Born in 1960, Bruce C. Munson is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley’s Department of  Music, where he studied among other disciplines, music composition and ethnomusicology. Mr. Munson also studied jazz piano with Susan Muscarella and classical piano with Dino Giannopoulos while at Berkeley.

After graduating from Berkeley, Mr. Munson performed with his jazz fusion group, Travel, taught piano privately and became the music director for vocalist Deborah Winters, continuing his work as a composer/ arranger. 

In 1987, Mr. Munson joined the faculty of the Branson School in Ross, CA, where he was Director of Instrumental Music and Arts Council Chair. As Director of Instrumental Music, he was responsible for directing the orchestra, chamber music ensembles, jazz big band and jazz combos. Mr. Munson also taught A.P. Music Theory and started one of the first computers and music classes in the Bay Area. Mr. Munson won several awards in teaching excellence while at Branson, including Teacher of the Year in 1999.

Also during his time at Branson, Mr. Munson began transcribing the music of various jazz artists for Hal Leonard’s Artist Transcription Series. Mr. Munson’s books include the transcriptions of recorded performances by Billy Taylor, Ahmad Jamal, Monty Alexander, Cedar Walton, Thelonius Monk and Jackie McLean. Mr. Munson is also the transcriber of the Chuck Leavell Piano Instruction Vol. I DVD, and the arranger/ transcriber for the most recent Spirit Calls, released in 2010 and distributed by Hal Leonard.

In August of 2000, after thirteen years on the faculty of the Branson School, Mr. Munson left the education field to work for Sibelius USA, Inc., based in Walnut Creek, CA. Initially, his position at Sibelius was Technical Specialist for Sibelius' Internet Edition, which utilizes Sibelius’ Scorch technology. In February of 2001, Mr. Munson became Western Region Manager for Sibelius. As Western Region Manager, he was responsible for sales in the thirteen western states, British Columbia and Alberta, as well as managing artist relations. Part of his responsibilities also included conducting in-service software trainings for school districts and institutions of higher education. 

In August of 2007 Mr. Munson moved on from Sibelius to concentrate on his music editing and engraving business, which he had been developing since 2001. His client list includes among others, Michael Tilson Thomas, Stewart Wallace, Gordon Getty, Jack Perla, Orchestra Nashville, International Liturgy Publications, The Turtle Island Quartet, Zakir Hussain and the San Francisco Symphony. Mr. Munson was responsible for the score and parts preparation, and the duo-piano arrangement,  for the San Francisco Opera’s debut production of The Bonesetter’s Daughter, music by Stewart Wallace and libretto by Amy Tan. Mr. Munson started work on the opera in the spring of 2007 and the opera debuted in the fall of 2008.

As one of the most knowledgeable and experienced trainers in Sibelius Software, and with his extensive classroom teaching experience, it was a natural development to add music technology training and consulting to the quickly growing business. Mr. Munson has conducted music technology trainings for music teachers, school districts and institutions of higher ed. all around the U.S. and in Canada since 2001.

Mr. Munson continues to compose and arrange (when he has time!), having recently completed a duo-piano concert arrangement of jazz pianist George Cables‘ Helen Song. His compositions include Six Intermezzos for Piano (1982-1995) Sonata for Two Pianos (1990), Trio for Flute, Clarinet and Bassoon (1997), String Quartet (the Dance Quartet) (1999), as well as a catalogue of jazz/ pop material.