Gemalene “Gemi” Acupan’s career as conductor, trumpeter, and teacher spans concert halls and school classrooms across Southern California. Acupan received her MM in orchestral conducting at UCLA, studying with Neal Stulberg, where she conducted UCLA Symphony and guest conducted UCLA Philharmonia. She currently teaches a private trumpet studio in Kern County, serves as music director for Bakersfield Christian HS, orchestra director of Valley Baptist Church, and manages the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra.