Gregory LaTraille

Gregory La Traille’s life has been one of music and art combined with the joy of creating something new and exciting that touches the emotions as well as the intellect. This artistic appreciation and feeling of creativity is owed to his parents and later encouraged by artists with whom he studied. La Traille has earned two degrees in music and for a time taught advanced orchestration and music theory at Arizona State University. The orchestra there premiered his colorful ballet scores and additional orchestras have performed his works. He has also orchestrated the music of Schubert and Brahms. La Traille has created and hosted classical music radio programs, introducing works by many composers. He was also involved in international classical music sales for Tower Records for a number of years.

In addition to music, La Traille is a visual artist working in oil paint and ink and has also created outdoor murals. A 2021 calendar featuring his austerely attractive pen and ink drawings of musicians and dancers has become a sought-after item with collectors.   He is encouraged by his wife, Mindy Giles, who is a concert promoter in Sacramento, and he works primarily in music and visual art on a daily basis, observing the analogies, relationships and contrasts of unrelated fields, such as stories, math, dance, science and physical motion, and bringing these influences to his art.