Gary Shocker
Gary Schocker is an American flutist and composer. Schocker debuted fifteen-year-old as a flute soloist with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He undertook concert tours through Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Panama, Taiwan, Germany, France, Canada and Japan, and often performed in duo with the guitarist Jason Vieaux. Among the musicians he has worked with include Pinchas Zuckerman, Michael Tilson Thomas, Earl Wild, Jessy Norman, Julius Baker, James Levine, James Galway, Bruno Canino, Oscar Shumsky, Eduardo Fernandez and Jean-Philippe Collard. In addition to pieces for flute and other chamber music, Schocker's more than 100 compositions include choral works, songs, and several musicals, including Far From the Madding Crowd and The Awakening, both of which were winners at the United Kingdom's Global Search for New Musicals. Schocker was twice the winner of the composition competition of the International Clarinet Association and received several times the Newly Published Music Award of the National Flute Association.