Gus Pappelis' award-winning performance skills encompass a broad spectrum of popular musical styles and genres, focusing on American popular music forms. With more than 40 years’ experience in musical composition, routining, direction, and performance, his writing and directing credits include over 15 years with Disney Show Development, Sesame Street Live, Sanrio Tokyo’s Puroland, and many more live stage productions. Entertainer to the stars, Gus has been a regular favorite of the Beverly Hills party elites.
Awards and concert appearances:
Chicagofest: Gus Pappelis Jazz Fusion Band, 1st Place Award - Jazz category
Wichita Jazz Festival: Outstanding composer/arranger and outstanding jazz pianist
Elmhurst Jazz Festival: Outstanding composer/arranger and outstanding jazz pianist
Gus Pappelis Jazz Fusion Band in concert performances with legendary greats, including George Benson, Billy Cobham, Ramsey Lewis, McCoy Tyner, Patrice Rushen, Jeff Lorber, and Kenny G., Jazz Piano Masters concert series Ivories, Portland
Production Routining, Composing, and/or Musical Directing show credits include:
Spirit of Chicago Island Adventure, Make Mine Music, Spirit Family, Party Time ● Coca-Cola's Olympic City, Atlanta Coca-Cola Kids Show, Dare to be a Champion, Coca-Cola Family Parade, Celebration, Coca-Cola Kids ● Tokyo Sesame Place Island Adventure, Simple Dance Show ● Parque Plaza Sesamo, Monterrey, Mexico Beto and Enrique's Island Vacation, Fiesta Parade, Count's Castle Show, Elmo's Birthday Show, Shall We Dance ● Showboat Branson Belle, Branson, MO Showboat Jubilee ● Silver Dollar City Town Square Sing-Along, Jamboree ● Sesame Street Live touring shows When I Grow Up and Let's Be Friends ● Sesame Place Sunny Day Parade, Western Adventure and Caribbean Adventure shows ● Major League Baseball Baseball Magic Show ● Superbowl XXVI Half-time Show Winter Magic ● Sanrio Tokyo Puroland King Happy's Holiday Follies and Puroland Review ● Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Jamboree, Great Gold Mystery of Bear Country, Pigmania, Diamond Horseshoe Jamboree ● Hanna-Barbera For Dinosaurs Only, Yogi's Cubhouse ● Frank Ferrante's An Evening with Groucho ● Tamarind Theater, Hollywood, CA musicals Swing Time and Mustard ● Los Angeles Footlighters Broadway Curtain Up, Music in the Movies, Celebrate, Hit Me with a Hot Note, Let's Misbehave ● Tibbie's Music Hall Santa's Follies, City Lights, All Aboard for Broadway, Hooray for Hollywood ● Walt Disney Production's The Black Cauldron Touring Show ● Oli Mazi! Fr. John Bakas in concert ● MelloMac's Just Go to the Movies, Solid Gold 60's, Sentimental Journey, Swing/Sinatra, Broadway, Hollywood, Anything Goes ● Rain, the Musical Portland
Television Appearances:
ABC's Full House (with John Stamos)
ABC's Half Nelson (with Donald O'Connor)
Jerry Lewis' MDA Telethon
Melrose Place
ABC's Step by Step (with Suzanne Somers)
Showtime's Paperchase (with Lani Kazan)
Murder She Wrote
Gala Productions and Performances:
Multnomah Athletic Club 2014 Street Fair: MAC Has Talent
Portland City Grill - house pianist (16 years to date)
Multnomah Athletic Club's singing ensemble The MelloMacs, Music Director (ten years to date)
Installation Banquet for Bishop Peter Smith
Installation Banquet for Archbishop Alexander Sample
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Men's Byzantine Chorale
King David Society/United Jewish Appeal of Los Angeles
Palm Spring's Desert Museum Banquets: Gala '91, Desert Song, Duets
Valley Hunt Club of Pasadena: New Year's Gala, Deck the Halls, Valentine Gala
St. Sophia Philoptohos: Debutante Balls, Founders Gala, Mardi Gras
St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral: 35th and 40th Anniversary Galas
Axios Man of the Year Banquets
Guadeloupe Children's Homes 25th Anniversary Charity Ball
The Good Samaritan Society Banquet
LA Museum of Contemporary Art Holiday Luncheon
Tamarisk Country Club, Rancho Mirage Season Openers and New Year's Dance
ABC's Salute to the Stars
Telly Savalas National Golf Classic - La Jolla, CA Awards Dinner Banquet Tribute
Temple Isaiah Los Angeles Gala
Hillcrest Country Club Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve Gala, Dinah Shore Tribute
Jewish Federation Women's Division Los Angeles Women of Broadway
United Jewish Fund Los Angeles Silver Circle Banquet
Birnam Wood Golf Club's 25th Anniversary Tournament
Jimmy Stewart Marathon Banquet with Robert Wagner
USC Women of Troy Holiday Dansant and Class of the '50's Reunion
Valley Club Christmas Banquet, New Year's Dance
Bergen-Brunswig Christmas Banquet
Peterson Automotive Museum Los Angeles Gala Grand Opening
Neiman Marcus of Beverly Hills Special Events Musical Consultant
Bloomingdale's West L.A. VIP Appreciation Nights
Zeke Jabbour National Parkinson Foundation Bridge Tournament Play with the Stars, Boca Raton FL
Portland Chamber Orchestra/Portland Art Museum Cole Porter Charity Gala
Special Celebrity Performances for:
President Bill Clinton
President Ronald and Nancy Reagan
Johnny Carson
Sheena Easton
Jimmy Stewart
Henry Mancini
Angie Dickenson
Hal David
Frank and Barbara Sinatra
Alex and Faye Spanos
June Lockhart
Albert R. Broccoli
