Bio
Although she was a shy, studious, and emotionally fragile child, Gina has been in love with performing, composing music, improvising, and writing lyrics since she began playing piano at the age of six. She kept up with the rigors of regular lessons well into her teenage years, as well as the more typical high school music activities such as joining audibly offensive “garage” bands. It was during that time when she discovered 90′s rock chicks Fiona Apple and Tori Amos as well as the young and soon to be legendary Ben Folds. Scant few now share her appreciation for the 90′s, as its witty and fearless singer songwriters played the anthems of her formative years.
Determined to take her musical abilities to the next level, Gina auditioned for and was accepted to the University of Central Florida’s School of Music where she pursued her minor in Piano (while majoring in Biology). Four grueling semesters later, Gina left Orlando with her new skills and a head full of songs and transferred to Penn State University. Her first full length album “A Color Unintended” was released in 2003 after a one-day studio session in Pittsburgh. Her second project “The Elusive Second Album” was recorded the following year in the basement of the Music Building, also in one night, by a fan who offered the service for free.
After college, Gina darted across the country with everything she could fit in her car and headed to Arizona, thirsty for adventure. During her time in Phoenix, she maintained a day job in the health care industry and frequented the open mic circuit. She eventually recorded a third studio project “Seeds of Epiphany,” a four-track demo where she gathered up the courage to play an acoustic guitar instead of the piano on two of the songs. That project was released independently in 2006 and is still available for sale.
In 2008, after the culmination of some life-changing medical problems, Gina accepted that her time in Arizona was over and returned to Central Pennsylvania to be near her family. Last year, while still battling illness, she managed to find time to release her greatly anticipated fourth studio album “Ultraviolet Catastrophe” in the Summer of 2009. The project features a full band and some of Gina’s best compositions to date.
The wheels haven’t stopped turning. Gina is also a member of the psychedelic jam band Mysterytrain as a keyboardist, secondary vocalist, and songwriting contributor and is occasionally seen performing as a featured guest with the soul jazz trio Dirty Superb. In addition, she is involved in multiple efforts to resuscitate Central Pennsylvania’s music scene and is an advocate for community arts.
Gina presently works as a research assistant and has a love for microbiology that is at least matched by her love for making music. She hopes to someday pursue graduate school in this area. Those who know her well say she is destined to be a scientist by day and a rock star by night.
