GORDON HENDERSON is the Associate Director of Bands and Department of Music Internal Vice Chair at UCLA. Professor Henderson directs the 250-member Bruin Marching Band, and the Varsity Band. Under Professor Henderson's direction, the Bruin Marching Band has appeared at five Rose Bowls, two Cotton Bowls, two Sun Bowls, the Las Vegas Bowl, the Aloha Bowl, the Freedom Bowl, the Silicon Valley Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. In 1993, the UCLA Bruin Marching Band received the prestigious Sudler Trophy, presented each year by the John Philip Sousa Foundation to recognize excellence and innovation. Professor Henderson also teaches music technology courses for Music Education students and D.M.A. Performance students.
From 1989 to 1995, Professor Henderson directed the Jazz Ensemble I, performing with numerous guest artists including Roy Hargrove, Bob Mintzer, Kenny Burrell, Conte Candoli, Matt Catingub, Bill Watrous, Steve Houghton, Snooky Young, Gerald Wilson and Paquito D'Rivera. Under his direction, both the Jazz Ensemble I and the Jazz Combo won their respective divisions at the 1995 Reno International Jazz Festival.
Professor Henderson served as Head Horn Instructor or Brass Arranger for three Drum Corps International Champions: the Santa Clara (CA) Vanguard in 1989 and 1999, and the 1992 Cavaliers from Rosemont, Illinois. In 2003 and 2004, he served on the brass staff of the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps from Bergenfield, NJ, and since 1990, he has served as the Arranger for the Tenrikyo Aimachi Marching Band in Nagoya, Japan, the four-time All-Japan National Champions.
Professor Henderson was an Assistant Director and Drill Designer for the 736-member Olympic All-American College Marching Band that performed at the Opening Ceremonies of the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. He has composed and/or arranged band music for several major motion pictures including In the Line of Fire, Little Nikita, Fatal Instinct, Legends of the Fall, and Road Trip.
Professor Henderson is active as an arranger, guest conductor, adjudicator, drill designer, and clinician throughout the U.S., Canada, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand.
