Kunal Gala (b. 1998) is a composer, and percussionist based in Queens, NY. His work explores the convergence of tradition, technology, and usually―quite a bit of rhythm. He investigates the humanitarian role within nature and the relationships between resonance, fragmentation, inflection, and virtuosity.
He has worked with Ensemble Signal, Argus Quartet, and Hypercube Ensemble among others, at festivals such as Bowdoin International Music Festival, June in Buffalo, and SPLICE Institute. His awards include the John Bavicchi Memorial Prize (2021) and Vuk Kulenovic Memorial Prize (2020). He won the Da Camera Content (2018) and Rachel Moore Contest (2017). He has collaborated closely with choreographers at the Boston Conservatory, and was selected for WinterWorks, a main stage production. Previous to his matriculation at Berklee College of Music, he studied Hindustani Classical music for ten years.
Gala studied percussion with Nancy Zeltsman and is a founding member of neither/nor (2018), an ensemble focused on contemporary improvisation. He studied jazz drum set through high school and grew up playing in musicals, jazz band, wind band, drum corps, and orchestras.
He studied conducting with Francisco Noya, and led the scoring sessions program for Berklee film scoring students. He led rehearsal for his Sinfonia (2020) performed by the Berklee Composer's Sinfonietta.
Last fall, he began a masters at Juilliard, in Andrew Norman's studio. Kunal is from North Andover, MA and enjoys skating and web development.