About

Garrison Gerard is Assistant Professor of Music, teaching audio and studio techniques in the Department of Music. He is a composer, producer, and researcher of electroacoustic and concert music. As an audio engineer, he has produced and recorded albums across a wide range of genres. He has worked at the Center for Experimental Music and Intermedia in Denton, TX where he was an audio engineer and live sound technician. 

His music has been presented internationally with performances by groups such as the [Mod]ular Ensemble, Fort Worth Symphony, and Amorsima Trio. An ardent collaborator, he has worked with artists from multiple other fields including choreographers, film makers, visual artists, and sculptors to realize multi-media installations and performances. His work often incorporates music technology and explores areas such as data sonification, AI in music, and spatialization. 

His research interests include ecoacoustics, music technology, and electroacoustic composition. Gerard served as Fulbright Fellow at the Hornafjörður Research Centre of the University of Iceland where he carried out acoustic surveys investigating the impact of human noise on Iceland’s National Parks. He has also carried out acoustic surveys on natural ecosystems in Patagonia, the Chihuahuan Desert, Denali National Park, and other locations. As Artist-in-Residence of Padre Island National Seashore, he recorded sounds across the island and incorporated them in multiple pieces exploring the biomes and environmental impact of society along the coast of Texas.

In addition to music composition and research, Gerard is a conductor, pianist, trumpeter, and improviser. He conducted the NOVA New Music Ensemble at the University of North Texas and has served as Guest Director for the UNT Percussion Ensemble. Working with contemporary composers is a particular focus for him, having conducted the premiere of more than 30 pieces by living composers. 

Gerard completed his Doctoral degree in Music Composition from the University of North Texas and received a Master's in Music Composition from UNT and a Bachelor’s in Music from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. His teachers include Kirsten Broberg, Sungji Hong, Joseph Klein, Panayiotis Kokoras, Andrew May, Jon Nelson, and Jay Walls.