Like any good Colorado native, Walter Gorra loves fly fishing. It's finding time to pursue his favorite hobby that is tricky.
鈥淚鈥檓 a fanatical fly fisherman,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut most days I get to campus around 8, go to class and work on homework;听we have jazz rehearsals in the evening, and then I come home and compose and work on my music. It鈥檚 a busy day.鈥�
Gorra is working on a double major in jazz piano and civil engineering鈥攁ll while completing a structural engineering graduate degree. The seemingly divergent pursuits mean long days on the CU 麻豆影院 campus for the Glenwood Springs native, his time divided between the Imig Music Building and the Engineering Center.
But that鈥檚 just fine by him.
鈥淢y parents always taught me to be responsible鈥攁ccountable. If you want something, you have to go get it. Nobody is going to get it for you . . . I want to play music right now, while my life allows it, so it鈥檚 worth it.鈥�
Both of Gorra鈥檚 parents immigrated to the United States from Latin America: His father is from Cuba, and his mother is from Honduras. They met while studying engineering at the University of Southern California.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e both civil engineers. I worked for them in their office and interned for them. That was my first job,鈥� Gorra explains.
Though engineering is in his blood鈥攈is brother Pablo is also pursuing a mechanical engineering and jazz studies double degree鈥擥orra says he has听always had a passion for music, which his family thankfully supported.
鈥淚 always wanted to play trumpet, but then my dad introduced me to a piano teacher, so I learned the fundamentals from her,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淣ow, I鈥檓 focusing on piano and learning jazz organ. I鈥檝e also been messing around with a drum kit for a few years . . . I love the piano because it鈥檚 so versatile. It鈥檚 useful for composition and for solo and ensemble performing.鈥�
Walter Gorra Quartet: Greg Harris (vibraphone), Manuel Lopez (drums), Gonzalo Teppa (bass) and Gorra (piano)
Eventually the interest in music developed into an art, and now Gorra leads his own quartet in Denver, the . In addition to playing gigs around the area almost weekly, the quartet plans to release a recording in the next few months, with help from a .
Not bad for someone who spends 40-plus hours a week solving engineering problems.
鈥淸Jazz and engineering] complement each other; because you can鈥檛 do music all day long, and you can鈥檛 do engineering all day long. Engineering can be creative, but it鈥檚 different. And music can be analytical, but it鈥檚 different.鈥�
On Tuesday, Dec. 6, the jazz pianist brought听that passion to the stage at DazzleJazz in Denver, as he and the CU Concert Jazz Ensemble performed Duke Ellington鈥檚 The听Nutcracker Suite.
鈥淒uke's compositions are exciting,鈥� Gorra听says. 鈥�The Nutcracker Suite听is music that makes you feel good, and we enjoy sharing that happiness with the listener.鈥�
Performing with the jazz ensemble was Associate Professor of Jazz Studies Brad Goode on trumpet, and听Gorra says it鈥檚 professional-level experiences like these that drew him to the Thompson Jazz Studies Program.
鈥淚 would have come here just to study music. It鈥檚 a fantastic program. And I鈥檝e never had to make the choice between music and engineering.鈥�
And whereas engineering is normally an individual pursuit, Gorra says jazz has taught him the benefit of collaboration.
鈥淲hen you play jazz, you don鈥檛 think of yourself. You think about how what you鈥檙e playing fits in with what everyone else is playing. It鈥檚 not about you. You can鈥檛 be shy. You can鈥檛 be afraid to ask for help. I鈥檓 introverted by nature, so part of my development has been learning to be more outgoing.鈥�
