Kunal Gala

Composer K Percussionist

About

K

unal Gala (b. 1998, North Andover, USA) is a composer and percussionist based in Queens, NY. Kunal has collaborated with JACK Quartet, The Choral Project, Da Camera Singers, Boston Conservatory Recording Orchestra, New Thread Quartet, neither/nor ensemble, electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani, dancer and choregrapher India Hobbs, Mivos Quartet, Sound Icon, SPLICE Ensemble, Ensemble Signal, Argus Quartet, violinist Lilit Hartunian, Hypercube, soprano Tony Arnold, Juilliard Orchestra, violist Pierre Trache, Julliard percussion department, Dolphins Quartet, clarinetist Anoush Pogossian, visual artist Michelle Li, and Bergamot Quartet, and has attended Bowdoin International Music Festival, New Music on the Point, June in Buffalo, SPLICE Institute, and Inštitut .abeceda.

Kunal studied composition with Allen LeVines and Andrew Norman, percussion with Nancy Zeltsman, conducting with Carmen Moral, Hindustani classical music and jazz drum set growing up, holds degrees from Berklee College of Music and The Juilliard School, and holds faculty positions at Hunter College High School and Opportunity Music Project.

heroBowdoin International Music Festival 2021.

Music

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Using a Bucket to Pour Water on a Flood

for hardanger string quartet
Using a Bucket to Pour Water on a Flood
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Premiered June 2025 at the New Music on the Point Festival. Dedicated to Bergamot.

Variations

on Two Armenian Folk Songs Concerning Mountains for clarinet and piano
Variations on Two Armenian Folk Songs Concerning Mountains
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Premiered May 2025 at David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. Dedicated to Anoush Poggosian.

I Am the Grand Canyon

for orchestra
I Am the Grand Canyon
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Midi rendition. 2024.

Canyon Sonata

for piano and electronics
Canyon Sonata
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Premiered by and dedicated to Ting Luo at the SPLICE Institute June 2022 in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Bring an Umbrella

for soprano, harpsichord (with cinder blocks), and offstage bassoon
Bring an Umbrella
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Premiered June 2023 at the New Music on the Point Festival. Dedicated to Tony Arnold.

Dreams of Ascension

for violin
Dreams of Ascension
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Premiered on April 20th 2021 by Lilit Hartunian at the Society of Composers 2021 Spring Concert. Rev. Fall 2021

Currents

for pierrot ensemble
Currents
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Revised May 2021 for Ensemble Signal at June in Buffalo

SPARKS

for string quartet
SPARKS
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2021. Recorded Spring 2025 by Golden Hornet.

i. song of the wood thrush ii. song of the forest

for drum set and electronics
I. Songs of the wood thrush II. Songs of the forest
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Premiered by by Adam Vidiksis in March 2021 at Berklee.

Arrangement

Rain Tree Sketch II — 雨の樹素描 II

Takemitsu arr. Gala
Rain Tree Sketch II
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—In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen— Originally for piano, arranged for chamber orchestra. 2023.

Video

Where I am performing as a percussionist.

Mosiac

for bassoon, electric guitar, percussion, and piano

Premiered April 2023 at The Juilliard School.

Resonance and Inflection

for percussion quartet

Premiered August 2021 at Bowdoin International Music Festival.