Arend Gerds
Gerds' experience in the field of contemporary music and his musical roots in the Dutch wind music scene create a typical and recognizable sound in his work
Background
From 2007 to 2013 Arend Gerds (Groningen, November 4, 1987) studied at the ArtEZ Conservatory with Alex Manassen (NL) and Montclair State University (USA) with V.J. Manzo, Robert Aldridge, and Ting Ho where he obtained a bachelor's and master's degree in composition.
During his master's degree, he specialized in music technology and programming audio software using the program Max Msp. This resulted in the master thesis Maximized and the program 'Spectrum': a program which generates music on the basis of probability.
Composer
As a composer, Arend Gerds shows affinity with both contemporary composing techniques and more traditional writing styles, both of which recur in a blended form in his own sound idiom and music.
Recently he wrote compositions for Ivak, Het Noord-Nederlands Saxofoonkwartet, Gronings Vuur, the KNMO, Fonds Podiumkunsten, the Ad Hoc orchestra, Koperguod, Zomerorkest Nederland and various wind orchestras.
Teacher/ conductor
He currently works as an autonomous composer, conductor and teacher, including at the ArtEZ Conservatory, where he teaches music theory in the departments of Classical music, Jazz&Pop and Docent muziek op maat.