Grupo Condor with Gerardo Calderon

Print
"Great music, great instruments, interesting info, friendly people." --2nd grade teacher, Portland private school

Artist Biography

Gerardo Calderon is a composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Born in Mexico City, he grew up surrounded by music, dance and culture. While living in Mexico, Gerardo studied classical guitar at the Escuela Superior de Música in Mexico City. He also studied music theory at the Portland Community College in Oregon, and later he studied Music Therapy for three years at Marylhurst University, OR., Before the school closed its doors for good.

Gerardo was awarded for best formatted composition
Gerardo is the musical director of Grupo Condor and Nuestro Canto, and has pursued his interest in traditional Mexican music, Latin American Folk Music and Pre-Colombian music.

Gerardo has dedicated most of his music career to music education and has continuously served the northwest community through Young Audiences of Oregon and SW Washington, Multnomah County Library system and other cultural organizations. Gerardo has performed with folk ensembles in Mexico, Canada, New England, and the Pacific Northwest, he has also toured with choir and world music ensembles throughout the USA and Europe. He has composed music and designed sound for Ballet companies, documentaries, short films, commercials, theater companies, and cultural organizations. organizations. Besides performing, teaching, and composing Gerardo also spend some of his free time playing therapeutic music for Elder Facilities, Retirement Center, and Intensive care facilities. Gerardo had the honor to be part of the Circus Project company, as Musical Director. As a parallel activity to performance, teaching and studying, Gerardo is an instrument artisan; he makes custom pan flutes, rain-sticks, water drums, turtle boxes and bombos (bass drum).

Teaching Philosophy

Sound was the first way to communicate with each other. After that, creativity developed. Musical instruments were created to expand communication and creativity. We teach students this principal with music and different instrument shapes so, they can open other avenues in their brain to learn, to explore, to empower themselves, and to create.