R o l a n d o J . G ó m e z
composer ⦙ tresero ⦙ educator
Rolando J. Gómez is a Miami-born composer, tresero, and music educator whose work bridges Cuban, Jazz, Classical, and European Modernist traditions. He holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory (B.M. in Composition, minor in TIMARA) and Syracuse University (M.M. in Composition), where he studied with Stephen Hartke, Jessie Jones, Jihyun Kim, Natalie Draper, Loren Loiacono, and Nicolas Scherzinger. A classically trained cellist turned tresero, Gómez writes chamber, vocal, and electronic works that often combine Afro-Cuban rhythmic language with experimental structural approaches. His music reflects a transnational aesthetic rooted in diasporic memory and contemporary practice.
A defining thread in Gómez’s creative life is the Cuban tres, a traditional string instrument central to his heritage. As founder and director of Tres Contemporáneo, he leads a commissioning and performance initiative expanding the classical repertoire for the tres through solo works, collaborations, and pedagogical resources. Recent premieres include Disquiet (self-composed), Gigue by Isaac Santos, and Three Cuban Dances by Noah Sherman. As a performer, he has appeared with Oberlin’s Performance & Improvisation Ensemble and led residencies with artists across jazz, Afro-Caribbean, and contemporary classical traditions.
His music has been recognized by The American Prize and the Society of New Music. In 2025, he was selected as a Copland House CULTIVATE Fellow, composing Jest for violin and piano under the mentorship of Derek Bermel. He has received support from organizations such as the American String Teachers Association (New Canon Project), Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival, and Yellow Barn's Young Artist Program. His chamber work Sit And Play—published by Dulcamara Press—has been performed by wind ensembles and praised for its rhythmic vitality and narrative clarity.
As an educator, Gómez is committed to making musical traditions accessible and culturally meaningful. He has taught courses and workshops on Cuban genres, music theory, and composition to students of all ages. His class Survey of Cuban Musical Genres at Oberlin introduced students to the history and mechanics of Son, Timba, and Latin Jazz. Through programs like the New Canon Project and his teaching at the Community Music Center of Boston, he composes works that introduce young musicians to Afro-Cuban grooves and rhythmic fluency.
Beyond composing and teaching, Gómez is active in arts leadership and music publishing. He served on the board of the Society of New Music, advancing the visibility of Upstate New York composers, and directed the Latinx Music Union at Oberlin, programming concerts with artists like Alex Cuba, Lisett Morales, and Roberto Sierra. As a music engraver and copyist, he creates professional editions for composers and publishers. Whether through performance, education, or community-building, Gómez’s work bridges artistic traditions and forges new musical futures grounded in memory and innovation.