Gates, Pam

Violinist who graduated from the University of Southern California with masters degrees in music education and violin performance.

Groups with whom she has worked include the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, the Pasadena Symphony, and the Los Angeles Ballet Orchestra.

One of her earliest recording credits was Earth, Wind & Fire’s 1979 offering, I Am. In 1980, she appeared on Ann Margret’s self-titled album and Supercharged by Tavares. She joined Prince & the Revolution for 1986’s Parade. In 1987, she performed on Jill Jones’ eponymous LP.

She played on Every Generation by Ronnie Laws and Bye-Bye Blackbird by Kevyn Lettau in 2005. In 2006, he was in the string section for Justin Timberlake’s Futuresex/Lovesounds.

She participated in the Current Sounds New Music Consortium at First United Methodist Church in Santa Barbara on 6^th November 2006. The program included the world premiere of “Cantus II: Litany, for Female Voices” by Agatha Carubia, “The Day Things Went Wrong at the Pet Store: 11 Cartoons for Solo Piano” by Daniel Dorff, “Infinity, for Flute and Piano” by Amanda Jane Fox, “Mirror, Lament, and Rag for Piano Trio” by Michael Pawlicki, and “Suite Antique, for Flute and Piano” by John Rutter.

In 2007, she appeared on the soundtrack of the video game, Bioshock. She was also on the soundtrack of American Idol: Season 8 in 2009. In 2010, she performed on American Idol: Season 9, Bioshock 2, and Everything Changed by John M. Keane. She teamed up with the Charlie Haden Quartet West for Sophisticated Ladies in 2011.

Her American Idol credits are hardly her only forays into television: She has played at the Emmys, Golden Globes, Grammys, and Oscars, and appeared on-screen on the last airing of Happy Days, on which she performed at Chachi’s and Joanie’s wedding. She also performs on The Simpsons and appeared on the soundtrack, The Simpsons: Testify.

Other recording credits include: Dream Come True/Crazy for You/Low Ride by Earl Klugh, Sounds from the Lighthouse (music from Bioshock 2), and Woman Falling Out of Love by Aretha Franklin.

In the field of musical education, she has coached the L.A. Youth Orchestra, taught with the Harmony Project and Hope Institute, and offered private lessons at her residence in West Hollywood, California.

She plays the violin here on the TV show “Happy Days”…

Sources:

Gates, Pam

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