Gordon Henderson

Who is Gordon Henderson?

Gordon Henderson is the Director of the UCLA Bruin Marching Band. He is also Associate Director of Bands and Vice Chair of the Department of Music at UCLA. Since becoming Director in 1982, the Marching Band has performed at five Rose Bowls, two Cotton Bowls, three Sun Bowls, three Las Vegas Bowls, the Aloha Bowl, the Freedom Bowl, the Silicon Valley Bowl, the Emerald Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. The UCLA Bruin Marching Band was the 1993 recipient of the Sudler Trophy, presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. He has also conducted the UCLA Band at four NCAA Basketball Final Four Tournaments.

Henderson conducted the UCLA Jazz Ensemble I from 1989 to 1995, and the UCLA Jazz Ensemble II from 1989 to 2002. Guest Soloists with the Jazz Ensembles during this period included Roy Hargrove, Bob Mintzer, Bill Watrous, Gerald Wilson, Allen Vizzutti and Steve Houghton. In 1995, both the Jazz Combo I and the Jazz Ensemble I won their respective divisions at the Reno International Jazz Festival.

Henderson served as Head Brass Instructor and Brass Arranger for the 1989 DCI Champion Santa Clara Vanguard, as Head Brass Instructor for the 1992 DCI Champion Cavaliers, and as Brass Arranger for the 1999 DCI Champion Santa Clara Vanguard. For the Summer of 2008, Henderson served as the Program Coordinator for the Troopers from Casper, WY, for their 50th Anniversary season.