Department Chair - Music Theory and Practice

Office Phone: 395-4533

Office: FA 62

Email: jgerhold@bc.cc.ca.us

        In 1965, John Gerhold was born in a small Pizza Hut restaurant in Fullerton, California.  Perhaps inspired by this event, at 15 he wrote his first serious composition, "Adagio for Stringy Cheese (Fromagio Adagio)."  Since then, there has been no stopping him.

        Although obtaining his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from UC Irvine and his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of British Columbia (coincidentally, also called "BC"), John never forgot that he began his formal music training at Fullerton College while still attending high school.  So, from BC to BC and from community college theory student to community college theory teacher, John embraces the cyclical nature of his life.  He has composed commissions celebrating the centennial of Orange County (Expansion Explosion, 1988)  and Bakersfield (Huddled Masses: Deconstructions on an Immigrant Theme, 1998).  He hopes to also compose to celebrate his own centennial (2065).

        John currently teaches Elementary Theory (MUSC 4AB) and Intermediate Theory (MUSC 4CD).  He is also the advisor of the BC Composers' Club, which hosts the annual BC Student Composers' Concert. In addition to all this, he is also an officer on the board of the Music Association of California Community Colleges.