Denise Gamble, French Horn

Denise is a 1976 graduate of Kiski Area High School, Vandergrift, PA, where she started to play the French horn in fifth grade. Her love of music and the French Horn grew quickly which made an easy decision for her to study music education at Morehead State University, KY, receiving a Bachelor of Music degree with Teaching Certification in 1980. During her time in Kentucky she performed with the Lexington Philharmonic and various community and university ensembles. Denise was granted a graduate assistantship to ent State University, Ohio, and graduated in 1982 with a Master of Music degree. She was employed by the Armstrong School District in 1988 where she taught all aspects of music. Her biggest love was middle school band and general music which is the position of which she retired in 2018 with thirty years of service.

Ms. Gamble is currently Principal Horn for the Butler County Symphony Orchestra where she has been performing for forty years. She also performs with the Johnstown Symphony as well as the Armstrong Brass Quintet and continues to work as a freelance musician throughout the region. Denise studied privately with Dr. David McNaughton (IUP), Milford Kuhn (MSU), David Kimball (KSU), Mary Gingrich, Milan Yancich, Philip Farkas, Forrest Standley, and Zach Smith (PSO). When not playing the French Horn Denise enjoys sewing, scrapbooking, her pool, friends, family, grandchildren, traveling and watching baseball, especially the Pittsburgh Pirates.

She is married to Vernon McGinnis, has one daughter (Hallie), one grandson (Arthur) and 5 step grandchildren (Samantha, Alex, Ashley, Paige and Mia) as well as a stepdaughter (Lisa), stepson in law (Paul) and son-in-law (Corey).