ShakaduGAT: Denver's New Wind Quintet
A collaborative project by five emerging artists promoting music education and community engagement through chamber music.
About ShakaduGAT
Our Story
Founded in 2023 at the Lamont School of Music, ShakaduGAT began as a standard school chamber group of strangers, but quickly grew to become something more. The members of ShakaduGAT felt a spark in rehearsals and were determined to continue working together indefinitely. This spark was clear to Lamont faculty as well, leading this ensemble to become a go-to chamber group for gigs and other performances. We are now a long-term musical project among close friends.
Lee Cyphers, Horn
Hailing from Plattsburgh, NY, Lee Cyphers is the horn player of ShakaduGAT! Since graduating from Juilliard in 2020, Lee has been exploring how to bring social progress into the classical music sphere. He is a founding member of the LGBTuben Quintet, a Wagner tuba ensemble that works toward its mission of “Queering Wagner,” in part by programming the works of queer, living, and otherwise marginalized composers. An advocate for music education and community engagement, as an undergraduate, Lee helped bring classical music out of the concert hall and into New York City as a Gluck Fellow, putting on interdisciplinary, interactive performances for underserved members of the community. He has also taught private horn students, acted as Mentor for Juilliard Pre-College students, led high school brass sectionals, worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in Musicology, and is currently the Education Assistant at the Newman Center for Performing Arts. He has performed at the Aspen Music Festival, the Lake George Music Festival, and Valdres Sommersymphonie in Norway. Lee is currently a member of the Longmont Symphony Orchestra, a member of the substitute list for the New World Symphony in Miami, and he is pursuing a Performance Certificate at the University of Denver with Professor Carolyn Kunicki. Past teachers include David Byrd-Marrow, Erik Ralske, Javier Gándara, and Ann Ellsworth. In his free time, Lee enjoys reading, watching movies, and going to bed early.
Zach Gnall, Oboe
Zach Gnall is pursuing a Master of Music in Oboe Performance at the University of Denver, studying under Ian Wisekal. Previously, he has earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree and a Performance Certificate from Shenandoah University, where he studied under Stephen Key, graduating Summa Cum Laude.
Dedicated to the advancement of music in America, Zach was recognized as one of Virginia’s Teachers of Promise at the Teachers of Promise Institute in 2022. Throughout his collegiate career, he has attended several of the Virginia Music Educators Association Conferences, gaining valuable insight from current and past educators in the field in their various sessions. While at SU, Zach fostered many relationships with his colleagues, acting as a guide and mentor to his peers in the Music Education department and in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity. He served as the Instrumental Representative for the Shenandoah Chapter of the National Association for Music Education, where he oversaw the organization and advancement of the mentoring system for incoming music education students. In his fraternity, Zach served as Vice President, Parliamentarian, and Treasurer, as well as Big Brother to three gentlemen in his four year tenure. In addition to his commitment in music education, Zach has had the opportunity to share his musical passions and experiences with those in his community. He has served as a Wind Technician for Millbrook (Winchester), Sherando (Stephens City), and Linganore (Frederick) High Schools. From 2021 to 2023, Zach served as the Bass section leader of Grace Episcopal Church in Berryville, VA. Recently, he also had the opportunity to perform with the Foothills Community Choir in Wheat Ridge, CO.
In the spring of 2023, Zach embarked on a journey to Argentina, where he performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 with the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra in five different cities under the baton of Jan Wagner. After graduating from DU, Zach plans to pursue a degree in conducting in Europe, in addition to teaching instrumental music in the public school system.
John F. Griffin Jr., Clarinet
John F. Griffin Jr. is on a dynamic and inspiring musical journey! After earning his Bachelor’s degree in music performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he studied with renowned clarinetists Dr. Anthony Taylor and Dr. Andy Hudson, he continued to refine his craft by earning a Master’s in clarinet performance from the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music under the guidance of Dr. Jeremy Reynolds, where he also served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.
Now pursuing his doctorate at the University of North Texas, John is deeply involved in both clarinet performance and wind conducting while teaching Woodwind Methods to undergraduate music education majors. His passion for promoting BIPOC representation within the music community drives much of his work, as he strives to empower the next generation of musicians. Recently, John joined the faculty at East Central University as their new clarinet professor.
John’s journey with the clarinet is especially remarkable, as he returned to the instrument after a 15-year break. His resilience, dedication, and strong belief in the fundamentals are central to his teaching philosophy. With a deep love for chamber music, he finds great joy performing with his friends in ShakaduGAT, where music and camaraderie make every rehearsal feel like a gift.
Whether it’s cooking breakfast-for-dinner or hosting movie nights for his group, John treasures the fun and bonding experiences outside of music just as much as those on stage.
With his sights set on becoming a college professor, John’s commitment to continual growth and his passion for both learning and teaching ensure he’s well on his way to inspiring future generations of clarinetists and musicians.
Colleen McCracken, Flute
Colleen McCracken is a graduate student pursuing a Master of Music Performance degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, under Dr. Erika Boysen. Originally from southern Illinois, she had the incredible opportunity to study with Dr. Shelly Monier for nearly ten years before pursuing a Bachelor of Music at the University of Denver under Julie Thornton, where she recently graduated Summa Cum Laude with distinction.
Colleen is quite active in the flute community, having performed in masterclasses instructed by Bonita Boyd, Jill Felber, Walfrid Kujala, Demarre McGill, Amy Porter, and Göran Marcusson. Colleen has performed in ensembles that include the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Denver Young Artists Orchestra, and the National Flute Association Collegiate Flute Choir. She has attended several summer institutes including Credo Flute, WildAcres Flute Retreat, Rocky Ridge College Intensive, the Texas Summer Flute Symposium, and the Sewanee Summer Music Festival. In 2022, Colleen won 1st Prize in the Flute Society of St. Louis Collegiate Young Artist Competition. Colleen spent the fall of 2022 studying in Lyon, France, where she had the pleasure of studying the flute with Michel Lavignolle. Shortly following her return to the USA, she won first prize in the 2023 Central Ohio Flute Association Collegiate Competition. In the future, Colleen hopes to return to France before pursuing her doctoral studies.
Colleen is incredibly grateful to be a part of the fantastic group of people and musicians that make up ShakaduGAT!
Stuart Young II, Bassoon
Stuart Young started playing bassoon in his hometown of Arlington, Texas, and further developed his musical proficiencies at Lawrence University. After receiving his Bachelors in Bassoon Performance in 2019, Young continued his journeys in Appleton, Wisconsin, performing with the Fox Valley Symphony and Fox Valley Concert Band. in 2020-21, Young was also appointed to an adjunct position at Saint Norbert College as the Professor of Bassoon.
Stuart Young received his Masters in Bassoon Performance in 2024 from the University of Denver. Young has made impressions in the Denver, Colorado Springs, Longmont, and Boulder communities performing alongside classical artists and bluegrass bands. Stuart Young is currently employed as a Music Teacher for bassoon and saxophone at Slavens Elementary, and continually composes and arranges works primarily for solo bassoon and woodwind ensembles.
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