Gala Flagello was born in Westwood, New Jersey on April 1, 1994. Bravado is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, two trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (two players), and strings. Approximate performance time is three minutes.

American composer Gala Flagello graduated from The Hartt School, and the University of Michigan, where she was the recipient of the Dorothy Greenwald Graduate Fellowship. Flagello has been a Composition Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, Aspen Music Festival, and the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music. 

Gala Flagello is the co-founder and Festival Director of Connecticut Summerfest, a contemporary music festival that champions the creation and performance of new compositions. Flagello’s music has been performed by leading artists throughout the United States and Europe.

The composer provides the following commentary:

"Bravado was written for the Tanglewood Music Festival 2023 orchestral readings and explores the many connotations of the word “bravado,” a descendent of the Old Italian adjective bravo, meaning “wild” or “courageous.” 

A person with bravado can be seen as bold or reckless, daring or arrogant, confident or overbearing. The orchestra musically embodies this range of traits through the transformation of the piece’s primary melody. Thank you to the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra for bringing Bravado to life."