GEoffrey Gallegos, Conductor

Geoffrey Gallegos, a San Francisco native and sixth generation Californian has been a fixture in the San Francisco Bay Area music community for 30 years. From 1985 to 1990, Maestro Gallegos served as Associate Conductor of the San Francisco Chamber Players Orchestra. In 1991 he was appointed Principal Conductor of the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra and continued in that capacity until 1993. He resumed his association with the SFCO from 2000 –‘06 as Principal Guest Conductor. In 2003, he was engaged as Assistant Conductor of the Peninsula Symphony Orchestra (N. CA) and served in that position until 2008. It was also in 2003 that Maestro Gallegos made his debut with Golden Gate Opera in San Francisco conducting I Pagliacci and was subsequently invited to assume the position of Music Director and Principal Conductor. Since his appointment, he has conducted several productions including Gianni Schicchi, The Telephone, Madama Butterfly, Carmen, Suor Angelica, Hansel and Gretel and, most recently, the world premiere production of Lincoln & Booth. In 2004, following an extensive search, Maestro Gallegos was invited to become Music Director and Conductor of the Kensington (CA) Symphony Orchestra, only the third in the Orchestra’s 30 plus year history, a position he holds currently. During his tenure, he has contributed to a significant increase in the orchestra’s membership and audience, broadened the repertoire and the KSO’s visibility in the community, and raised its artistic standards exponentially. Maestro Gallegos was invited to guest conduct the opening of the 49th season of the Diablo Symphony Orchestra (CA) and has also guest conducted other ensembles throughout the Bay Area, US and in Europe.

Maestro Gallegos has a deep commitment to music education. In 2001, he was appointed Music Director and Conductor of the Golden Gate Philharmonic, an all-city youth/community orchestra in San Francisco. From 2001-2010, he also participated in the Artist in Residence program at the School of the Arts (S.O.T.A.) in San Francisco where he has served as guest conductor of the orchestra and wind ensembles, and taught music theory and sight singing. During the 2000-01 academic year, Maestro Gallegos was appointed Conductor of the San Francisco State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble. In the summer of 2002 he was invited as a Guest Conductor of the Orchestra at Cazadero Music Camp and was reengaged for the 2004 summer session. From 2007-2010, Maestro Gallegos served as Instrumental Music Coordinator and Liaison at The Nueva School in Hillsborough where, among many duties, he oversaw the prestigious Menuhin/Dowling instrumental music program and organized and managed the Menuhin/Dowling Competition for Young Musicians. Maestro Gallegos has served as an adjudicator for a number of youth competitions, master-classes and workshops throughout the Bay Area and was recently invited to participate as a jury member for the 2014 annual Parade of Orchestras Festival held in Honolulu.

Maestro Gallegos studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Preparatory School and San Francisco State University, completing, with honors, a Bachelor of Music degree in Instrumental Education and Conducting. Advanced studies in orchestral and operatic conducting continued at the University of Iowa School of Music, where he received a Master of Arts degree with High Distinction and served as Conductor of the University Chamber Orchestra. Four times he was awarded fellowships, chosen from a large international pool of applicants, to the prestigious Conductors Institute held at West Virginia University and the University of South Carolina. Since 2005, he has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Community Music Center in San Francisco where he began his music studies with the trumpet at the age of nine. He currently resides in San Francisco with his wife Julie

Sue Crum, Assistant Conductor

Sue Crum, born and raised in the midwest and moved to California in 2004.  Sue joined West County Winds as an oboist in 2005 and became the group’s assistant conductor in her second season.  In 2010, Sue stepped up to the podium to complete the season as the group’s Music Director - successfully closing the 25th Anniversary Season.

Sue attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan earning her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education.   After her graduation, Sue worked at the Interlochen Arts Academy and performed with the Traverse Symphony Orchestra. Her teaching career began in Cleveland, Ohio where Sue taught for one year.  The next year she moved to Boise, Idaho for a teaching position in the Boise Schools. While in Boise, Sue freelanced with the Boise Philharmonic and the Boise Ballet Orchestra and completed her Master’s degree in Education Administration from the University of Idaho. 

After moving to California, Sue taught for two years in the Albany Schools.  Through all her school teaching appointments, she has maintained an active private teaching studio.

In addition to playing and conducting with West County Winds, Sue is the Music Director for the Oakland Community Orchestra and performs regularly with the San Francisco Wind Symphony.

Board members

Music Director  Geoffrey Gallegos

Assistant Conductor Sue Crum

Vice President & Concert Coordinator Paul Allen

Librarian  Suz Houghton

Logistics Coordinator Don Patterson

President David Hemphill

Publicity Coordinators
Megan Kard
Bob Bauer

Secretary Bennett Price

Treasurer Pat Schlesinger

Webmaster Megan Kard

Section Leaders

Flutes: Ellen DeCarlo

Clarinets: Cherry Normington

Double Reeds: Sue Crum

Saxophones: Pat Schlesinger

Trumpets: Martin Silva

French Horns: Kathleen Flanagan

Trombones: David Hemphill

Low Brass: Suz Houghton

Percussion: TBD