, DC, they gave a "Command Performance" at the White House.
In April of 1996 they went to Europe. They were the Official Band
from the State of California to represent California and the United
States as they took part in the "American Musical Salute to Austria
"with
performances in Frankfurt, Innsbruck, Lucerne, Heidelberg, Salzburg and
Vienna. In 2001, the band traveled to the United Kingdom to
represent the State of California as "Ambassadors of Music". Their
travels took them throughout London, Oxford, Strafford, York, Edinburgh,
the Scottish Highlands and Glasgow.
 His groups have performed at the
"Orange County Performing Arts Center" in 1995, 1996 and 1997.
They also have performed for numerous celebrities, state and national
politicians and have been seen many times on nationally televised
parades including the 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1995 Annual
Hollywood Christmas Parade. In December of 1996,2000 and 2001 they
took part in the Fiesta Bowl National Band Championships. In 2000
and 2001, his band was named National Grand Champions, becoming the
first group to ever achieve back-to-back National Champions!
His groups have been referred to as "Hollywood's Band",
and have been seen on television and in the movies Highly
regarded by the Walt Disney organization, his groups have appeared at
Disney Theme Parks many times over the past 20 years. |
About the Director
