International Contemporary Ensemble Announces Oscar Gerardo as New Board Member

The International Contemporary Ensemble is welcoming Oscar Gerardo to their Board of Directors. Board President Claude Arpels says, "Oscar Gerardo is the most dedicated music lover I have ever met. He has displayed a strong commitment to new and adventurous music by commissioning work with the Ensemble over the last few years. That combined with his vast experience in technology and programming makes him an ideal board member for the International Contemporary Ensemble."

Oscar Gerardo is a native of Los Angeles. He has worked as a software engineer/architect for the entertainment industry for over twenty years. He has worked for Universal Studios, NBC and DirecTV designing, developing and enhancing b2b applications, consumer facing apps, metadata systems, and video streaming systems. He enjoys experiencing music (not limited to opera, classical music, punk, and ska), riding his motorcycle, spoiling his kitties, and cooking and baking everything from scratch.

A fierce advocate for radical new work, Oscar has commissioned works and provided major funding support for projects with the Ensemble, including the LA premiere of Ann Cleare's teeth of light, tongue of waves at the 2019 Noon to Midnight Festival which was described as "especially gripping" by the LA Times. Most recently, he co-commissioned Dai Fujikura's Gliding Wings for clarinet duo and strings which premiered at Miller Theatre in March 2020. He also commissioned Nicole Mitchell's Inescapable Spiral which premiered at Ojai Music Festival 2017 and had its remote version premiered with the Chicago Civic Orchestra in December 2020.

Executive Director Jennifer Kessler says, "We couldn't be more thrilled to have Oscar join our Board of Directors. The new music field is lucky to have such a passionate advocate in Oscar, and I'm especially excited to welcome Oscar as a thought partner and leader for the International Contemporary Ensemble as we approach our 20th year. With Oscar's unique expertise in digital technologies and his deep commitment to artists, the International Contemporary Ensemble is now even better positioned to create a thriving musical ecosystem that honors the diversity of human experience and expression."