Arts Student of the Week: Gabriel Bandera

Gabriel Bandera, a 2025 graduate of Niwot High School, reminisced on his time in the music and arts programs in Niwot before he heads into the music and film industry.

"I've been playing piano in Jazz Band for four years at Niwot High and Advanced Jazz Band for the past three years, but I've been playing piano for much longer than that and saxophone for a few years as well," said Bandera. "By my junior year at Niwot I really started to take music, especially jazz and improv more seriously. I found our combos concerts, where we sometimes get to arrange our own tunes and play in small groups, have really sparked some creative freedom with writing my own music as well."

He continued, "My friends and I are trying to create an album now of jazz and other original stuff and we're hoping to record and release it this summer. We've been talking about this project since freshman year, but we're now really starting to put things together. We are also hoping to have some other Niwot grads that are currently in the industry come feature on the album so it should be a great project."

Bandera's artistic abilities extend beyond music. He explained, "Filmmaking is a huge passion for me as well. I'll be studying film production at California State University, Northridge, because film has been something I've been interested in for almost as long as music. I have been taking all the classes I can through the district, at the Innovation Center, the Career Elevation Technology Center, and many others. There have really been a ton of opportunities around the area that have really allowed me to expand that area of my life."

Bandera has a few music and film inspirations. He said, "I've been listening to a lot of Gerald Clayton, who my dad likes a lot, and he has some pretty cool musical ideas I try to incorporate into my own playing. As for film influences, I have been trying to watch some more under-the-radar directors such as Paul Thomas Anderson. It allows me to analyze different styles and learn more about what makes good film-making."

"I have been interested in film-making for a long time. I have had a million creative hobbies like cooking and magic tricks that have brought me joy throughout my life," said Bandera. "I think film and music are the two that have stuck as more than just a hobby. I remember being seven years old making little I-movie films with my cousins and that passion has just grown."

Bandera is nostalgic about leaving high school and the Niwot community. He said, "I would like to thank the district for giving me so many opportunities, especially for the recent art show set up in the Boulder County Fairgrounds and the Niwot Art Show before that. I was given the opportunity to display some of my film work, which is a little unique because videos aren't often shown at shows like that. I'm really grateful for the chance to share what I love."