Gemalene “Gemi” Acupan’s career as conductor, trumpeter, and teacher spans concert halls and school classrooms across Southern California and the globe. 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 and directs the Concert Band at Bakersfield College, serves as music director for Bakersfield Christian High School, orchestra director of Valley Baptist Church, and is a board member of the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra.