Gary Woodward

  • Principal Flute, the L.A. Opera Orchestra
  • Faculty, USC, Occidental College and Biola University
  • Recording artist at major motion picture and television studios
  • Assistant Director of NCFC

Gary Woodward brings to NCFC a wealth of experience, knowledge, and wisdom gleaned from a multifaceted career at the highest level of performance in orchestral, chamber music, commercial recording, and musical theater. Highlights of his over forty year career include twenty-five seasons as the Principal Flutist of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, and performances as principal with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Orange County Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Pasadena Symphony, American Ballet Theater, Joffrey Ballet, and the Bolshoi and Kirov ballet companies. Mr. Woodward is actively recording for motion pictures and television, having played countless scores written by the top composers at all of the major recording studios. He has also played in orchestras for over a dozen first-class musical theater productions. Mr. Woodward began teaching the flute at age 16 and landed his first University position at age 26 at UC Santa Barbara. He recently left his 31-year tenure at the University of Southern California to devote his time and energy to his students at Azusa Pacific University, Biola University, The Master’s, College and Occidental College. Mr. Woodward holds degrees in music from the University of Southern California and Chapman University, where his principal teachers were Roger Stevens and Arthur Hoberman. Edna Comerchero was his beloved teacher through high school in his native Sacramento. He studied extensively in the master classes of world-renowned flutists Julius Baker, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Marcel Moyse and Maxence Larrieu.